Animated film Reena Ki Kahaani discusses the dark corridors of human trafficking
KOCHI: Award-winning filmmaker Shred Shreedhar has released another remarkable work after his internationally acclaimed documentary ‘In Our World’ that discussed autism spectrum disorder in children. Titled ‘Reena Ki Kahaani’, the latest nine-and-a-half minute animated film talks about another relevant issue — human trafficking. It was released on December 10, Human Rights Day.
The film sheds light on the horrors of human trafficking. It profiles the agents lurking among us, how they are always on the prowl to trap their next victim. The filmmaker also talks about how to understand the potential risks. The film was shot by Shreedhar in collaboration with Vihaan, an NGO that works to prevent human trafficking.
Vihaan is operational across India and has bases in New Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Mumbai and Patna. It works with victims of sexual abuse, bonded and child labour, domestic servitude and forced beggary providing them access to legal support. It also partners with frontline organisations to provide women, men and children safety. Since its inception, the Vihaan team has rescued over 4,700 trafficking victims with the help of various law enforcement agencies.
Shreedhar said the film is based on a real story. The protagonist, filled with dreams and ambitions, was pushed into the flesh trade and rescued later. “The film also talks about the vulnerabilities of the victims that facilitate such crimes — false promises and the lure of a better life. Girls from weaker sections of society who dream of a brighter future are almost always the easy targets,” he said.
The film is also a story of survival, with insights on how to detect and avoid such situations and ways to identify victims and oppressors, he added.
The film released on Human Rights Day is poetic justice. “What better day to highlight this reassuring story of courage and human grit in the face of brutal oppression? Nothing celebrates Human Rights Day like the rising and triumph of the human spirit in Reena’s story,” says Shreedhar.
Watch on Shred Creative Lab