New Delhi, Sept. 14 -- Much before filmmaking became a part of Sandhya Gokhale's life, she had been a practising lawyer and advocate. In those five decades, her mind absorbed countless instances of women being disrespected, humiliated, or denied recognition for their calibre. "These were rarely loud, visible acts of violence; they were subtle, almost invisible forms of injustice. Yet their wounds remained alive and their scars permanent. Unconsciously, I built a special house for all these women," says the 62-year-old. Her forthcoming play, Silhouettes, which will premier at Royal Opera House, Mumbai on 19 September, is Gokhale's homage to those who were buried under the layers of patriarchy.

The idea has its roots in that moment when as...