How far would you go to help your family? In a remote village, a man soaks his skin in chicken blood, sacrificing himself to a tiger supposedly to receive government compensation. Dire situations breed dire consequences, and some people are willing to give up anything, even themselves, for their loved ones. 

‘In the Belly of a Tiger’ pulls no punches with its opening. The homegrown film follows an elderly couple, Bhagole and Prabhata, who are farmers facing extreme financial struggles in their rural town. In their search for a stable livelihood, we watch as they are exploited, cast aside, and eventually forced to make an extreme decision for the sake of their family’s future. For some of us, desperation is a feeling born out of a desire to achieve our aspirations, but for others, it is a symptom of a fight for survival. Hence, as Bhagole decides to sacrifice himself to the tiger in the woods for compensation, the movie takes us through the surreal last night of his life. 

Perhaps this plot sounds farfetched to you. It is anything but. In 2017, 17 people died from tiger attacks in the remote villages surrounding Pilibhit Tiger Reserve. A large number of those found dead were community elders. While their bodies were discovered in fields, further inspection suggested that their bodies had moved, insinuating that they had willingly traversed into the tiger reserve and then staged accidental deaths so their relatives could receive financial compensation from the government. Though no definitive conclusion was reached, locals’ statements corroborated this theory. One man told the Times of India, ​"They think that since they can't get resources from the forest, this is the only way their families can escape poverty.” In the following years, the number of deaths in these areas has remained consistent, with 11 dead just this year. 

These tragic deaths led Jatla Siddartha, the film’s writer and director, to create ‘In the Belly of a Tiger.’ While this story certaily speaks to the plights of the communities surrounding Pilibhit Tiger Reserve, it also speaks to the struggles of rural Indians overall.  Most of these individuals are dependent on the agriculture for sustenance. As the climate warms and crops fall, they are left without an adequate source of income. Rather than receiving support, entire communities are left to fend for themselves and pushed into poverty. Is it any surprise, then, that they are driven to desperate measures?

‘In the Belly of a Tiger’ is a much-needed insight into the tragedies that befall underserved and exploited rural areas across India. The film debuted at the prestigious 2024 Berlin International Film Festival, exposing this poignant piece of homegrown art to viewers from across the globe. It is currently making its rounds through international film festivals and will be shown next at the Adelaide Film Festival in Australia. 

Watch a clip from ‘In the Belly of a Tiger’ here. 

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