The documentary ‘Pink Belt’, directed by John McCrite, is a powerful tribute to the life and work of Aparna Rajawat, India’s sixteen-time national martial arts champion. It not only highlights her sporting achievements but also sheds light on her unwavering commitment to creating a safer world for women. The film follows her journey as she seeks to empower women in India through self-defense training, emotional support, and legal education, culminating in an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the most women trained in self-defense. Through Aparna’s mission and John’s storytelling, ‘Pink Belt’ reveals how one person can inspire monumental change in society. In an exclusive interview with News18 Showsha, the both Aparna and John opened up about the powerful documentary and the vision behind it.
From Champion To Advocate: Aparna Rajawat’s Mission
Your journey from a sixteen-time national martial arts champion to a fierce advocate for women’s safety is incredibly inspiring. What initially drove you to start the Pink Belt Mission?
Back in London, one of the most striking things I noticed about the state of women, was the sheer sense of worth they walked there with as compared to in India. The infamous Nirbhaya Incident shook me from the inside out which further ignited a fire inside me to give Indian women their much-deserved confidence, pride, and a sense of safety. That’s how The Pink Belt Mission came into being.
In the documentary, you talk about the 2012 Delhi gang rape as a turning point in your life. How did this horrific event influence your decision to dedicate your life to empowering women through self-defense?
When the ‘Nirbhaya Kaand’ hit, I was devastated much like everyone else in India. However, I didn’t just want to sit and feel sad but rather do something about it. The National Crime Record Bureau(NCRB) 2012, revealed that every 13 minutes, a woman was raped in India and a sum of 6 gang rapes in a day. I had a goal to never let that happen to any other woman what happened with Nirbhaya so No other ‘Nirbhaya’, in the future, and with that aim I started the Pink Belt Mission.
How do you approach teaching self-defense to women who have experienced trauma, and what role does psychological empowerment play in your training sessions?
One thing that I would like to highlight here is that Pink Belt works on two projects, Safety training and Financial empowerment. When it comes to safety training Pink Belt Mission does not only target self-defense training for women but the impairment of MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL STRENGTH is an equally important pillar there. A woman with a weak mind and heart wouldn’t be able to even hold firmly an unloaded weapon, let alone shoot. We work on the education of six dimensions of strength- mental, emotional, legal, physical, psychological, and digital. Following this, self-defense training acts as a bonus which gives all-round safety to each woman we train.
The recent brutal rape and murder of a doctor in Kolkata have once again highlighted the ongoing issue of violence against women in India. How do you see the Pink Belt Mission contributing to preventing such atrocities, and what immediate steps do you believe are necessary to protect women?
The Kolkata rape case indeed was horrific, however, these cases happen in India not once in a blue moon but rather on an everyday basis, others are either just not reported or received media attention. However, the facts remain that the Pink Belt Mission initiative requires support from authorities and lots of resources and logistics too so we can work so much better for the betterment of women but it’s the opposite instead of getting support and understanding. We get lots of setbacks for which we have been trying for the last 6-7 years.
We tried to create a watch device a few years back, which is very useful among critical care medical patients in the USA. Patients who are living at home and for any emergency can press the button and the nearest hospitals can be notified right away and they get immediate care. We created a similar kind of device in India for women, If they are in danger, they can press a particular button, which would alert the nearest police station and also the hospital if required, much to the rescue of the harmed woman. Having said that, the implementation of this device has not been possible as the government authorities don’t have time to even hear us out rather than giving a green signal, If this device can be launched in India we can save so many lives.
Breaking the Guinness World Record for training the most women in self-defense is an ambitious goal. What were some of the challenges you faced during this attempt, and what does achieving this record mean for your mission?
I think one of the biggest challenges I faced was breaking the ‘Who Cares’ notion of people in India. Unless it’s their own daughter, people don’t care about any other woman being victimized or abused on the road, I saw videos of various incidents where lots of people are standing as spectators instead of helping poor women rather than making videos too, What a shame as nation we are failed when it comes to women safety.
Another thing was that it was difficult to gather women during the World Record as they didn’t want to come for something so new and unheard of happening in India. We didn’t even have permission from local authorities until a week ago, again lots of setbacks from local authorities instead of support, We invited ministers too but no one had time to come and cheer for these women who are making GWR and never received any call from any higher authority after completion of GWR either.
You’ve visited various places during your mission, from a women-run shoe factory to a café run by acid attack survivors. Can you share a particularly memorable or impactful moment from these visits?
A memorable or impactful moment was the sparkle of belief that I saw in their eyes as each one of them believed that her individual story would get the attention and assuage her hardships.
Seeing the undying spirit of the acid attack survivors, the thing that impacted me the most was realizing the importance that unity plays in the overall upliftment of women. A woman holding another woman’s hand is the strongest bond ever.
With crimes against women still alarmingly prevalent, how do you keep yourself motivated to continue fighting for this cause, and what message do you have for women who feel disempowered by the current societal conditions?
