By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts Cookies Policy.
Jeffrey Brown’s ‘SOLD’ Sheds Light on Serious Issues of Child Trafficking, Poverty, and More
It highlights the story of a young girl, Lakshmi, played by the extremely talented Niyar Saikia, who is sold by her family.
[Photo Source: Facebook/SOLDtheMovie]
The red carpet for the global premiere of “SOLD,” directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Jeffrey Dean Brown, took place in New York City on April 1. “SOLD” is a remarkable movie that captures the raw human component of the inner workings of the sex trafficking industry.
It is a film adaptation of the internationally acclaimed novel, “Sold,” by Patricia McCormick—which is based on true stories. It highlights the story of a young girl, Lakshmi, played by the extremely talented Niyar Saikia, who is sold by her family and tragically ends up in Kolkata, India at the Happiness House, a brothel in the city’s notorious red light district.
It is a truly enlightening film that begins with Lakshmi flying a kite in an open space. The audience can immediately identify with the concept of a child laughing, free, and playing with a kite as she continues to run through the fields without a care in the world. That is the epitome of an image that represents childhood in most of our minds.
Early on, Lakshmi realizes that there is something unjust about the dynamic her parents share. As a child, it may be difficult to place this feeling of frustration into words, but the gender inequality unavoidably plays a role in how you see male counterparts. She sees her mother always rubbing her father’s feet, even after he returns home drunk.
This unintentionally leaves an impression on young Lakshmi and she announces that she will never do that for her husband (already you see the spirit of a fighter in her, unlike many young girls, she refuses to accept even the smallest injustice). Despite being exposed to a number of difficult themes at an early age, she retains her innocence of a child and is free. She may think about these concepts for a few moments; however returns to the joy her kite brings her instantaneously.
As the film progresses, you start to see the reality poverty presents for this family. Amidst a rain storm, they venture out to find tall hay/plant stalks to temporarily fix the leaking roof. Lakshmi continues to say that one day she will be able to buy her family a tin roof. The child may be aware of her socioeconomic condition but is certainly not limited by it. She dreams big dreams, just as other children do, and truly believes they are possible.
Her childhood takes a tragic turn when her father arranges for young Lakshmi to work with a family as a cleaner in the big city of Kolkata, India. She is “sold” by her family to a woman who acts as a caretaker and makes them false promises, assuring them that their daughter will be safe cleaning a home and earn a good living for herself as well as them.
This is an important aspect the cast delivers extremely effectively. The reality of poverty for many families often leaves them at the mercy of others. Families are often scrutinized for selling their children into this trade and treating them as property. While that is true, it is also equally as true that many parents are often unaware of the consequences.
Some parents are led under false pretenses of a secure job or an escape from their current condition. This was apparent when you see Lakshmi’s mother continuously praying for her daughter back in Nepal, demonstrating that many parents of children in this sex trade industry truly felt that what they were doing was the best for their child’s future (as well as the future of their family).
Furthermore, the films depiction of border control or lack thereof is extremely well done. It not only associates an image with the concept of borders but it shows how easy it is to force these children across. A key contributing factor to the issue of sex trafficking is the lack of enforcement mechanisms at borders and this is purely due to the negligence of countries. It should not be this easy to move children especially when trafficking is a known reality and growing concern. Even a little more attention to these small but strategic aspects can reduce the numbers of children smuggled greatly.
The film captures an aspect that many documentaries and movies have been unable to capture or depict. The actors compellingly portray the emotional struggles of the journey this young girl, like millions of other girls, undergoes; the heartbreaking reality of repeated rape, torture and abuse forced upon this 13-year-old girl. The pressure of being indebted to someone like Mumtaz (their pimp), played by Susmita Mukherjee, reveals the true nature of how millions who are trafficked view their debt bondage situation, to them it really is a burden they must work off.
Despite these arduous circumstances, the film is truly a “testament to the resilience of the human spirit.” You see this throughout the film; from the very beginning, Lakshmi is a fighter. Despite the drugs, rape, abuse, torture, starvation, isolation, etc. she refuses to succumb to the environment.
You see scenes of her playing with the little boy, Harish, who was born into the brothel and he becomes a younger brother figure for her. Lakshmi is repeatedly confronted with gender discrimination. She sees that Harish is allowed to continue his childhood, his studies and embrace his freedom, while because she is a girl she must sell her body, childhood, and innocence.
For a few moments, she is still able to indulge in flying a kite and childish antics with Harish. He serves as an imminent symbol of what her childhood should have been and is still, only buried deep inside. While others would have become more jaded by this point, Lakshmi remains a true symbol of resilience and strength.
The film concludes with her escaping from the brothel after a number of attempts and with help from an American photographer and a small task force. Though the ending is incredibly idealistic, looking at the statistics alone, only 1 out of every 100 girls is ever actually rescued from this trade; the film allows you to believe in human resilience, spirit, and most importantly strength.
The aim of this film, as Brown and cast members repeated numerous times, is the strength of a young girl in one of the gravest situations had the indomitable will to escape, this moving performance should inspire every audience member to stand up and fight with her. The message brought forth by this film is to perpetuate change which can only be done by the indomitable will and strength of individuals that rise against this movement, sex industry, trafficking rings, corruption, etc.
Even today, many people are unaware of what is occurring in their own backyards. A few cast members even commented that they were simply ignorant of the fact that sex trafficking was such a largely targeted and wide-spread industry. This movie may have focused on a 13-year-old girl from Nepal who was sold to a brothel in India, but sex trafficking exists in every country.
Jeffrey Brown quoted the Dalai Lama to best explain our world’s problem, “People exist to be loved; objects exist to be used. The world is in chaos because these things are the other way round.” These heinous acts rob children of their innocence, freedom and happiness everywhere and the only way to eliminate this issue is for people to stand together and act against it.
Also Read:
For breaking news and live news updates, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Read more on Latest India News on India.com.