Festival to show Zaid’s film on Hindu mother in custody battle

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PETALING JAYA: The plight of M Indira Gandhi, a Hindu mother who lost her youngest daughter in a custody battle with her Muslim ex-husband eight years ago, has been made into a 45-minute documentary to be screened at the upcoming Freedom Film Festival.

“Diari untuk Prasana” was produced by prominent DAP member Zaid Ibrahim and directed by women’s rights activist Norhayati Kaprawi.

“This is a story about a human being who hasn’t received the justice she deserves,” Zaid said. “It is a story about our country.”

This is Zaid’s first film production. He told FMT it’s meant to be a portrayal of the system’s failure to ensure justice for a citizen.

“The country cannot only take care of the big shots,” he said. “We have to ensure justice for everyone. “I think there’s been a system failure when even a simple family matter cannot be resolved properly.

“It’s a tragic story.”

He said by “system failure”, he meant “the failure of everyone: the legal system, the shariah courts and Muslim leaders.”

Zaid was the de facto law minister before he resigned from the cabinet in 2008.

He called for more compassion towards those affected by problems such as those experienced by Indira.

“We cannot hide behind the law and religion because we are dealing with real people,” he said. “We shouldn’t be scared to make tough decisions.”

Norhayati's previous documentaries have sparked heated debates.
Norhayati’s previous documentaries have sparked heated debates.

Norhayati said the documentary would focus on Indira and her family, including her mother, who took care of Indira’s daughter, Prasana Diksa, when she was a baby.

The film will also feature Indira’s two other children, who currently live with their mother.

“The main issue is the children’s religious status, as their father converted them to Islam when they were small. However, they lead their lives as Hindus,” she said.

Norhayati’s previous documentaries, featuring a Muslim woman who was sentenced to whipping for drinking alcohol, a Muslim woman’s relationship with the hijab and the major roles that female ulama play in Indonesian society, have sparked heated debates.

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