Filmmaker, 60, Builds Internet-Free Homestay Hiring Women

In a small village where women once had to ask permission for pocket money, Anjali Sameer Shitut now earns her own income serving travelers who come seeking stillness. The police officer and homemaker never imagined financial independence until Jambhrun Trails opened in her village.

Vilas Kane spent 30 years behind a camera documenting India's rivers, forests, and rural communities. After creating more than 150 environmental films, the 60-year-old filmmaker realized he was tired of chasing stories and wanted to create lasting change in one place.

In December 2021, he and his wife Sucheta opened Jambhrun Trails in Ratnagiri district, Maharashtra. They restored a century-old laterite stone house with wide verandahs and wooden beams, preserving its character while adding modern comforts.

But the real transformation happened for the village women. Vaishali Shinde, who once managed only housework and had to ask family members for personal spending money, now cooks traditional Konkani meals for guests and earns her own wages.

The homestay offers no internet and no hurry. Travelers come to drink clean well water, eat food cooked over wood fires, and explore heritage water systems that have sustained the village for generations.

The Ripple Effect

The model has brought steady income to multiple women in Jambhrun, turning invisible household labor into recognized, paid work. Village women who swept courtyards before sunrise now also welcome guests, share local knowledge, and receive financial compensation that gives them independence.

In four years, more than 2,500 visitors have stayed at Jambhrun Trails. They arrive seeking escape from city chaos and discover something more valuable: a village economy that values women's contributions.

Vilas documented sustainable living for decades through his films. Now he's helping create it, one guest and one empowered woman at a time.

What began as one filmmaker's retirement dream has become proof that tourism can distribute dignity along with dollars, and that sometimes the best stories aren't filmed but lived.