MUMBAI: Filmmaker Miriam Chandy Menacherry‘s documentary on rat killers titled The Rat Race is set to release in theatres on 20 April.

Said Menacherry, "The theatre release in India is an emotional moment for it is here in my own country that I want the film to be seen."

The film is a true-life account of the city‘s rat killers. Every night as the rest of the city sleeps, young boys armed with torches and sticks set out to bring back 30 dead rats that are counted every morning. The rats are then disposed in the Deonar dumping ground where they are either incinerated or just dumped.

Dark, disturbing yet humourous, the entire film was shot over two years amidst the city‘s changing seasons and circumstances of rat killers. However, the filmmaker could not capture the happenings at the dumping ground as the unit was refused permission to shoot there.

The film has been made in such a way that it allows ex-supervisor Pest Control Department of Mumbai, BMC Behram Harda run through the film with a sort of narration.

Interestingly, Harda, who dreamt of becoming a Bollywood dancer when he was just 16, will see his dream come true with the release of the film.

The film is being released by PVR and Big Cinemas.