The Rat Race

For every person living in Mumbai, a city of 14 million, there are approximately six rats. In 1967, the local authorities set up a special department to tackle this problem. Every night, armed with a stick and trash bags, the men of the NRK (Night Rat Killers) take to the streets to free the city of these undesirable hairy little inhabitants. The rats do not only increase the risk of infectious diseases, but they also cause a great deal of damage by, for example, destroying or eating market produce. It's not easy to become a Night Rat Killer. Because this job is so desirable - it pays well - applicants have to pass through a rigorous selection process. Men come from all over, all with their own reasons for wanting to join the team. The boss of the NRK's B-Ward, whose first ambition was a film career, sees his work as a military operation and compares himself to James Bond. Other rat killers are trying to pay for their studies or feed their families in the countryside. The film not only gives an impression of this unusual vocation, but also exposes the harsh reality of everyday life for many inhabitants of Mumbai.