Katiyabaaz
About the movie
Loha, a 28-year-old electrician lives in Kanpur, a city of 3 million, which suffers from power cuts that last up to 15 hours. Renowned for his prowess in stealing electricity, he is a robin-hood figure who steals electricity and charges the rich to provide free connections in impoverished neighbourhoods. In the face of day-long power-cuts, he runs illegal connections from one neighborhood to another so that homes, factories and businesses can function normally.
On the other hand, Ritu, the first female chief and new to the Kanpur Electricity Supply Company (KESCO), is working on a mission to eliminate powerlessness. Electricity-theft accounts for nearly 30 percent of all losses to KESCO, aggravating the crisis, and Ritu has constituted a new task force to tackle this miscreancy. KESCO organizes an annual cleanup of all illegal electricity connections. Officials together with police forces try and disconnect all the illegal connections that Loha and other electricians like him, set up. Her efforts to clean up the city and reach out to consumers to chalk a new path forward for Kanpur meets with success.
However, with the Indian summer settling in the electricity problem takes on crisis proportions, with dire implications on the citizens lives and livelihoods. People take to the streets in demonstrations and sometimes resort to violence. A rising politician takes advantage of the people`s anger
.
A picture emerges of a modern dystopia encompassing urban decay and desperation in the lack of electricity. Underlying the localized crisis in Kanpur is the glaring energy poverty in India, where a third of the population is bereft of this basic need, and the rest grapple with power-cuts that dictate their own terms. Powerless puts a lens to an unexplored narrative of one of the worlds fastest developing economies.
On the other hand, Ritu, the first female chief and new to the Kanpur Electricity Supply Company (KESCO), is working on a mission to eliminate powerlessness. Electricity-theft accounts for nearly 30 percent of all losses to KESCO, aggravating the crisis, and Ritu has constituted a new task force to tackle this miscreancy. KESCO organizes an annual cleanup of all illegal electricity connections. Officials together with police forces try and disconnect all the illegal connections that Loha and other electricians like him, set up. Her efforts to clean up the city and reach out to consumers to chalk a new path forward for Kanpur meets with success.
However, with the Indian summer settling in the electricity problem takes on crisis proportions, with dire implications on the citizens lives and livelihoods. People take to the streets in demonstrations and sometimes resort to violence. A rising politician takes advantage of the people`s anger
.
A picture emerges of a modern dystopia encompassing urban decay and desperation in the lack of electricity. Underlying the localized crisis in Kanpur is the glaring energy poverty in India, where a third of the population is bereft of this basic need, and the rest grapple with power-cuts that dictate their own terms. Powerless puts a lens to an unexplored narrative of one of the worlds fastest developing economies.
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Cast
Crew
Top reviews
Summary of 5 reviews.
Sushant Godbole
10/10
My review for Katiyabaaz A
A Must Watch.An awesome Documentary.So real.. Direction and Cinematography are jus too good.
11 Years ago
Larry Dougal
8/10
My review for Katiyabaaz A
loha is a electrician cum elecrticity stealer who operates from kanpur , the movie is a must watch as it shows how systems run and how power electrici ...more
11 Years ago
Ehsan Solanki
10/10
My review for Katiyabaaz A
an awesome documentary movie Kanpurites must to watch this movie
11 Years ago
Atul Garg
10/10
My review for Katiyabaaz A
very good movie with low budget very good movie with low budget
11 Years ago
Shashank Jain
10/10
COMPLETELY AWESOME -- -- -- MUST MUST WATCH
Vikramaditya Motwane has yet again proved his class and the godly talent he has. He makes the subject so live and vivid without compromising with the ...more
11 Years ago
Critic reviews
Saurabh Dwivedi (indiatoday)
8/10
Katiyabaaz
The film is technically a documentary but equally balanced to be called a film. Power cuts is not a new issue for Indians. In this film, it is especia ...more
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