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From the Oscar stage to the Sonagachi Red Light District

Must read "Born Into Brothels - Eradictating Human Suffering" first.

Apr 01, 2011

"Born to Brothels - Eradicating Human Suffering" can be found here http://www.crazywheelies.com/news.php?ax=v&n=9&id=9&nid=312

I've finished the DVD. Preeti (Puja) Mukherjee (my favorite little angel) was taken out of the boarding school, the directors managed to get her into, by her mother. The movie was filmed in 2002 and released in 2004. It's now 2011. Too late to go and rescue her now cuz I would have. I would have kidnapped her if I had to. It's not fair.

I know, I know. LIFE'S NOT FAIR. But fuck. You have to see the film to witness what a unique gem she was. I wish there were some kind of "Kidnap Pass" where verifiable organizations can go in and get children out of baleful living conditions. Her grandmother was a prostitute, her mom is a prostitute and naturally, they were going to push her along the same "glittery" path.

I heard Zana (one of the directors) ask one of the other girls if she was receiving all the emails (emails sent by fans). I went on the hunt to see if I could find contact details for Preeti. I searched and found tears.

Tears and trembles. Trembles throughout my chest from my heart. As I write this, I'm beginning to tear up again. Why? Because this is what I found...

"Aunty (Zana) gave a lot of money by cheque to my mother and asked her to release me, but she was unwilling. I am a girl and an only child and my mother wouldn't let go. Call it family pressure if you will. It's quite simple, really," Preeti said, with a dismissive shrug and a short laugh. "So, you see me here."

She's now working in the sex trade.

:'(

You have to watch the movie. She was an AMAZING child. When I saw the ending of the DVD, I was sad but it didn't strike me as hard because her future was left to the imagination. (even though it was obvious) Seeing it in black and white really tore me up. It's still tearing me up. She is now under the control of a very powerful sex racket. From 2006 to now, 5 years in the industry, that vibrant, spark of a girl is probably just a hollow shell.

FREEDOM is something she'll never know now.

:'(

This is Preeti describing the night the movie won the Oscar:

"It seems like a fairy tale now. I still see it in my dreams. I get goosebumps when I remember the heart-stopping moment when the award was announced. All of us kept screaming with joy. Zana aunty made sure we, too, went along to collect the statuette. My head was swimming, there were so many eyes on us, the deafening applause, so many cameras flashing..."

I just went to get a few pics of her. When I found the one below (yellow dress) tears started to flow down my face again. It's not a movie. She's NOT an actress. This is real and the reality, kills me.