Bandit Queen

In the summer of 1968, Phoolan is married off to Puttilal in a small village in Uttar Pradesh. Her mother objects to the timing, but tradition compels her father Devideen to consent and the match goes ahead. The marriage marks the start of a life defined by caste hierarchies and gender control.

Phoolan endures sexual and exploitative abuse within the Mallah sub-caste while facing the dominance of higher caste Thakur men. She confronts a social order that polices female sexuality and subservience. These experiences seed her later resistance.

At a town meeting, the panchayat uses patriarchal authority to banish Phoolan for not submitting to the advances of Thakur men. The ruling ostracizes her from the village, forcing her to leave with little protection or support. The ban takes a heavy toll on her sense of safety.

Phoolan moves to live with her cousin Kailash as she seeks safety after the banishment. She remains vulnerable to the lingering violence of masculine power and caste prejudice. Her early independence is challenged as she navigates precarious circumstances.

While trying to lift her ban, Phoolan goes to the local police and is beaten, molested, and raped in custody. The bail arranged for her release is later revealed as a bribe paid to Babu Gujjar's gang. Gujjar's men arrive to claim their prize, illustrating the corrupt link between police and bandits.

In May 1979, Phoolan is abducted by the Babu Gujjar gang. Gujjar's brutality is unchecked until Vikram, his lieutenant, catches him raping Phoolan and shoots him, taking command of the gang. Vikram's initial sympathy toward Phoolan deepens into a protective bond.

With Gujjar dead, Vikram leads the gang and develops empathy for Phoolan, supporting her as she resists oppression within the criminal world. The relationship between Phoolan and Vikram strengthens against the backdrop of violence and power struggles.

Shri Ram, the true gang boss, is released from prison and returns to reclaim control. He resents Vikram's egalitarian leadership and covets Phoolan, setting up a fierce power struggle within the gang.

Phoolan, with Vikram's help, abducts her former husband Puttilal to punish him for his rape and abuse. The act marks a turning point for Phoolan as she asserts agency against past trauma.

Shri Ram abducts Phoolan to Behmai and she is repeatedly raped and beaten by him and the gang as punishment for her resistance. She is stripped naked and paraded through the village, a deeply dehumanizing humiliation.

Traumatized, Phoolan returns to Kailash and later connects with Man Singh, leading into a new large gang under Baba Mustakim. She rises as a leader and earns the moniker Phoolan Devi, the Bandit Queen as her legend begins to grow.

In February 1981, Phoolan's gang launches a brutal attack on a Behmai wedding attended by Thakur Shri Ram, taking revenge on the Thakur clan. The assault earns Phoolan nationwide notoriety and triggers a sweeping manhunt led by national authorities in New Delhi.

The manhunt costs many lives within Phoolan's gang as they are forced to hide in the rugged Chambal ravines without food or water. Tensions rise as supplies dwindle and the net tightens around their sanctuary. The group struggles to sustain themselves while evading capture.

Facing mounting pressure, Phoolan decides to surrender in February 1983. She negotiates terms to have her remaining mates protected and provided for, seeking some measure of justice after years of violence. The surrender marks a grim but pivotal turning point in her saga.

The film notes that all charges against Phoolan are withdrawn and that she was released in 1994. This closing chapter hints at a controversial yet recognized end to the long struggle and complexity of her legacy.