A Tale of a Naughty Girl

India in the late 1960s. Rajani, a prostitute and her daughter Lati both live in a bordello in a little town called Gospaira. Hoping that her daughter will have a better life than herself, but also that she will be able to take care of her in her old age, Rajani decides to find Lati a husband. Rajani doesn’t mind if the prospective groom is an older... More »

India in the late 1960s. Rajani, a prostitute and her daughter Lati both live in a bordello in a little town called Gospaira. Hoping that her daughter will have a better life than herself, but also that she will be able to take care of her in her old age, Rajani decides to find Lati a husband. Rajani doesn’t mind if the prospective groom is an older man – as long as he’s wealthy. One eligible suitor is the cinema-owner, Paladi, an unscrupulous businessman and dubious cineaste with a penchant for rape scenes, which he has screened privately in his cinema.
Paladi already has his eye on Lati, but the young girl has very different ideas about her future. Even though such a marriage would mean financial security, Lati feels the price is still too high. Instead, she hopes to go back to school and continue her studies.
Lati is not the only one with dreams of emancipation. Bakul, Basanti and Aysha, three young prostitutes from the same bordello, all long to escape their miserable lives. But while they are left to their own devices when it comes to coping with their violent husbands and unpleasant clients, Lati is fortunate enough to have an ally. A teacher named Nagen helps Lati to get to Calcutta where she can attend school. She leaves for the big city on the day of the moon landing. Her first step on the journey towards self-determination is certainly a small thing in comparison to that giant leap for mankind – but it is nevertheless a major achievement for one particular individual.
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