Director Raajhorshee De’s film Sada Ronger Prithibi is all set for release in the theatres on February 23. Based on the important issue of widow trafficking, the film features an ensemble cast and was shot majorly in Varanasi. The poster launch of the film recently took place in Nandan, followed by the trailer launch on February 1.

“We have received an overwhelming response from the launch of the poster and the trailer release. We are immensely grateful to Aroop Biswas, Indranil Sen, and Debasish Kumar and Nandan, who have allowed us to launch the poster at Nandan. There are around 55 million widows in India, which is around the same as the entire population of South Africa and Tanzania. The customs still prevalent in India restrict a widow from leading a normal life with her family. After her husband’s death, a woman is expected to live in an ashram (shelter home). A visit to Vrindavan will clear any doubts that challenge the existence of such a custom. In 2012, the Supreme Court took notice of the plight of their sufferings and ordered the constitution of a committee to identify the widows living in ashrams or wandering in the streets in Vrindavan. Unfortunately, widows throughout the country still travel to Vrindavan because the custom demands so. Our film is a protest against such norms and culture. Shooting in Varanasi is always a delight. Shashi Panja has launched the trailer. It has already crossed three lakh views on social media platforms,” said Raajhorshee De.

The poster launch of the film at Nandan was graced by Indranil Sen, Debasish Kumar, and philanthropist and astrologer Sohini Sastri, apart from the cast and crew of the film. Sohini Sastri, whose life and works inspired a character in the film, said: “As a woman, I felt that women can do anything they believe in, they just have to believe in themselves. The character of Bhairo is inspired from my work, one of the pivotal characters in the film. She is a tantric and can foresee the future. She is mystical and mysterious.”

Cast member and politician Ananya Banerjee, said: “I am quite excited about the release of this film because I have been working for a long time for widows and elderly women who are not being taken care of by their families and society at large. I have been doing this since my days as a chairperson of the West Bengal Women Development Corporation. My politics is women-centric and so I have chosen to be part of it. I urge everyone to come to the theatre to watch this film.” r