Ellen248280 at 03:34, 15 April 2026

2026-04-15T03:34:45Z

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{{short description|Indian Equal Rights Activist}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj
| image = Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj in 2022.jpg
| caption = Bhardwaj in 2022
| birth_date = 4 December 1986
| birth_place = [[New Delhi]], India
| occupation = {{hlist|Journalist|film-maker|activist}}
| known_for = [[Men's rights]], family rights, false case prevention during marriages
| notable_works = ''[[India's Sons]]''
}}
'''Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj''' is an Indian journalist, documentary film-maker and [[Honey badger (men's rights)|honey badger]] (men's rights activist).<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |work=BBC |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-38647822 |title=The woman who fights for men's equal rights |date=20 January 2017 |access-date=15 July 2019 |language=en-GB |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190715163315/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-38647822|archive-date=15 July 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/international-womens-day-woman-activist-fights-for-men-abused-by-women-13154 |title=International Women's Day: Woman activist fights for men abused by women |website=WION |date=20 July 2017 |language=en|access-date=20 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190720042147/https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/international-womens-day-woman-activist-fights-for-men-abused-by-women-13154 |archive-date=20 July 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref> Bhardwaj rose to prominence after producing the documentary ''Martyrs of Marriage'', which covered abuses of [[Indian Penal Code|criminal section]] 498A (Anti-dowry law) by brides and their families.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/the-indian-venal-code/article23993769.ece|title=The Indian venal code |last=Desai |first=Rahul |date=25 May 2018 |work=The Hindu |access-date=15 July 2019|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}}</ref><ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/haryana-woman-s-film-lends-voice-to-harassed-married-men/story-hKNIIy8L5eDNBcVoHZxyjO.html |title=Haryana woman's film lends voice to harassed married men |date=21 January 2017 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en |access-date=15 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190715163315/https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/haryana-woman-s-film-lends-voice-to-harassed-married-men/story-hKNIIy8L5eDNBcVoHZxyjO.html |archive-date=15 July 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref> She also exposed a conspiracy of alleged victims in the [[Rohtak sisters viral video controversy]] by interviewing the witnesses and collecting proof.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |url=https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-rohtak-eve-teasing-case-gets-another-turn-with-a-fourth-video-surfacing-2043303 |title=Rohtak eve-teasing case gets another turn with a fourth video surfacing|date=12 December 2014 |website=DNA India |language=en |access-date=15 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190715163315/https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-rohtak-eve-teasing-case-gets-another-turn-with-a-fourth-video-surfacing-2043303|archive-date=15 July 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref> She has produced and directed the documentary ''India's Sons'' in 2021.

== Early career ==
Bhardwaj left a job in the information technology industry to pursue film-making.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/gurgaon/in-pursuit-of-purpose-tales-of-alternative-careers-from-gurugram/story-Oo3xghdiTG5kXMYgax6oSO.html|title=In pursuit of purpose: Tales of alternative careers from Gurugram|date=9 September 2018|website=Hindustan Times|language=en|access-date=21 January 2020}}</ref> Her first documentary film ''Gramin Dak Sevak'' was a student film winner at [[Jeevika: Asia Livelihood Documentary Festival]] in 2009.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thequint.com/news/india/stories-male-victims-domestic-violence-india |title=International Men's Day: 'I'm a Man Who Faced Domestic Abuse' |date=19 November 2018|website=The Quint |language=en |access-date=16 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190716124940/https://www.thequint.com/news/india/stories-male-victims-domestic-violence-india |archive-date=16 July 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref>

