Bringing India's daughters back home

This episode of The Documentary Podcast from the BBC World Service explores two powerful stories of social change and digital exploitation. The first segment centers on a groundbreaking Indian short film titled 'Band Baja Bitya'—a promotional ad for a steel construction company that uses emotional storytelling to challenge deep-rooted patriarchal norms. The film depicts a father who defies societal expectations by retrieving his abused daughter from her in-law's home, accompanied by a wedding band and firecrackers, symbolizing pride and defiance. The campaign has gone viral, sparking widespread emotional reactions and conversations about parental responsibility, gender-based violence, and the need to shift shame from victims to abusers. The second story investigates a disturbing global trend involving a man using smart glasses to secretly film women in Kenya and Ghana, presenting himself as a 'pickup coach' and monetizing intimate footage through paid Telegram channels. Despite being identified as Vladislav Lyulkov by Ghanaian authorities, he denies involvement, and his current whereabouts remain unknown. The episode highlights the rise of technology-facilitated gender-based violence, victim blaming, and the urgent need for stronger legal and social protections. Both stories underscore the power of media to provoke change and expose hidden injustices.