The demotivation factor is the lack of support from authorities and society for a cause you have devoted your life to. They create unnecessary questions and obstacles in our ways as they don’t believe in pure intentions but my motivation is HOPE of thousands of women behind me who think I can be their voice and one day their sufferings will be ended.
My message to all the women would be to never give up and walk hand in hand with other women. Your safety is your power. Trust your instincts, stay aware of your surroundings, and never hesitate to set boundaries. Equip yourself with knowledge, use technology for protection, and surround yourself with supportive communities. Your life is valuable—prioritize your safety in every situation.
Your documentary has been received with standing ovations and critical acclaim. How important is it for you to reach a global audience, and what do you hope viewers outside of India take away from ‘Pink Belt’?
The thing I loved was what people took from my film- they said it healed them, gave them a sense of hope, and inspired them. What I loved more than the standing ovation was the word-of-mouth effect and people coming forward to extend a helping hand. I sincerely believe that the film will do good on a global level, This film will heal women who have gone through atrocities in life, This film will give hope to women who are currently suffering, they will have faith to be able to see a bright light after the dark tunnel and will inspire who wants to extend their hand to help others.
What are your future plans for the Pink Belt Mission, and how can people, both in India and globally, support or get involved with your cause?
We aim to establish Pink Belt Clubs in every city in India, which would have an entire community of lawyers, doctors, and counselors so women can get all kinds of help whatever is needed, In these community centers they can enroll in our safety training and financial empowerment courses. We aim to train 2 million women by 2028.
For our financial empowerment project: After the pandemic, so many women became hand-to-mouth and came to us for help, We started a shoe brand “SOLE CAUSE” which is available in INC.5 Stores (50 stores in India) part of the profit we are using to give vocational shoe-making training to women so they can stand on their feet and be able to feed their children. People can be part of us by going to our website www.pinkbeltmission.org and leaving a message there either on the contact page.
In addition, women can join us as trainers by completing their Master trainer course under the Pink Belt Mission. Contact on WhatsApp number 63997-99997
The synergy between Aparna’s mission and John’s storytelling is evident in ‘Pink Belt’. How did you both collaborate to ensure that the documentary accurately reflected the urgency and importance of the mission?
The synergy was mainly created because we felt that John could feel the pain that we had gone through.I remember while shooting the documentary John cried more than us, So if you can feel that pain then you surely can project so much better and John certainly did it. In the future, if we get support from a larger global audience then we can have a stronger voice which can in turn help us to work in India because our voice will be louder and we will be heard.
In light of the ongoing violence against women in India, including the recent incident in Kolkata, what do you both believe are the most critical actions needed from society, government, and individuals to create a safer environment for women?
All women should be taught all safety techniques, tricks, education, and awareness, It should be mandatory in schools and universities. It should be not only for female students but should be for male students too. All boys should know the consequences of their actions if they harm women. Laws should be stricter along with capital punishment. Upbringing at home should change too, there should not be any discrimination at home based on gender, and parents should tell their sons to respect and protect women.
Looking back on the journey of making and promoting ‘Pink Belt’, what have been the most rewarding aspects for both of you, and what impact do you hope the film will have in the long term?
On a personal level, It was a self-healing journey for me because I have gone through so much, and reliving the same emotions became self-therapeutic to me.
Also, I can never forget that view when 12,000 women assembled on GWR day and all had come voluntarily to be the change in our society and when we all did Self-defense moves together and the strength we all felt on that day was unbelievable. Seeing all those women was like an ocean of change for me and indeed one of the best views I have ever seen in my life when I was on stage.
John McCrite: Bringing ‘Pink Belt’ To Life
What inspired you to tell Aparna Rajawat’s story through the documentary ‘Pink Belt’, and what do you hope audiences will take away from it?
I was on vacation in India and Aparna was our tour manager. When we were rolling into Delhi on the tour bus, she said we had to open the curtains due to the laws enacted because of the Nirbhaya case. She told us what happened to the young medical student. Aparna told us the case inspired her to start Pink Belt Mission, teaching women self-defense and safety. She was inspired by the tragedy to try and make India a better place. I love stories like that.
Documenting such a powerful and emotional journey must have come with its challenges. Can you share any particularly difficult moments during the filmmaking process and how you navigated them?
On the technical side, not speaking Hindi was a challenge, because I had to have someone tell me what was being said. But the hardest part was being witness to such violent stories against women. It was heartbreaking. It took me several months after shooting to process the stories of marital rape and acid attacks. But in the five years of making the film, anytime I felt discouraged, I remembered those courageous survivors telling their stories and it inspired me to continue on.
Given the recent horrific rape and murder in Kolkata, how do you see ‘Pink Belt’ contributing to the global conversation about women’s safety and the fight against gender-based violence?
For many in the united states and other countries, they hear about these cases in the news, but in Pink Belt they meet actual survivors. Hearing women tell their stories makes you pay attention. It creates empathy. We had a recent sneak preview in Palm Springs and at the Q&A, women and men shared their own stories of abuse, and they wanted to help Aparna and Pink Belt the same way I did when I first heard the stories.
How did you approach balancing the inspirational aspects of Aparna’s story with the grim realities of violence against women in India?
