Arkestra

HAVE YOU EVER PONDERED WHY THE TERM ‘ORCHESTRA’ IS SPELLED AS ‘ARKESTRA’? WELCOME TO THE REALM OF CHILD EXPLOITATION, AS WE STRIVE TO ILLUMINATE THE ISSUE OF PAEDOPHILIA IN RURAL INDIA THROUGH THIS VISUAL MEDIUM. WHILE THE NARRATIVE CENTRES ON TWO CHILDREN, BULBUL AND CHANDANI, FROM BIHAR, IT TRANSCENDS GEOGRAPHICAL BOUNDARIES, AS MILLIONS OF CHILDREN WORLDWIDE HAVE SUFFERED SIMILAR ABUSES. AT TIMES, A FILM REQUIRES A CAUSE; HOWEVER, WE BELIEVE THAT A CAUSE MERITS ITS OWN FILM. WE ASPIRE TO ACCOMPLISH THIS THROUGH OUR SINCERE EFFORTS. SET AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF INDIA’S STRINGENT LAWS, PARTICULARLY THE PROTECTION OF CHILDREN FROM SEXUAL OFFENCES ACT, (POCSO) WE UNCOVER THE STARK REALITIES OF CHILD EXPLOITATION. IN 2022, INDIA WITNESSED A STAGGERING 8.7% INCREASE IN CHILD ABUSE CASES, REACHING A TOTAL OF 162,000 INCIDENTS, AS REPORTED BY THE NATIONAL CRIME RECORDS BUREAU (NCRB). IN 2022 ALONE, REPORTED CASES OF CHILD RAPE AND PENETRATIVE ASSAULTS REACHED 38,911, MARKING A SIGNIFICANT UPTICK FROM 36, 381 CASES IN 2021. ARKESTRA IS THE STORY OF THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN IN INDIA WHOSE INNOCENCE HAS BEEN SHATTERED BY THE SYSTEM, WHERE EVEN THOSE WHO ARE AWARE OF THE SITUATION BEAR EQUAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SILENCE. WE HOPE THIS ENDEAVOUR WILL PROMPT EVERY VIEWER TO REFLECT ON THIS ‘CAUSE’ AND CONSIDER HOW WE CAN PROTECT INNOCENT LIVES. TRUE APPLAUSE SHOULD MANIFEST AS ACTION, INSPIRING US TO TAKE STEPS TOWARDS MAKING OUR SOCIETY A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE.

IT’S A SHOCKING REALITY THAT INDIA HAS THE WORLD’S LARGEST NUMBER OF SEXUALLY ABUSED CHILDREN. UNFORTUNATELY, MOST OF THESE CHILDREN WHO WERE SEXUALLY ABUSED DID NOT REPORT THIS TO ANYONE.

SET AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF INDIA’S STRINGENT LAWS, PARTICULARLY THE PROTECTION OF CHILDREN FROM SEXUAL OFFENCES ACT, (POCSO) WE UNCOVER THE STARK REALITIES OF CHILD EXPLOITATION. DESPITE THESE PROTECTIVE MEASURES, AGENTS, FAMILIES OF THESE CHILDREN AND SOCIETY OPENLY DEFY THE VERY LAWS INTENDED TO SAFEGUARD THESE YOUNG TALENTS. ARKESTRA IS NOT JUST A STORY ABOUT TWO VIRAL KIDS; IT’S A POIGNANT COMMENTARY ON THE URGENT NEED FOR STRONGER PROTECTIONS AND ETHICAL PRACTICES IN INDIA.

A YOUNG GIRL'S SACRIFICE.
'BULBUL'

BULBUL 12 YEARS OLD, AN UNEDUCATED GIRL, IS AN ARKESTRA ( ORCHESTRA) DANCER WHO IS KNOWN AS A VIRAL GIRL. SHE SPENDS HER DAYS CARING FOR HER LARGE FAMILY, OFTEN SACRIFICING HER DREAMS FOR THE SAKE OF HOUSEHOLD RESPONSIBILITIES. DESPITE HER YOUNG AGE, SHE SUPPORTS HER FAMILY OF NINE MEMBERS, TRAPPED IN A CYCLE OF EXPLOITATION. AT A TENDER AGE, SHE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING FOR A FAMILY OF EIGHT TO NINE PEOPLE, A BURDEN FAR TOO HEAVY FOR SOMEONE SO YOUNG. HER GRANDMOTHER AND PARENTS, STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET, HAVE PUSHED HER INTO THE WORLD OF ARKESTRA, EVERY NIGHT, SHE PERFORMS, IN FRONT FRONT OF LUSTY, DIRTY SEXUAL PREDATOR MEN NOT FOR JOY BUT BUT OUT OF NECESSITY, SACRIFICING HER YOUTH FOR THE COMFORT AND SURVIVAL OF HER FAMILY. THIS SITUATION HIGHLIGHTS THE HARSH REALITIES FACED BY MANY YOUNG GIRLS WHO ARE FORCED TO TAKE ON ADULT RESPONSIBILITIES FAR TOO SOON.

