5 months ago
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“Rowdy Baby, delight travel forward,” announces Mohana Sundari.
And, Leela Rani takes centrestage.
Leela Rani and Mohana Sundari confidently measurement connected the signifier astatine the Chennai screening of documentary feature, Auto Queens. Even arsenic these 2 woman car drivers stock their stories, cheering them connected among the assemblage are galore different car drivers successful the metropolis on with their families.
These 2 are the protagonists of Auto Queens, which raises a toast to galore a strong-willed pistillate trying to marque a sanction for themselves successful a male-dominated transport sector.
As the camera veers done the engaged lanes of Chennai on with the autorickshaws, a communicative emerges - that of joyousness and laughter, sandwiched with tales from their ain lives. Leela Rani says, “As a woman car driver, we person been pushed to the brink. We person been abused and taunted, but today, we consciousness that we person a dependable successful this society.”
She is referring to the commencement and maturation of Veera Pengal Munetra Sangam (VPMS). Registered successful April 2024, the VPMS aims to guarantee amended moving conditions and monetary benefits for its 600-plus women autodrivers.
The squad down ‘Auto Queens’ astatine the Chennai premiere of the film
Shot wrong 16 days successful assorted locations successful Chennai, Auto Queens, directed by Sraiyanti for Storiculture, showcases the mundane beingness of woman car drivers successful the metropolis and the trials they undergo. It was besides precocious showcased astatine the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA), making it the archetypal Tamil abbreviated documentary to beryllium screened there. Sraiyanti says astir the experience, “The assemblage loved it and the effect was overwhelming. Though they were unfamiliar with the language, they were capable to grasp its essence intelligibly and ticker it with heavy affectional engagement.”
VPMS, supported by a non-profit organisation called the Alliance for Community Empowerment (ACE), represented by Vijay Gnanaprasad, has been making waves since their inception. Their squad members won prizes and hearts astatine Coop, a contention held astatine IIM-Kozhikode that promoted cooperative entrepreneurship. More recently, earlier this month, 1 of its cardinal members and protagonists of Auto Queens, Mohana Sundari, won the Kamla Bhasin Award 2025, awarded to observe individuals moving to situation patriarchy and beforehand sex justice; she is the archetypal victor from Tamil Nadu to container this prestigious honour. Mohana says, “The movie battles for equality. We (VPMS) should beryllium an inspiration for women, particularly successful those transport sector, each crossed India.”
