Short Film ‘Kaala’ Tackles Racist Attacks on Africans in Delhi

The film is the first to be made on the subject.

A still from Kaala.

A new short film aims to tackle the issue of racist attacks against Africans in Delhi and raise awareness about the prejudice the community faces in India.

Kaala is a short fiction film directed by Tarun Jain on hate crimes against African nationals that took place in Delhi and adjoining areas between 2016 and 2017. During this period, many Africans including students and women were assaulted and few were tortured to death. Reports of murder, harassment and brutal beatings made headlines quite often.

A still from Kaala.

While the filmmakers intended to focus on a specific period, the fact that similar attacks continue to happen has made the film more timely than ever. On 9 October, shocking visuals of a Nigerian national being tied to a pole, and being beaten by locals for an alleged theft in Delhi’s Malviya Nagar emerged.

‘Kaala’ is my stand against racism. It’s a tribute to those who lost their lives and to those who survived, but the painful memory of that period may haunt them forever...  It is very important and high time that we start addressing the existence of racist outlook in our own country, rather blame the west for doing so to our people. 

Tarun Jain, filmmaker

A still from Kaala.

Director Tarun Jain is an award winning filmmaker based in Delhi and has been involved in the medium for over a decade now. He has written & directed three short films including Kaala. Currently he is raising funds to complete the post-production on Kaala.

To read more about the film and support their efforts, visit the Wishberry campaign page.