YES MADAM, SIR is a non-fiction feature film made on the life story of Kiran Bedi, filmed over six years and narrated by academy award winner, Helen Mirren.
First time Australian filmmaker, Megan Doneman, first heard about Kiran Bedi when she was twelve years old, from her mother Laraine Doneman, a regular traveler to India. Doneman was instantly intrigued by this iconic anomaly who dared to walk a different path. Who dared to stand up for their convictions in the face of enormous obstacles and continuous opposition. Even more intriguing were the conflicting reports painting Bedi as a paradoxical, enigmatic figure. A modern-day Gandhi, deified by millions for her commitment to social justice and her public stance against corruption; yet vilified by the establishment as a publicity seeking, uncontrollable megalomaniac. And Bedi’s husband and daughter whose needs took second place to the needs of a nation. The true drama seemingly lied not only in Bedi’s extraordinary audacity, but in the inherent contradictions in her character.
Over a decade later, Doneman found herself working in the film industry as an assistant editor on Hollywood studio films made in Australia, such as “Dark City” and George Miller’s “Babe 2”. Searching for a feature film to develop, Doneman serendipitously saw Bedi in a CNN TV interview. Doneman found Bedi’s contact details and instantly proposed making a film on her life. After a few months of corresponding and when a break in her work came, Doneman hopped on a plane to India, optimistically bought a camera at the airport and read the instruction manual on the plane. Doneman had only directed two short films and had never operated a camera before. Nervously landing in Mumbai, Doneman met up with her mother Laraine, caught the overnight train to Delhi and was robbed of everything except her camera, which she had chained to the seat.
Doneman arrived on Kiran Bedi’s doorstep that fateful day and would spend the next six years coming to India periodically during breaks in her day job, continuing to work on Hollywood blockbusters such as the “Lord of the Rings” trilogies. Doneman lived in Bedi’s home for up to three months at a stretch, filming Bedi around-the-clock in both her work and personal life. Doneman had no external funding, filmed without a crew, working entirely independently, and often found herself, a sole filmmaker in hostile, dangerous situations. After six years of filming and 500 hours of footage, Doneman raised private finance and finished Bedi’s life story to become YES MADAM SIR.
Doneman adds, “This is not just an Indian story. It is a universal, timeless and inspiring story about standing up for your convictions and never giving up. During today’s difficult times, this story gives us hope.”
YES MADAM, SIR is touring the worldwide film festival circuit, before a theatrical release in select territories.