Bandit-turned-heroine Seema Parihar's debut film on her own life in the notorious Yamuna ravines of Uttar Pradesh will be premiered in Britain's Leicester Film Festival later this month.

"Wounded", yet to be cleared by the censor board here because of the use of "obscene" language in certain portions, will be screened at the Leicester festival be held Aug 25-29.

What has made filmmaker Krishna Misra even happier is the screening committee's clearance to include the film in the competitive category.

"It was really heartening for us to get a nod for screening the film at the prestigious Leicester Film Festival," he said.

Referring to the clearance from the central board of film certification, Misra told over the phone from Mumbai: "Even though we have been arguing our case before the board and some objectionable dialogues have been deleted, we are still awaiting a clearance from the Indian censors."

Parihar will not be travelling to Britain for the premiere of her film. She has been denied a passport because of a couple of pending criminal cases against her.

Parihar had laid down arms and surrendered before the Uttar Pradesh police four years ago.

Misra offered her a chance to play herself and dramatise her life on screen. "It was a challenge for both of us as no other filmmaker has ever attempted something like this," he said.

The film was shot in actual locales in the ravines between Kanour and Etawah. Repeated threats from rival gangs as well as her former lover and bandit Nirbhay Gujar did not deter her from doing the film.

The film was completed in January 2005.

The last film on a woman bandit to make waves was Shekhar Kapur's "Bandit Queen" on the life of Phoolan Devi. The role was played to great critical acclaim by actress Seema Biswas.