Inspired by the thrilling true rescue story of Dipesh Tank – the man who risked everything to rescue minor girls from trafficking – comes a short film that is a war cry wrapped in cinema. On July 30, World Day against Trafficking in Persons, filmmaker Keith Gomes released his boldest work yet: Dear Men, a hard-hitting short film that dares to look trafficking straight in the eye and pays tribute to Dipesh and every rescuer’s courage. Sayani Gupta stars in this powerful story that blends undercover bravery with raw emotional grit, bringing to life a thrilling narrative that has remained buried in the shadows of India’s heartlands for far too long.
As of early 2024, 44% of human trafficking victims in India were minors, with Rajasthan and Bihar recording the highest number of child trafficking cases between 2018 and 2022 (2,711 and 1,848 charge sheets, respectively, as per ETV Bharat). Around 53% of trafficking victims are exploited in sexual slavery, with an estimated 1.2 million individuals trapped in forced prostitution. Excerpts from our interaction with Keith and Sayani:
Sayani Gupta
Q. How did you get associated with Dear Men?
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A. I have known Keith for some time now. We were introduced by my friend Hussain Dalal, and the three of us did a film called Shameless that qualified for the Oscars. Keith is the guy with the golden heart, always there for the right things and to tell the right stories. He came to me with Dear Men and it was a no-brainer. I was happy to jump in immediately because of how powerful and important this subject is. It’s more than a film. It’s a medium to start a conversation around one of the most heinous crimes prevalent under our noses. And Dipesh Tank's stories needed to be highlighted.
Q. What did you learn about human trafficking that you weren’t aware of before?
A. One would hear or read of things. But to be honest, I had no idea how rampant it is, which is so scary. The world is becoming more ruthless, cruel, and frightening for children. The anti-trafficking act is the need of the hour and needs to be passed.
Keith Gomes |
Keith Gomes
Q. What made you make Dear Men? When did the idea first originate?
A. I was researching during COVID about making a documentary on our tribe that celebrates children, especially the girl child, primarily because when she hits puberty, her parents sell her off to the highest bidder. It's quite heartbreaking. Dipesh has been doing a lot of work over the years protecting women and rescuing children. So I spoke to him. He's a very old friend. We discussed the idea of traveling through the North, discovering stories, and figuring out the way forward. During those discussions, he told me about his rescue stories and the risks he faces.
So the idea hit me about the story. We continued discussing it for the next year because I had to figure out how to tell the story without going wrong anywhere. I researched a lot and spoke to many organizations, who have been credited at the end of the film. Since there are many layers of child trafficking, rehabilitation, and the fact that these girls cannot go back to their cities, we decided to tell a fictional tale.
Q. What obstacles did you face while making the film?
A. The biggest obstacle is money because when you are making a short film, there’s no return on investment. My friends came forward to give me some money, and I put in a lot of my own. That’s the biggest challenge. All the technicians are international, and some of India’s top talent worked on the film. They did it out of love. We spent a lot on the film, and I make these films not to sell them but mainly to put them out on YouTube free for the world to watch. So yes, there’s no return on investment.
Q. At the peak of your Bollywood career, you stepped away from the spotlight to live and work among tribal communities in Odisha and Chhattisgarh for over five years. What prompted this?
A. I was a workaholic. At that time, I was working on Aladdin (2009) and got a call from Sajid Nadiadwala, who’s like family and trusts me. He told me that if I get the right script, he has the stars locked (Saif-Kareena mostly, who were dating at that time) and we can make a film. However, my father had cancer then. I was looking for a script, I was working—and all that took a toll and I crashed. After that, I remember the Mumbai terror attacks happened. I was one of those who went with a big poster to protest against the government. Then I met like-minded people who wanted to do something for the country. We were ten of us. We got together in a furniture store in Trafford House in South Mumbai, started discussing, and then began doing a lot of social work. We had something called Jagrut Nagarik Manch. From there, we went on to support India against corruption. Our Mumbai chapter became a big movement. I’d say this is my second life. We all have to give a drop of love back to the universe, to the people, and to this country that I dearly love. So I always say and post about it, “Adivasi lives matter.” It’s very close to my heart.
But the most interesting part of all? Keith also happens to be the director of the Himesh Reshammiya starrer Badass Ravikumar!
