Ladies First (film)

2021-07-06T06:19:25Z

2405:201:A:F032:9575:17E4:5E45:E599:

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2019}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Ladies First
| image =
| caption =
| director = Uraaz Bahl<br>Shaana Levy Bahl
| producer =
| writer =
| starring =
| music =
| cinematography = John W. Rutland
| editing = Avdhesh Mohla
| studio =
| distributor = [[Netflix]]
| released = {{Film date|df=yes|2017|07|07|Los Angeles|2018|03|08}}
| runtime = 40 minutes
| country = India
| language = Hindi
| budget =
}}

'''''Ladies First''''' is a 2017 Indian documentary on the life of [[Archery|archer]], [[Deepika Kumari]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/gy5jthjBZFQ8DSszfXkwgN/Ladies-First-Going-beyond-the-medal.html|title=‘Ladies First’: Going beyond the medal|last=Janardhan|first=Arun|work=Mint|date=8 March 2018|accessdate=11 March 2019}}</ref> Directed by Uraaz Bahl and Shaana Levy Bahl, it chronicles her journey through living in poverty in Jharkhand, to later getting enrolled in the Tata Archery Academy and representing the country at several international tournaments.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.vervemagazine.in/people/why-ladies-first-is-a-documentary-every-indian-needs-to-watch-this-womens-day|title=Why ‘Ladies First’ is a Documentary Every Indian Needs to Watch This Women's Day|last=Shaikh|first=Sadaf|work=Verve|date=8 March 2018|accessdate=11 March 2019}}</ref> It won an award at the [[London Independent Film Festival]], the Best Documentary award at the New York Film Awards and Best Inspirational Film at the Los Angeles Film Awards.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://worldarchery.org/news/157469/netflix-releases-ladies-first-documentary-starring-deepika-kumari|title=Netflix Releases Ladies First Documentary Starring Deepika Kumari|last=Wells|first=Chris|publisher=World Archery Federation|date=8 March 2018|accessdate=11 March 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6896078/awards/?ref_=tt_awd|title=Ladies First Awards, IMDb}}</ref> It was screened at the 2017 [[Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival]].<ref name=vogue>{{cite news|url=https://www.vogue.in/content/archer-deepika-kumaris-inspiring-story-ladies-first-is-now-on-netflix/|title=Archer Deepika Kumari’s inspiring story, Ladies First, is now on Netflix|last=Patel|first=Parita|work=Vogue|date=8 March 2018|accessdate=11 March 2019}}</ref>

It was shot before the [[2016 Summer Olympics]] during the course of three years.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/off-the-field/documentary-ladies-first-traces-archer-deepikas-journey-from-ranchi-to-rio/articleshow/63223041.cms|title=Documentary 'Ladies First' traces archer Deepika's journey from Ranchi to Rio|work=The Times of India|date=8 March 2018|accessdate=11 March 2019}}</ref> ''Ladies First'' was released on 8 March 2018 on the eve of [[International Women's Day]] on [[Netflix]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/web-series/archer-deepika-kumari-on-ladies-first-5093295/|title=Archer Deepika Kumari on Ladies First: It is a story of things we want to do and can’t do|last=Panchal|first=Komal RJ|work=The Indian Express|date=10 March 2018|accessdate=11 March 2019}}</ref> It was the first Netflix original documentary from India and released with subtitles in 28 different languages. The documentary was also screened for 100 odd kids of the Magic Bus NGO.<ref name=vogue/>

==Production==
The husband wife duo of Uraaz Bahl and Shaana Levy Bahl read an article about [[Deepika Kumari]]. Shaana said that "there was something about her struggle that struck a chord with Uraaz."<ref name=patel>{{cite web|url=https://www.vogue.in/content/this-film-captures-the-inspiring-journey-of-olympic-archer-deepika-kumari/|title=This film captures the inspiring journey of Olympic archer Deepika Kumari|last=Patel|first=Parita|work=Vogue|date=4 March 2019|accessdate=11 March 2019}}</ref> They then decided to make a documentary on her. Kumari was initially not interested in it and said that " [the time] was so close to the Olympics and I was extremely busy and fully focused on my training."<ref name=patel/> The crew travelled with her to Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Delhi where she and other athletes were given an official send-off by the prime minister for the 2016 Olympic Games. The shoot began a few months before the Olympics in August 2016 and was finished in seven months after the games ended.<ref name=patel/>

==Reception==
John Stanley of [[World Archery Federation]] called it a "short, but beautifully-filmed piece which uses Rio as a frame to take the audience through Deepika’s remarkable career so far."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://worldarchery.org/news/157470/reviewed-ladies-first-documentary-featuring-deepika-kumari|title=Reviewed: Ladies First Documentary Featuring Deepika Kumari|publisher=World Archery Federation|date=9 March 2019|accessdate=11 March 2019}}</ref> Suhani Singh of ''[[India Today]]'' felt that the documentary focused "more on Kumari's origins story than demonstrating her impressive exploits on the field."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/leisure/story/20180326-ladies-first-archer-deepika-kumari-netflix-documentary-1191052-2018-03-16|title=Ladies first: A Netflix documentary on the life of Jharkhand archer Deepika Kumari|last=Singh|first=Suhani|work=India Today|date=16 March 2018|accessdate=11 March 2019}}</ref> A review carried by the IANS wrote: "We never get to know Deepika's inner feelings as she struggled against gender prejudices and her destiny of poverty. It's like getting vivid glimpses of landscape from a moving train."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/review/2018/apr/02/ladies-first-review-documentary-on-sharp-shooting-archer-deepika-kumari-falls-short-1795889.html|title='Ladies First' review: Documentary on sharp-shooting archer Deepika Kumari falls short|work=The New Indian Express|date=2 April 2018|accessdate=11 March 2019}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb title|tt6896078|Ladies First}}

[[Category:Indian documentary films]]
[[Category:2017 films]]
[[Category:2017 documentary films]]
[[Category:Documentary films about women in India]]
[[Category:Documentary films about sportspeople]]
[[Category:Netflix original documentary films]]

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Ladies First (film)