Umrao Jaan: A Portrait of Human Trafficking of Indian Girl Child

Madhu Chandra *

'Agale Janam Mohe, Betiya na kijo'
'In next birth of mine, Oh God, don't bring me as a girl child!'

The Umrao Jaan is a Bollywood film produced by Muzaffar Ali in 1981, which was remake by J. P. Dutta in 2006, is the story of Indian girl child base on Urdu novel 'Umrao Jaan Ada' written in 1905 by Mirza Hadi Ruswa based on the famous Lucknow courtesan.

It is a story of an Indian girl child who laments her agony of life a victim of human trafficking, composed in form of poetry and music with soul gripping lyric 'Agale janam mohe, betiya na kijo,' 'In next birth of mine, Oh God, don't bring me as a girl child'

It is the song of a woman, whose childhood was looted when she was kidnapped by her neighbor Dilwar Khan to revenge her father for testifying in a criminal case which led him imprisoned for several years. She was sold to a brothel at Lucknow at the age of eight, who was latter adopted by a couple to bring her up with same parental care, education, dance, poetry and music, only to fit to charm the wealthy in a famous courtesan of Lucknow.

Ameeran, her parental name changed to earn famed Umrao Jaan (love) from wealthy men, who came to the courtesan, was labelled as 'Bazaar Aurat, a prostitute' In remake version, former Miss Universe and Bollywood Super Star, Aishwarya Rai acted as Umrao Jaan along with Abhishek Bachchan as Nawab Sultan and Sunil Shetty as Faiz Ali.

At the age of 20, when she is fully grown matured, Umrao got the title 'Jaan' after performing a charming courtesan dance and singing at Lucknow, where Umrao got the eyes of wealthy princes, kings, and Nawabs. Nawab Sultan was one among many wealthy men, whose love was stolen by charms of Umrao at first meeting itself. Soon, Umrao got into the net of Sultan, with true passionate romance, not knowing her love for Sultan will be rejected soon. Sultan's father did not want to his family defamed by his son marrying a 'Bazaar Aurat' and disowned him.

When Sultan didn't have a penny after his father disowned him he went to live with his uncle at Grahi. In the absent of Sultan, Umrao catches the eye of a wealthy Faiz Ali, who wanted her at any cost. Faiz Ali turned to be a dacoit and got arrested during a journey to Grahi with Umrao. Sultan heard the news about Faiz Ali and Umrao's coming to Grahi, and questioned Umrao about the suspicious relationship with Faiz Ali.

Broken-hearted, Umrao, finally decided to return back to her cage of courtesan at Lucknow, where at arrival, she was raped by her childhood friend in brothel, latter she forgave him unconditionally. Soon British attacked the city and forced her to leave Lucknow and decided to go to her forgotten childhood home at Faizabad. She found her father death and mother and brother refused to accept her because of her profession.

Umrao shunned by her family, her lover and society leaves to return to Lucknow, but fate plays another joke and on her way out the city, she encounters the man who kidnapped and sold her to the brothel in the first place. Poor, wretched, homeless and injured, the man begs for pity, not recognizing that she is Ameeran, and she essentially forgave him. Shunned by all and having forgiven those who destroyed her life, she lives the rest of her days in Lucknow with her poetry and ill fate.

Umrao Jaan's story reflects what a girl child looks like in Indian society where Indian girl child faces abuse and gender discrimination. It is based on a 100 years old fictional story of human trafficking, quietly different from present form. It is story that reflects the life of a girl child, whose choice is nothing but the slavery through out life, beginning under dominion of father at childhood, husband at married life and son at old age.

The story reflects the gender discrimination, female feticides, and female infanticides in our society. The story reflects the girl child trafficking, pushing many into the life like of Umrao Jaan.

Trafficking includes men, women and children who are forced to commercial sex work and sexual exploitation, forced and exploitative labour, marriage and forced marriage, adoption, organ transplantation, begging and mafia beggars and drug peddling. (Traffiking and the Law, New Delhi: HRLN, 2006, 6-8).

Human trafficking is reported worldwide as the largest organised crimes. National Human Rights Commission's senior research officer Savita Bhakhry says, 'Trafficking in human beings, more in women and children, is one of the fastest growing forms of criminal activity, next only to drugs and weapons trade, generating unaccountable profits annually.' (Combat Law, 5/3 (2006, 44).

India is also affected by this epidemic, which is not recognized as one of the greatest thread to human rights violation. To the challenges of organised crime of human trafficking which has affected children and women, particularly in the areas where people live in socio-educational and economically backward areas.

Human Rights Law Network based at Delhi reports, 'International Organization for Migration estimates that the global trafficking industry generates up to US$ 8 billion every year. Rough estimates by the UN suggest that 70000 to 2 million persons trafficked across international borders annually are women and children.' (Traffiking and the Law, New Delhi: HRLN, 2006, 9). It is violation of human rights that India as nation needs to address the issue and the civil societies need to seek to the questions on how to respond to the issue.

The film ends with a song after shunned by her mother and brother. Umrao laments -

Tell me. Have you seen such a farewell?
No mother nor father nor brother.
No one is there.'
Tears are the ornaments and the palanquin of sorrow.
The locked doors are bidding farewell to me.
Never return here even in your dreams.

Look at my lover, he has broken my heart
After abandoning me midway,
He is setting a new life
As like a child gets new toy,
Plays with it for some days and then forgets
Don't make me a doll like this, who cannot even cry.

In next birth of mine,
Oh God, don't birth me as a girl child!
Whatever you have done now,
Oh God, don't do it again.

You call me, 'the voice of broken heart.'
I am the instrument, which contains all melodies
Who am I, what am I, and for whom am I alive?
I myself do not understand.
Tell me the secret.
Tell me the secret.