== Activism ==

=== 498-A and ''Martyrs of Marriage'' ===
Bhardwaj alleges to have been the victim of a false 498A case, after she and her cousin were charged under the provisions courtesy a police-complaint by her ex-sister-in-law; the issue was resolved in an off-court settlement involving a huge sum of money.<ref name=":0" /> This brought her into contacts with [[Save Indian Family Foundation]], and she has since often collaborated with them in demanding an outright repeal of the law or amending to a gender-neutral version.<ref name=":8">{{Cite web|url=https://caravanmagazine.in/gender-and-sexuality/first-conference-on-national-commission-for-men|title=India's radical meninists come out of the closet|last=Jha|first=Aditya Mani|date=|website=[[The Caravan]]|language=en|url-access=subscription|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181112181728/https://caravanmagazine.in/gender-and-sexuality/first-conference-on-national-commission-for-men |archive-date=12 November 2018 |access-date=21 January 2020}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> Bhardwaj's personal episode also went on to serve as the motivations for making a documentary on the locus.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/pti-feed/story/martyrs-of-marriage-documentary-on-misuse-of-ipc-sec.-498a-853767-2017-01-09|title=Martyrs of Marriage - documentary on misuse of IPC sec. 498A|date=9 January 2017|website=India Today|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190715163315/https://www.indiatoday.in/pti-feed/story/martyrs-of-marriage-documentary-on-misuse-of-ipc-sec.-498a-853767-2017-01-09|archive-date=15 July 2019|access-date=15 July 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sheroes.com/articles/deepika-bhardwaj-meet-the-sheroes/NjE0|title=Deepika Bhardwaj, Martyrs of Marriage, and Men's rights in India|website=sheroes.com|access-date=21 January 2020}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=https://www.dnaindia.com/india/interview-documenting-the-martyrs-of-marriage-2292846|title=Documenting the martyrs of marriage|date=16 January 2017|website=DNA India|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190715163334/https://www.dnaindia.com/india/interview-documenting-the-martyrs-of-marriage-2292846|archive-date=15 July 2019|access-date=15 July 2019}}</ref> ''Martyrs of Marriage'' (2017) narrated first-person tales of various victims who alleged of being at the receiving ends of abuse of 498A and interviewed politicians, judges et al. for their take on the issue.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":6" /><ref name=":7">{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/the-indian-venal-code/article23993769.ece|title=The Indian venal code|last=Desai|first=Rahul|date=25 May 2018|work=The Hindu|access-date=21 January 2020|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

=== False sexual harassment allegations ===
Bhardwaj campaigns against false sexual harassment allegations.<ref name=":4">{{Cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/documentary-filmmaker-deepika-narayan-bhardwaj-mentoo-is-as-important-as-metoo/articleshow/69293511.cms |title=Filmmaker Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj: #MenToo is as important as #MeToo - Times of India|website=The Times of India |language=en |access-date=16 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190726111506/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/documentary-filmmaker-deepika-narayan-bhardwaj-mentoo-is-as-important-as-metoo/articleshow/69293511.cms |archive-date=26 July 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-knowing-man-s-side-of-the-narrative-2761277|title=Knowing man's side of the narrative|date=16 June 2019 |website=DNA India |language=en |access-date=20 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190720042141/https://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-knowing-man-s-side-of-the-narrative-2761277|archive-date=20 July 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> She had supported the [[Men Too movement (India)|#Mentoo]] movement, a campaign that was started in response of false allegations of the [[Me Too movement|#MeToo movement]] in India and wrote about how the me-too movement turned men into disposable or collateral damage.<ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/india-metoo-mens-rights-sexual-abuse-harassment-rape-deepika-bhardwaj-a8912736.html|title=Men's rights activism on the rise in India in response to #MeToo|date=14 May 2019|website=The Independent|language=en|access-date=22 January 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/metoo-has-shhaken-up-mens-rights-activism-in-india-result-is-mentoo/|title=#MeToo Has Shaken Up Men's Rights Activism in India, and The Result is #MenToo|last=Pundir|first=Pallavi|date=6 June 2019|website=Vice|language=en|access-date=22 January 2020}}</ref> In the [[Rohtak sisters viral video controversy]], she interviewed several witnesses and released videos that held the accusers of lying.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/haryana-s-headline-grabbing-sisters-local-heroes-or-serial-beaters-114120800468_1.html|title=Haryana's headline-grabbing sisters: Local heroes or serial beaters?|last=IANS|date=8 December 2014|work=Business Standard India|access-date=16 July 2019|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190716124939/https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/haryana-s-headline-grabbing-sisters-local-heroes-or-serial-beaters-114120800468_1.html|archive-date=16 July 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.in/open-magazine/women-in-the-cause-of-men_b_8194836.html|title=Women In The Cause Of Men In Distress|date=26 September 2015|website=HuffPost India|language=en|access-date=22 January 2020}}</ref> In 2021, Bhardwaj played a proactive role in busting the case where a female student of Atma Ram College of B.A English named Ayushi Bhatia who had filed a series of sexual assault and rape cases to extort money.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Madaik|first=Devyani|date=7 January 2022|title='Ayushi Bhatia Serial False Rape Case': How This Gurugram Woman Ruined Multiple Lives With Vicious Calumnies|url=https://thelogicalindian.com/trending/ayushi-bhatia-serial-false-rape-case-33124|access-date=2 February 2022|website=thelogicalindian.com|language=en|archive-date=2 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220202122607/https://thelogicalindian.com/trending/ayushi-bhatia-serial-false-rape-case-33124|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=31 December 2021|title=7 लड़कों पर फर्जी रेप केस करने वाली आयुषी भाटिया गिरफ्तार, ऑडियो वायरल|url=https://livebharatnews.in/crime/ayushi-bhatia-arrested-for-false-rape-case-against-7-boys/cid6149559.htm|access-date=2 February 2022|website=livebharatnews.in|language=hi}}</ref>
[[File:Dr Edmond Fernandes with Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj at 1911 New Delhi.jpg|thumb|Deepika Bhardwaj with Dr. Edmond - global health physician at a meeting]]