CHANDANI: A STORY OF RESILIENCE

IN THE HEART OF BIHAR, A 12 – YEAR – OLD BOY NAMED ( NIRAJ PASWAN ) CHANDANI HAS CAPTURED THE ATTENTION OF MANY THROUGH HIS REMARKABLE TALENT AND RESILIENCE. NIRAJ, WHO DRESSES AS A GIRL, PERFORMS IN LOCAL ARKESTRA SHOWS, DESPITE HIS YOUNG AGE, HE CARRIES THE WEIGHT OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR HIS FAMILY OF SIX, WHO RELY ON HIS INCOME TO MAKE ENDS MEET. WITH DREAMS AS VIBRANT AS HIS PERFORMANCES, CHANDANI HAS GARNERED AN IMPRESSIVE FOLLOWING OF 300,000 ON INSTAGRAM & HIS VIDEOS ARE VIRAL ON YOUTUBE. HIS VIRAL PRESENCE IN RURAL INDIA HIGHLIGHTS NOT ONLY HIS TALENT BUT ALSO THE CHALLENGES FACED BY MANY YOUNG INDIVIDUALS IN SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES.

BEHIND THE VIBRANT COSTUMES AND LIVELY MUSIC LIES A DARKER REALITY. THIS SITUATION HIGHLIGHTS A TROUBLING ASPECT OF CHILD EXPLOITATION, WHERE CHILDREN’S DREAMS ARE OVERSHADOWED BY DESPERATE CIRCUMSTANCES. CHANDANI’S STORY REFLECTS THE HARSH REALITIES FACED BY MANY CHILDREN WHO ARE FORCED TO TAKE ON ADULT RESPONSIBILITIES TOO SOON. WHILE HE FINDS JOY IN DANCING, THE PRESSURE FROM HIS FAMILY WEIGHS HEAVILY ON HIS YOUNG SHOULDERS. IT RAISES IMPORTANT QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ETHICS OF CHILD LABOUR AND THE NEED FOR PROTECTIVE MEASURES.

BULBUAL & CHANDANI

THEY STRUGGLE TO GAIN RECOGNITION AND RESPECT FROM THE COMMUNITY. MANY DANCERS FIND THEMSELVES LIVING IN PRECARIOUS CONDITIONS, WITH NO RESPECT IN SOCIETY. THIS LACK OF SUPPORT EXTENDS TO THE AUTHORITIES, AS POLICE OFTEN NEGLECT THE ISSUES FACED BY THESE PERFORMERS. THESE DANCERS ARE SUBJECTED TO HARASSMENT AND EXPLOITATION FROM PUBLIC POLICE & POLITICIANS. YET THEIR PLEAS FOR HELP GO UNHEARD. EXPLORING THEIR ( BULBUL & CHANDANI ) RISE TO FAME AMIDST THE COMPLEXITIES OF CHILDHOOD AND SOCIETAL EXPECTATIONS. IA.

THE PIMP - VIJAY SONI

VIJAY SONI HAS OPENLY ADMITTED TO FACILITATING THE EXPLOITATION OF YOUNG DANCERS, SPECIFICALLY BULBUL AND CHANDANI. HE CLAIMS THAT OLDER MEN HAVE A PREFERENCE FOR CHILD DANCERS, EXPRESSING LITTLE INTEREST IN OLDER GIRLS. VIJAY’S APPROACH TO TALENT SCOUTING AND PROMOTION RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF THOSE IN POSITIONS OF POWER. UNDERAGE GIRLS HAVE FOUND THEMSELVES IN CHALLENGING SITUATIONS AS THEY NAVIGATE THE ARKESTRA LANDSCAPE.

ON AVERAGE, AT LEAST ONE WOMAN IN INDIA FILES A COMPLAINT AGAINST POLICE APATHY EVERY 2 HOURS..

BEHIND THE SCENES

PRITI AGARWAL | PRODUCER

ZAID SHAIKH | PRODUCER

VISHAL AGARWAL | PRODUCER

HAIDER KHAN | DIRECTOR

OUR VISION

THERE ARE POOR AND RICH, THE STOUT AND THE SLENDER, THE VIRTUOUS AND THE WICKED. YET, A COMMON THREAD AMONG ALL HUMAN LIVES IS THAT WE EACH HAD A CHILDHOOD. UNFORTUNATELY, NOT EVERY CHILD IS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO ENJOY A GOOD ONE, WE FELT IT WAS OUR DUTY TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE CAUSE OF CHILD ABUSE, AN ISSUE THAT HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY PREVALENT. THROUGH OUR HUMBLE EFFORTS, WE AIM TO HIGHLIGHT THE REALITY OF CHILD ABUSE BY SHARING THE STORIES OF OUR REAL-LIFE HEROES, CHANDNI AND BULBUL. WE REGARD THEM AS HEROES BECAUSE THEY ARE SURVIVORS, HAVING ENDURED THE BRUTALITY OF SOCIETY.