Run women, run! How 8 runners tackled obstacles to emerge as winners

Director Vrinda Samartha­. Pic/Ajeesh F Rawther

Kolkata-based Mandira Ahuja is a star among her peers. And, for good enough reason too. The marathoner mum of three opted to run through two of her pregnancies. In fact, on the day of the delivery of her third child, Mandira, who is a teacher by profession, hit the treadmill and ran for 5 kms. Once Mandira thought she had had a good warm-up session, she announced to friends that she was heading to the hospital for a C-Section delivery. Brave, one would think.

Yet, in a new documentary - aptly named Limitless - that tells the stories of 8 long-distance women runners from across five Indian metros, Mandira is seen fighting stigma in her own home. "Were you embarrassed when I was running?" Mandira is seen asking her daughter. "Ya…" the kid replies hesitantly. "Why?" she asks. "Because, nobody else's mom runs," the daughter says."Did people say something to you," she prods.

The daughter moves her head sideways. "Then, why are you embarrassed?" Mandira asks again, only to get cold silence from the other end. Mandira's story is a poignant reminder of the prejudices women runners face at home and even outside. And, adwoman turned documentarian Vrinda Samartha, who has spent the last eight months researching her subjects, does a fine job at translating their many sprints and bumps in her hour-long film.

The film, which has been shot in Delhi, Gurgaon, Kolkata, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai, is 34-year-old Vrinda's first project as a filmmaker. Set for release in festival circuits this month, the film, says Vrinda, has one important message to give out: Running is not just a sport for women. Women world over have overcome obstacles, fought their inner demons, and sought inner-solace through running. "It's their path to liberation," the Bengaluru-based filmmaker insists.

In these stills from Limitless, Mandira Ahuja, Seema Varma and Sharda Venkataraman are seen enjoying a run

First approached by the Indian Amateur Runners' Trust in December last year to make the film, Vrinda, who is an ad filmmaker started the production house Believe Films with Prasanth Varma, was both nervous and excited about the project. As someone who loves taking a break from the work grind to enjoy a run on Bengaluru's streets now and then, she was unsure of what kind of stories she'd get when she started chasing the stories of these female runners. "Unlike ad films that are scripted and staged, documentaries take on a life of its own. You have absolutely no control over the story," says Vrinda. "The stories happen to you by accident. What you get is very honest, real and raw."

Among the many interesting stories that Vrinda encountered was that of 65-year-old marathoner Sharda Venkataraman from Bengaluru, who started running just about a decade ago. "I remember Sharda telling me how her mum and mother-in-law thought she was absolutely crazy to take to running at that age. But, it was only after she started bringing medals home that they felt that she was doing something worthwhile," says Vrinda.

Sharda's story takes the filmmaker back to what Mandira's daughter thought about her mum. "What I found amusing in these two narratives is that though the two women are at different stages of their life, they contend with similar issues. At 65, Sharda is still struggling to win the approval of the elderly women in her household, while a younger Mandira has to deal with the shame her daughter feels at seeing her run, and needs to keep explaining to her that it's okay to be 'different'. As women, we often end up judging each other due to societal conditioning. We become victims to these biases," Vrinda says.

Then, there is the story of Vasai-based marathoner Seema Varma. "Seema's grit and determination gives me goose bumps," says Vrinda. Seema decided to burn the turf, only to help salvage her situation. "She didn't want to continue being a domestic help and live in the chawl. She was struggling to change her life," says Vrinda of Seema, a mother of one, who has separated from her husband. "The first time she participated in a marathon, it was only for the prize money as she had to make end's meet. Today, Seema has been hired by a company, which sponsors her at professional marathons. She also teaches karate, and is one step closer to living her dream of moving out of the chawl." Running, says Vrinda, set the wheels in motion for Seema.

Hailing from different metros in India, most of them urbane and progressive, one would assume that safety wouldn't be an issue worrying female runners. Yet, says Vrinda, each of them at least had one disturbing story to share. Even in Mumbai - considered safest for women in India - a female marathoner relays the terrifying story of a man, who begins masturbating when he sees her zoom past one morning in the upscale Pali Hill area. The experience is so haunting that she chooses never to run alone, anymore. "All the women, who I spoke to had unpleasant experiences while running on the road, which is why many of them insist on moving out in groups," says Vrinda. But, in running, they've found a sense of belonging, and a new purpose to life. It's their escape, and also their best friend, the filmmaker adds.