It was a day-to-day journey of emotions. I did a lot of prayer and meditation. I was most scared the day we were going to film with the acid attack survivors. I didn’t know if my heart could take it. And when we arrived, they were laughing and joking and brought us all such joy. I didn’t expect that. And when we were at the world record event and saw all the young girls standing together and learning self-defense, I didn’t know it would make me cry. The day-to-day rollercoaster of emotions can be felt in the film, and I think that’s why the audience wants to stay and talk afterwards. But prayer and meditation are how I handled it. I experienced a little PTSD after shooting the film and had to talk to a therapist about it and process what had happened.
The film has been recognized and celebrated at several film festivals. How do you think the global recognition of ‘Pink Belt’ impacts the mission it seeks to support, and what are your plans for further distribution?
I think it will allow us to use the film for educational purposes. We will be able to travel with the movie around the world and Aparna and I can speak to students. This first showing of Pink Belt made us realize it’s more than a movie, it’s a healing event. It creates a dialogue about a very taboo subject. And as we learned it’s not just women, it’s men too. We are in the process of finding a distributor to make it available on an international stage. We want everyone to have access to it. We want it to be a message of hope and inspiration, “If Aparna can do it, we can do it.”
What were some of the most inspiring or surprising things you learned about Aparna and the women she has worked with during the making of this documentary?
I was surprised by Aparna’s charisma in front of an audience. She was a rockstar and everyone wanted a selfie with her. They went mad for her. I was most surprised by the childhood abuse she suffered. She is one of the toughest people I have ever met, but also one of the most sensitive. Her heart shows whenever she talks about her mother.
I was also surprised by the sense of humor and joy that some of the survivors demonstrated. The movie has many comedic moments in it, and I was surprised by that.
As a filmmaker, what do you believe is the role of documentaries like ‘Pink Belt’ in bringing about social change, especially in countries with deep-rooted issues like gender violence?
Gender violence is a global issue. I believe social change comes from getting to know people through their stories. It’s not just an unknown Nirbhaya, it’s someone’s daughter, sister, wife. To know someone through their stories creates empathy and empathy is the key to change. It creates outrage at injustice. And outrage creates protests and protests create change. You feel like Aparna is your friend after watching the film and you want to help her cause. That is powerful.
The film captures Aparna’s attempt to break the Guinness World Record. What was it like to document such a large-scale event, and how did it fit into the larger narrative of the documentary?
We didn’t get a chance to practice the camera setups because the stage wasn’t built. We had to work quickly the morning of the event to set up the seven cameras we used. There is a shot when Aparna walks up onto the stage in front of the crowd, and we never got to practice that. If the camera operator tripped and fell, we would never have captured one of the most inspiring moments of the film. It all happened in real time, and it felt like we were flying without a net. I was anxious because it was my first feature film, but the crew was amazing under pressure. I think the unknown of the world record event makes it an “on the edge of your seat” ending for the film. Everything goes wrong and you are rooting for Aparna and the girls to win. It’s heart pounding.
What are your hopes for the future of the Pink Belt Mission, and how do you see the documentary contributing to its success?
I want there to be a Pink Belt Mission in every city in India. I think community creates safety and strength. The old saying is, one reed is easily broken, but a bundle of reeds is unbreakable.
The synergy between Aparna’s mission and John’s storytelling is evident in ‘Pink Belt’. How did you both collaborate to ensure that the documentary accurately reflected the urgency and importance of the mission?
Right from the very beginning we connected on a deep level. Her mother died of cancer and so did mine. We bonded over that grief. We laughed that we both wanted to play games that weren’t considered normal for our gender at that time. She wanted to fly kites and play with marbles and I wanted to create plays with my cousin’s Barbie dolls. We both had traumatic road accidents that changed our lives. We were both athletes, she was a karate champion, and I won blue ribbons in the Junior Olympics. We both were outraged by the Nirbhaya case, and we wanted to take to the streets. The last scene of the movie sums up how we both feel about women’s safety and our similar desire to create change. We took that message of female empowerment to the streets.
In light of the ongoing violence against women in India, including the recent incident in Kolkata, what do you both believe are the most critical actions needed from society, government, and individuals to create a safer environment for women?
The most important thing is to encourage victims to report their cases. I saw on the BBC that India has one of the higher conviction rates in rape cases, but if the cases aren’t reported then justice isn’t being served. The police and government must make it easy to report rape and violence. There can be shame and guilt involved with being raped and there has to be a sensitivity when victims come forward. Victims need to feel safe in reporting what happened.
Looking back on the journey of making and promoting ‘Pink Belt’, what have been the most rewarding aspects for both of you, and what impact do you hope the film will have in the long term?
I had been working on the film for five years and it became my job. I lost objectivity. The night we saw the movie with a full audience, and we heard them laugh, cry, cheer and stand up, that was rewarding! When they stayed and wanted to share their stories afterwards, that was fulfilling. I want Pink Belt to reach people I will never meet and have Aparna’s story touch them the way it touched me. I pray Pink Belt is a vessel of healing for others the way it has been for me.
