Married Off At 13, She Was Abused For Years. Yet She Fought All Odds To Become South India's First Female Taxi Driver

Across the globe audiences are rising up and noticing a documentary which is based on the life of a young child bride from South India.
The documentary in question, titled Driving With Selvi is based on the life of a child bride and an abuse victm whose life is a symbol of female courage and determination.

YouTube
Married off at 13, just days after her first period, Selvi had no clue about life as an adult. May that was one of the reasons that she tolerated physical abuse at the hands of her relatives till the age of 18; when she finally decided to run away. Her first stop - the bus stop.

"I waited for a bus because I wanted to throw myself under it, but when the bus came, I raised my hand and got on it instead. If I died, I wouldn’t be able to prove myself. That is why I ran away."

And ran she did. Her next major stop was Odanadi women’s refuge in Mysore where she was taught how to drive. This knowledge finally became her doorway to the world; and to her emancipation.

Selvi seen driving her taxi. Source: YouTube
Today she can proudly call herself- a cabbie and if you believe the documentary makers - she is the first female taxi driver in South India.
The credit for the documentary surely goes to Canadian filmmaker Elisa Paloschi who travelled in-and-out of India multiple times to complete her film over a period of ten years!


Yes, after meeting Selvi while volunteering at Odanadi, Elisa followed her for 10 years to document her story and bring it to the world stage.
The film finally premiered at this years Raindance Festival in London where it was chosen among the ten 'must-not-miss' movies,

"I don't drive like a girl"

Today, Selvi can not just drive cabs but also buses and trucks and for those who think she wants to be an icon for female empowerment, you couldn't be more mistaken.

In the documentary, Selvi is seen asking the director the motive behind following and documenting her life? and her reaction to the answer (in which Elisa tells her that she likes Selvi's personality) shows incredible humility.
Here's the trailer for the documentary:

Selvi is now married again, this time a love marriage. She has two kids. She wants her daughter to become a pilot.
Selvi is now trying to promote her story amidst her local region so that more women get inspired and her story can help more victims break free. Meanwhile, praises for her story and its impact keep on piling up:

She may or may not be South India's first cabbie but one thing we are sure, she is a champion of life and a beacon of hope for many women struggling for their rights.

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