Directed by Sama Pana, Drawing a Line follows Rachita Taneja, a political cartoonist who lives in India. Taneja is the creator of Sanitary Panels, a web-comic that challenges political and gender stereotypes in her home country. Having developed quite an online following for her work, she has also drawn the attention of the Indian government, who regard her as a political nuisance under their new laws regulating criticism. Facing jail time, Taneja’s fight for free speech begins with four panels but ends with the people.
In Taneja, Pana has found a subject that is both confident and humble. Although Sanitary Panels has over 100,000 followers, Taneja is unassuming about her success and quietly keeps to herself. Yet, at the same time, she is unafraid to speak her opinions. It’s this passion for justice and empowerment that continues to draw the ire of the government. With just a few small lines of dialogue and simple graphics, Taneja continues to cause disturbances in their eyes.
And, even she can’t believe it.
After all, her small internet cartoon has become a political focus of the largest democratic country in the world. But a lot can be said in a few short words. And the ripple effect is palpable.
To her, these comics are merely commentary that needs to be said. However, under a regime built upon force, any voice that threatens the balance of power becomes a threat. For Taneja, each simple cartoon speaks to the sort of equity and freedom that their leader espouses… but never creates. Speaking about such ‘taboos’ as menstruation, mental health and LGBTQIA+ rights, Sanitary Panels gives voice to a public that need to be heard. (In fact, Pana ensures that we see the impact that she has upon her fans throughout the film.) However, it’s because of this the threat to Taneja’s life seems to grow.
Yet, there’s a fire that burns within Taneja that keeps her going in the face of censorship. What matters most to her is that she have the right to speak freely and question the powers that be. She understands that her comic has also become an opportunity to draw a line in the sand against those who would silence her. And, because of the courage within her soul, others may just join the cause.
Drawing a Line is playing at HotDocs ’24. For more information, click here.
