Provoked

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Provoked

2007

1h 51m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

28%

Tomatometer

36 Reviews

70%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

After enduring years of abuse from her husband, Deepak (Naveen Andrews), Kiranjit Ahluwalia (Aishwarya Rai) tries to end her torment by incinerating him while he sleeps. When Deepak dies from his injuries, Kiranjit gets a life sentence in a British prison. There, she befriends her cellmate, Ronnie (Miranda Richardson), who asks her stepbrother (Robbie Coltrane) to take up Kiranjit's appeal in the hope that some real justice can be found.

Critics Consensus

Provoked's story is worth telling, but the hammy dialogue and heavy-handed direction doesn't give it the refined treatment it deserves.

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Namrata Joshi

Outlook

01/24/2019

2/4

Despite being based on a true story, the film's presentation is overly dramatic and the characters seem too stereotypical.

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Marjorie Baumgarten

Austin Chronicle

06/08/2007

2/5

What should have turned out as a terrific movie about the crime of spousal abuse has instead received the equivalent of a ham-handed molestation by director Mundhra.

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Richard Roeper

Ebert & Roeper

05/21/2007

The real-life heroes in this story deserve better than a formulaic, poorly shot melodrama.

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Marcos Rebollo

Cinemanía (Spain)

10/14/2020

2/5

Full of clichés. [Full review in Spanish]

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Craig Phillips

GreenCine

07/30/2009

2.5/5

A melodrama dressed up just enough to hold interest, in the retelling of an undeniably important story.

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Cynthia Fuchs

PopMatters

05/30/2007

By offsetting Women in Cages-style throw-downs with Malcolm X-like uplift, it is simultaneously strange and familiar, inspiring and annoying.

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06/17/2014

This film should reach the doors of battered and abused women out there...

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07/13/2012

Aish should have won an Oscar for her acting in this one...

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12/27/2011

This is a must see for all women! Ashwariya is absolutely amazing in it!

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12/06/2011

wow what women had to go thru so sad cried couple of time.

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10/02/2011

A thought provoking well made film based on a true story

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07/10/2011

A well-picked but badly told story, director Jagmohan Mundhra caricatures practically everything on screen - taking away from the realism that could've made Provoked a great movie, and Aishwarya Rai, indifferent from her character, doesn't help the proceedings.

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Jag Mundhra

Director

Aishwarya Rai

Kiranjit Ahluwalia

Miranda Richardson

Veronica Scott

Naveen Andrews

Deepak Ahluwalia

Nandita Das

Radha Dalal

Rebecca Pidgeon

Miriam Taylor

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Synopsis

After enduring years of abuse from her husband, Deepak (Naveen Andrews), Kiranjit Ahluwalia (Aishwarya Rai) tries to end her torment by incinerating him while he sleeps. When Deepak dies from his injuries, Kiranjit gets a life sentence in a British prison. There, she befriends her cellmate, Ronnie (Miranda Richardson), who asks her stepbrother (Robbie Coltrane) to take up Kiranjit's appeal in the hope that some real justice can be found.

Director: Jag Mundhra
Producer: Sunanda Murali Manohar, Jayabalan Manohar Murali
Screenwriter: Carl Austin, Rahila Gupta
Distributor: Eros International
Production Co: Raj Film Productions
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 11, 2007, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 30, 2016
Runtime: 1h 51m