=== National Commission for Men ===
Bhardwaj campaigns for the establishment of a [[National Commission for Men]] in India that would deal with men's issues including domestic violence and sexual assault.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web|url=https://caravanmagazine.in/gender-and-sexuality/first-conference-on-national-commission-for-men |title=India's radical meninists come out of the closet |last=Jha |first=Aditya Mani|website=The Caravan|language=en |access-date=16 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190716040708/https://caravanmagazine.in/gender-and-sexuality/first-conference-on-national-commission-for-men |archive-date=16 July 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/6iat7KQ4XITzuIs7pi9H4H/The-looking-glass-world-of-angry-men.html |title=The looking glass world of angry men|last=Masih|first=Niha|date=11 November 2018|website=www.livemint.com|language=en |access-date=16 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190716040706/https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/6iat7KQ4XITzuIs7pi9H4H/The-looking-glass-world-of-angry-men.html |archive-date=16 July 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref>

=== ''[[India's Sons]]'' ===

In 2021, she produced another documentary called ''[[India's Sons]]'', which focused on the condition of India's men due to false rape cases.<ref>{{Cite web|date=22 September 2019|title=India's Sons: Charged falsely, acquitted, but never really free|url=https://www.mid-day.com/sunday-mid-day/article/indias-sons-charged-falsely-acquitted-but-never-really-free-21774156|access-date=2 February 2022|website=www.mid-day.com|language=en}}</ref> She said that the documentary "inspired" men to tell their side of the story.<ref>{{Cite web|title=India's Sons: Documentary Inspires Men To Voice Their Side Of The Story|url=https://english.newsnationtv.com/entertainment/upcoming-movies/indias-son-documentary-inspires-men-to-voice-their-side-of-the-story-237228.html|access-date=2 February 2022|website=News Nation English|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Spotlight on struggles: Documentary on men falsely accused of rape|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/bengaluru/2022/may/17/spotlighton-strugglesdocumentary-on-men-falsely-accused-of-rape-2454313.html|access-date=17 May 2022|website=The New Indian Express|date=16 May 2022 |language=en}}</ref>

== Special Cases handled ==
Deepika rescued a minor from [[Gurgaon]] who was being assaulted and subjected to abject cruelty of all forms.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Exclusive: Journalist who rescued minor domestic help in India's Gurgaon relives horror of abuse |url=https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-journalist-who-rescued-minor-domestic-help-in-gurgaon-relives-horror-of-abuse-560714 |access-date=2023-07-16 |website=WION |date=10 February 2023 |language=en-us}}</ref>

In an instance where a woman hired cab for over 12 hours then refused to pay Rs 2,000 in Gurgaon, Bhardwaj claimed the woman had previously harassed other drivers by doing the same thing and threatened to file molestation cases against them if the issue was raised.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-07-24 |title=Woman hires cab for over 12 hours then refuses to pay Rs 2,000 in Gurgaon |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/new-updates/woman-hires-cab-for-over-12-hours-then-refuses-to-pay-rs-2000-in-gurgaon/articleshow/102057740.cms?from=mdr |access-date=2024-03-13 |work=The Economic Times |issn=0013-0389}}</ref>

== Filmography ==
===Documentary===
{| class = "wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! class = "unsortable" | Notes

|-
| 2016
| ''Martyrs of Marriage''<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6304018/?ref_=nm_knf_t1 |title=Martyrs of Marriage |website=[[IMDb]] |year=2016}}</ref>
| Netflix (2018–2020)
|-
|2022
| ''[[India's Sons]]''
|
|}

==See also==
*[[Men's rights movement in India]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|nm8625612}}
* {{twitter|DeepikaBhardwaj}}
* {{facebook|DeepikaNarayanBhardwaj}}
* {{instagram|deepikanarayanbhardwaj}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bhardwaj, Deepika Narayan}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1986 births]]
[[Category:Indian women documentary filmmakers]]
[[Category:Indian documentary film directors]]
[[Category:Indian producers]]
[[Category:Indian human rights activists]]
[[Category:Indian activist journalists]]
[[Category:Indian women human rights activists]]
[[Category:People from Gurgaon]]
[[Category:Activists from Haryana]]
[[Category:Journalists from Haryana]]
[[Category:Masculists]]
[[Category:Men's rights activists]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian journalists]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian women journalists]]

Deepika Narayan Bhardwaj - Revision history

Ellen248280 at 03:34, 15 April 2026