'The Girls Said I Want To Play Football'

'When the girls said they want to play football, the mothers were encouraging.'
'It was the fathers who were against the idea.'

The film tells the story of young village girls, who tackle their way out of forced child marriages by playing football.

Kicking Balls is backed by Guneet Monga's Sikhya Entertainment, the same production house that has produced the Oscar-nominated film, Anuja, about two orphaned sisters from Delhi's slums.

"I used to think child marriage is a North Indian thing but even in Tamil Nadu, it happens. It even happens in America. It's a huge problem worldwide. There are states where the legal marriage age is 13," Vijayeta tells Mayur Sanap/Rediff.com.

Following its India premiere at IFFI Goa, Kicking Balls was screened at the New York Indian Film Festival, where it won Best Documentary Short.

The film is currently available on Prasar Bharti's newly launched OTT platform, Waves.

Kicking Balls is such a catchy title. There's an interesting wordplay there. It's not just about young girls playing a football game but also them hurting the male ego by rebelling against patriarchy.

It's not about hurting the male ego, as such. It's just patriarchy, in general.

We thought it's a cheeky title. It drives home the point.

How did you come across the subject?

I am from Ajmer and visit the city every year.

In 2018, I was passing by my old school and saw these girls playing football there.

I got curious because my school didn't have a football camp.

I met them and spent some time there to hear their stories.

I created a pitch which I then took to Guneet (Monga). Guneet was on board from the beginning as she loved the idea. She loved the pictures I showed her of the girls.

Soon after, Ashwini Yardi came on board and we started shooting.

Since you are from Ajmer, have you seen these girls up close? Have you always known their stories?

While growing up, you would hear these stories all the time.

I must have been 10 when one of our maid's daughters got married. I used to be confused because she was the same age as me.

I had only seen adults and older people getting married and here, she was somebody who used to come to our house and I used to play with her. And suddenly, she's getting married.

As I grew older, I got to know why they do it and the reasons behind it. But it's still a very oppressive and bad practice.

It's still going on. In fact, it has increased after COVID.

Do you see this issue being prevalent in other parts of the country as well?

When I was doing my research, I found out that child marriage is everywhere.

I used to think it's a North Indian thing but it happens in Tamil Nadu too. It happens in America too. There are states where the legal marriage age is 13.

It's a huge problem worldwide but happens most in India. In the North East, in West Bengal -- you hear about child marriage in almost every state.

Rajasthan and Haryana have the largest numbers.

Did you face opposition from the villagers while filming this project?

There were a few people who didn't want us to shoot.

We didn't want to hurt anyone, we didn't want to antagonise or fight with people because that's not our job as filmmakers.

We are not police nor are we telling them, don't do this. I am just looking into their world and telling their story.

Also, I wanted make these girls feel comfortable in front of the camera and be open about their lives.

We had an all-women crew, and that really helped.

There is a lot of segregation in villages. If I went with a male crew, it wouldn't have been easy. They would have been shy, and not so forthcoming.

But having women around, we created a safe space for them so that they could talk to us.

There is a moment in the film where a young girl tears up while narrating her story. How did you make sure they felt safe and confident enough to share their stories?

I spent six months with them before we shot the film.

I wasn't talking to them like a filmmaker.

Because they knew I'm from Ajmer, we developed a bond and they were open about their stories.

The NGO plays a great role, as they tell them that whatever is happening to you is not your fault, it's basically the system.

I think you're talking about Sumitra. Her parents refused to talk to us, but she did.

What kind of convincing did it take to make the parents speak up?

Actually, the mothers were very, very supportive, which is what they are in real life.

When the girls went to them the first time with the idea that they want to play football, the mothers were encouraging.

It was the fathers who were against the idea.

So mothers were not a problem, we have shot with so many mothers in the film.

They were very happy to talk to us and were happy to see their daughters in front of the camera, that they are able to bring their story to the world.

Some parents were against the idea, but the girls fought. The girls said it's okay, I want to do it, I don't care what my dad is saying.

It worked out.

What are the financial hurdles that an indie filmmaker faces while making a project like this?

See, budget is always an issue. We did have a very, very, tight budget.

But thanks to my producers like Guneet and Ashwini, I had the funds I needed.

I shot the way I did, but these projects are not commercial. There is no way of knowing how are you going to recover that money, so I had to work within a certain budget.

We shot this in June in Rajasthan. It was very, very hard because it was peak summer. And it was fully outdoors for shooting the football matches.

Those things were very, very, hard to do.

Budget-wise, I'm happy with the way the film shaped up. As a filmmaker, I got everything I needed. I got to hire the crew I wanted, the cameras I wanted. Technically, everything was sorted for me.

How long have you been working on this film?

It took almost three years to make because we also got stuck.

The last schedule we shot was just before the lockdown in 2020.

Then we got stuck because of the lockdown so our edits became very painful because we couldn't physically meet to edit. It was all online. That slowed us down a bit.

Do you wish to direct a feature film in future?

I am already working on a feature right now. We are in the casting stage for it.

I have made like three fiction short films before this. This was my first non-fiction project.

What do you find yourself reflecting on most now that the film is out for people to see? What changes do you hope it brings?

I hope a lot of people watch the film and understand the reality. I feel in urban areas, we are not fully aware of what goes on in the villages and smaller towns in India.

A lot of these problems don't exist for us.

I just feel a certain awareness comes when people support causes like this, like donate money, help these girls with further studies, whatever.

Waves, I feel, is a great platform for that because it is available to everyone.

Have you shown this film to the girls? What was their reaction?

Of course, I did.

When we locked the edit, the first people to see the film was the NGO and all the girls. I took it to them because I needed their approval if I have told their story well.

They were thrilled.

They loved watching themselves on screen.

Sunil Chhetri shared the trailer sometime ago, and they were ecstatic because they are huge fans of his. That was like another big moment for them.

Are you seeing any real changes in their lives, or is it too soon to expect that?

Yes. For example, Payal is a FIFA-certified coach now.

There are four girls who are part of the under 17 football Rajasthan state women's team. They are doing well.

Some girls, like Pooja, have just started college this year.

One of them is trying to be a YouTuber.

This football programme has more than 500 girls, and they are all thriving in a way.

I was in Ajmer in December, so I met a few of them. I was really happy to see how they have grown over the last few years.

Of course, there are always people who are still going for child marriage and all, but I feel these girls and what the NGO is doing, they have done a great job.