A documentary is shedding light on the experiences of Indian indentured labourers in Fiji during British colonial rule.
Girmit: The Fields of Sadness delves into the lives of Indian labourers who were brought to Fiji under the indenture system, offering new insight into their struggles and contributions.
Fiji was a British colony from 1874 until it gained independence in 1970.
Indo-Fijians trace their ancestry to India, which was also under British rule until 1947.
Between 1879 and 1916, more than 60,500 Indians were sent from British India to work in Fiji's sugarcane plantations.
They became known as Girmitiyas, derived from the Hindi word "girmit" (agreement), which bound them to their contracts.
A scene from Girmit: The Fields of Sadness. Photo: Supplied
The documentary sheds light on the harsh realities these workers faced - gruelling plantation labour, poor living conditions, cultural displacement, religious restrictions and a lack of companionship.
Despite the hardships, their contributions played a pivotal role in shaping Fiji's economy.
After a limited screening in 2024, the documentary has returned to cinemas for another run.
Produced by Rajendra Prasad and his wife, Aruna, the 90-minute documentary is based on Prasad's 2004 novel, Tears in Paradise.
Prasad, a descendant of the Girmitiyas, says the history of these labourers has often been overlooked.
"I found that the history of the Girmitiyas was missing from textbooks, and then I realized it wasn't an accident - it was deliberate," Prasad says.
"These workers were brutally treated in the sugarcane mills for the sake of profits, and their labour became the backbone of the Fijian economy," he says.
Rajendra Prasad is writer and producer of Girmit: The Fields of Sadness. Photo: Supplied
He notes that much of this history has remained hidden, often to obscure the brutal past.
It was this realization that inspired him to bring the story to a wider audience through film.
"This documentary is also for the international audience," he says.
Director Shyam Upadhyay, who has worked in the Indian film industry for more than 20 years, shares Prasad's vision.
Originally from Mumbai, Upadhyay met Prasad in 2009 at a film premiere in Auckland.
"We got connected and I read the novel and I initially wanted to make a feature film, but we decided on a documentary instead," he says.
The pair began writing the script in 2021, with production starting in 2023.
"Compiling 40 years of history into a 90-minute documentary was a huge challenge," Upadhyay says.
Shaym Updhyay is director of Girmit: The Fields of Sadness. Photo: Supplied
He also describes the difficulty of sourcing original photographs and archival material from the Girmit era.
"I visited multiple museums and reached out to archives around the world for photographs," he says. "The post-production work alone took more than 10 months."
The documentary is set to screen in Auckland and Christchurch this weekend, with a special screening in Hamilton on Friday.
Upadhyay adds that the film will also be showcased at international film festivals, premiering in India at the Kolkata International Film Festival before heading to the International Film Festival of Kerala.
Plans are underway to screen it in Fiji, Australia and North America as well.
Krish Naidu, president of the Fiji Girmit Foundation, believes the documentary is essential viewing for younger generations.
"This film puts things into perspective," Naidu says. "It teaches them who they are, where they come from, and gives them a solid understanding of their forefathers' sacrifices and hard work."
He also encourages members of the wider community to watch the film.
"Our story hasn't been told much, and this is an opportunity to see it," he says.
This article was first published by RNZ