It is a well-known fact that the girl child is not welcome in most Indian communities and amongst the Lambadas she is considered an ill omen.
One gets a peek into her life, how she is married to Redya (Shafi), her toil for a job, how she puts up with an alcoholic husband, how she faces the 'contractors' and other men folk who have lecherous designs on her and so on.
The media's role (in the building of hype of Kamli's fight), her dharna and the subsequent outcome with some melodrama are portrayed in a stereotypical manner.
Sastry wanted to make a feature film based on the documentary about the plight of tribal women selling their babies for a pittance.
He contacted and wanted to film with Soundarya as the main female lead of Kamli, but she died in a helicopter crash, and the role went to Nandita Das.