An examination of India’s family planning program from the point of view of the women who are its primary targets. It traces the history of the family planning program and exposes the cynicism, corruption and brutality which characterizes its implementation. As the women themselves discuss their status, sexuality, fertility control and health, it is clear that their perceptions are in conflict with those of the program.
The story of Sukhadi, a twelve-year-old Adivasi girl who makes a daily trip to a sleepy railway station to fetch water. This banal activity is transformed into an adventure by her chance meeting with Zainaab, a beautiful and mysterious, thirteen-year-old gypsy girl. Zainaab challenges Sukhadi to jump on to the old-fashioned narrow gauge train that takes holiday makers to Matheran on top of the mountain.
Discusses Malthus's theories of population and the causes of poverty. As film contrasts the 19th century poor in Scotland with today's poor in India, it takes on the international population "establishment", challenging the entrenched view that overpopulation alone is responsible for poverty and environmental destruction.
