Amidst the glitz and glamour of a special screening of the documentary “To Extinguish a Feline,” skillfully helmed by the Indian-Canadian Emmy laureate Nisha Pahuja and vying for an esteemed Oscar, Priyanka Chopra Jonas emerged as the focal point in Los Angeles. However, the unsung protagonist of this cinematic tale is Ranjit, a cultivator hailing from Jharkhand.

Within the confines of Netflix’s Los Angeles headquarters, Sahil Salathia, a television luminary, lauded Ranjit for his unwavering support for his daughter, a survivor of a harrowing incident. The documentary unveils Ranjit’s tenacious stand against societal pressures, even when confronted with the audacious suggestion to wed his daughter to one of her assailants.

Despite confronting insurmountable adversities, Ranjit is poised to grace the prestigious Oscars ceremony at LA’s Dolby Theater. A labor of love spanning eight years, the documentary sheds light on Ranjit’s valiant odyssey and his daughter’s fervent desire to join the ranks of law enforcement, combatting the pervasive scourge of violence against women.

Backed by the executive prowess of Indian American media luminaries Mindy Kaling and Dev Patel, with the recent addition of Priyanka Chopra Jonas, “To Extinguish a Feline” finds itself in fierce contention for the coveted Best Documentary Feature Oscar. The front-runners in this cinematic race include “20 Days in Mariupol,” an account of Ukrainian wartime travails, and “Bobi Wine: The People’s President,” chronicling the journey of a Ugandan artist metamorphosing into a political force challenging President Yoweri Museveni’s prolonged rule.

Sahil Salathia, profoundly moved by the documentary, underscored its poignant emotional resonance and the pressing imperative for societal transformation. He spotlighted the disheartening reality of rape statistics in India, where a young woman becomes a victim every 20 minutes, often with such cases shrouded in silence and going unreported.