The Village

Nikita Lalwani

A BBC film crew travel to India for a documentary on an open prison where murderers live with their families in peace and harmony, or so the prison warden would like us to believe. However, tranquility and boredom is not what the reporters need for their story... Colourful, with vivid imagery of scrutinised, closeted prison life locked around Ray and her developing moral conflict veiled by an uncomfortable menacing feeling throughout.

Extract

There was a loud wail from the corner of the hut. Everyone turned to look at Jyoti, except for Daulath. She was shivering, biting her lip. she pulled the pallu of her sari over her mouth, the loud orange diamond pattern covering the lower half of her face. She released another wail, her eyes swelling up so that they looked wild, terrified. Serena refocused the camera on her.
'No!' she said, staring at her husband. 'We are shamed. We are in shame.'
She shook violently and bent forward, releasing a tangled scream from her gut.
'After all this...' she said. 'And now we will just die. Like pigs in a ditch.'

Parallels