"We are Indians,
we will die Indians."
we are born Indians,
"We will fight for the rights
of our children and our
own rights."
"We displayed our identity,
we showed our strength."
"In my extended family
address me as 'netaji'.
of 45 - 45 people, they all
"Personally I feel, I have
broken free of limits
and moved ahead."
"We miss Mumbai bagh
every second. if we pass
through that spot
our eyes well up."
"I want people to look
as me as a social worker."
"If a woman can run
her household so efficiently,
then running a protest was
child's play."
I would finish all my
duties at home and then
go for protests."
"I have added a new name
to myself. 'Nilofer, from
Mumbai bagh."
On 26th January 2020, Nagpada, a predominantly Muslim locality in South Mumbai was in a stir.
That day changed the life of Nilofer Shaikh, a teacher and housewife, forever. Nilofer, along with scores of women from Nagpada agitated against the CAA/NRC/NPR for almost two month at their own sit-in at Mumbai bagh in Nagpada, Mumbai.
Mumbai bagh was one of the thousands of protest sites that had sprung up across India, inspired by Delhi’s Shaheen bagh.
Balancing household responsibilities with protests, these women worked over time for two months.
This film is an essay into the life of Nilofer, a young Muslim woman, a teacher and a mother of two, who participated for the first time in a civil society protest.
“Now everyone knows me as ‘Nilofer – Mumbai Bagh” she says about herself.
