A policeman gyrates in a rape victim's ghaghra-it's obvious he is masturbating. When sent for forensic analysis, the semen on her clothing, predictably, does not match those of the two real rapists. This tampering of evidence results in their acquittal and the court concludes she must have slept with someone else.

SHAPE OF TROUBLES TO COME: Das plays the woman who goes against norms

These are scenes from Jagmohan Mundhra's film Bawandar, inspired by the real life story of Bhanwari Devi, a saathin (women's welfare worker affiliated with the Rajasthan government) allegedly gang raped in Bhateri village near Jaipur in 1992. The scenes have the state police seething. Ajit Singh Shekhawat, deputy inspector-general of police, Jaipur, who was the first senior officer to investigate the case before it was transferred to the Crime Branch (and then to the Central Bureau of Investigation) feels the film's presentation of events is "disturbing" and is emphatic in his view that "Bhanwari was not raped''. While the preview, shown to a group consisting mainly of officials a day before Diwali, was aimed at seeking a tax exemption in Rajasthan on the ground that the film was shot entirely in the state, it has only reignited the almost forgotten eight-year-old controversy.

If the police feel the film falsifies their role inexcusably, women's organisations are up in arms because the victim will once again be exposed to hostile public scrutiny. "It's highly unethical to make a film about her without her consent," says Kavita Srivastava, a Jaipur-based activist who had suggested Mundhra make a collage of various rape cases, adding, "It's inhuman to isolate one case.'' Bhanwari says the film reminds her of Bandit Queen. It's the only film she has seen and she couldn't bear to watch the explicit rape scene in it. She is still coming to terms with losing the case and wonders, "Why make a film on defeat?'' Activists are also concerned the film may end up annoying the Gurjars, the community to which the accused belong. Another fear is that its screening when an appeal is pending before the Rajasthan High Court against the acquittal of the accused may hurt Bhanwari's case.

I have lost the case. Why make a film on defeat? BHANWARI DEVI, saathin allegedly raped for working for women's welfare

The state Government is also apprehensive. "The way the film refers to certain castes may lead to tension,'' says Bina Kak, minister of state for tourism. Meanwhile Ramsukh Gurjar, one of the accused who had mockingly remarked, "I will certainly go to see that drama", changed his mind on realising the film could convince an audience of his guilt. "Actually, why should a film be made on something which never took place?" he now says.

Mundhra says the movie emphasises caste to show each character's roots. But to balance if the rapists are Gurjar rapists, the advocate who takes up the victim's case too is a Gurjar (Bhanwari's lawyer is a Rajput). He says his film is inspired by Bhanwari's case but is not a biography and that "you have to make certain amendments to add drama to a film''. So Bhanwari's consent became immaterial and the script incorporated such elements as the youthful Nandita Das as the saathin (the real life victim is in her 40s), Delhi socialites taking up her cause and policemen tampering evidence. However, most people who have watched the film feel it narrates the incident much the way as it happened. Says Kak: "It is a powerful film that conveys the message rather well."'

However, that's not the end of the desert storm. While Bhanwari says she has not seen the film or met Mundhra-"I only had a glimpse once at a meeting"-or taken money from him, the filmmaker maintains that he screened Bawandar for Bhanwari and her family (he claims he went to visit her as recently as November 22). He also says he took her to HDFC Bank's Jaipur branch where he opened an account in her name and deposited £3,000 from the film's London charity show. He feels Bhanwari is reluctant to admit receiving the money, fearing the opprobrium of the women activists for dealing with him without their supervision. It's a controversy that shows no sign of being resolved. It could also make or mar the film's box-office chances.