Powerless | WATCH DOCS

In today's world, is it possible to live without electricity? We all take for granted universal access to electrical power that allows us to take advantage of the benefits of civilization. Meanwhile, in India, about 30 percent of the population does not have access to electricity at all, and the rest have to put up with repeated outages. The filmmakers take a close look at the situation in Kanpur, a city of 3 million, where such outages can sometimes last more than 10 hours. The hero of "Powerless" is Loha, a local electrician and handyman who, for a small fee, is able to get power to reach any household. It is clear, of course, that he does this illegally: Loha takes electricity from the rich in order to give it to the poor, and, in doing so, he receives the undying gratitude of an entire neighborhood that worships him like a hero. In the meantime, the new head of the city's electricity company is the ruthless Ritu - the first woman to hold such a high-ranking position in the company - who has launched a war on power thieves. "Powerless" is a vibrant and dynamic film reminiscent of a Bollywood musical. Its protagonists bring to mind the fairy tale characters: the bandit with the heart of gold fighting a battle against the frigid queen.