Director Jouko Aaltonen, Antti Pakaslahti
Country/Production Finland
Release 2000
Length 69 mins
Format Colour / DVD / PAL / All region
Location India, Delhi / Asia
Prizes/Commendations Commendation Basil Wright Film Prize 2003
Order No RAI-200.320
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Kusum is a 14-year-old Indian girl. She lives and attends school in Delhi. Kaushal, her father, drives a motorised rickshaw and works his fingers to the bone to support his family. Sumitra, Kusum’s mother, is about to have a baby. Kusum’s family is poor, but their life isn’t too bad, until Kusum falls ill. She isolates herself, she has raving fits and she refuses to eat properly. Her family takes her to see a doctor, but no physical illness can be found. It’s evil spirits, say the neighbours. Kusum, Kaushal and Aunt Suman journey to the neighbouring town of Hapur, where Bhagat the healer lives. Bhagat is well-known throughout the region, and people travel hundreds of miles to see him. Bhagat’s methods include conversation, rituals and herbal treatments. Joint trance sessions in which spirits talk constitute the core of his methodology. Should a patient fail to enter a trance, Bhagat’s assistant Meena takes the spirits into herself and is entranced on behalf of the patient. Bhagat examines the family and orders treatment.
