Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysAPA Heritage MonthSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)

Born Into Brothels: Calcutta's Red Light Kids

  • 20042004
  • RR
  • 1h 25m
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
17K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • IMDbPro
Born Into Brothels: Calcutta's Red Light Kids (2004)
Home Video Trailer from Think Film, Inc
Play trailer2:32
1 Video
37 Photos
  • Documentary
  • Biography
  • News
Two documentary filmmakers chronicle their time in Sonagchi, Calcutta and the relationships they developed with children of prostitutes who work the city's notorious red light district.Two documentary filmmakers chronicle their time in Sonagchi, Calcutta and the relationships they developed with children of prostitutes who work the city's notorious red light district.Two documentary filmmakers chronicle their time in Sonagchi, Calcutta and the relationships they developed with children of prostitutes who work the city's notorious red light district.
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
17K
YOUR RATING
  • Directors
    • Zana Briski
    • Ross Kauffman
  • Writers
    • Zana Briski
    • Ross Kauffman
  • Stars
    • Kochi
    • Avijit Halder
    • Shanti Das
Top credits
  • Directors
    • Zana Briski
    • Ross Kauffman
  • Writers
    • Zana Briski
    • Ross Kauffman
  • Stars
    • Kochi
    • Avijit Halder
    • Shanti Das
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 105User reviews
    • 68Critic reviews
    • 78Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 21 wins & 5 nominations total

    Videos1

    Born Into Brothels: Calcutta's Red Light Kids
    Trailer 2:32
    Born Into Brothels: Calcutta's Red Light Kids

    Photos37

    Ross Kauffman at an event for Born Into Brothels: Calcutta's Red Light Kids (2004)
    Zana Briski and Ross Kauffman at an event for Born Into Brothels: Calcutta's Red Light Kids (2004)
    Geralyn White Dreyfous, Zana Briski, and Ross Kauffman at an event for Born Into Brothels: Calcutta's Red Light Kids (2004)
    Zana Briski and Ross Kauffman at an event for Born Into Brothels: Calcutta's Red Light Kids (2004)
    Zana Briski and Ross Kauffman at an event for Born Into Brothels: Calcutta's Red Light Kids (2004)
    Zana Briski at an event for Born Into Brothels: Calcutta's Red Light Kids (2004)
    Zana Briski at an event for Born Into Brothels: Calcutta's Red Light Kids (2004)
    Zana Briski and Ross Kauffman at an event for Born Into Brothels: Calcutta's Red Light Kids (2004)
    Al Gore, Zana Briski, and Ross Kauffman at an event for Born Into Brothels: Calcutta's Red Light Kids (2004)
    Al Gore, Zana Briski, and Ross Kauffman at an event for Born Into Brothels: Calcutta's Red Light Kids (2004)
    Al Gore at an event for Born Into Brothels: Calcutta's Red Light Kids (2004)
    Bob Balaban at an event for Born Into Brothels: Calcutta's Red Light Kids (2004)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Kochi
    Avijit Halder
    Shanti Das
    Manik
    Puja Mukerjee
      Gour
      Suchitra
      Tapasi
      Mamuni
      Zana Briski
      Zana Briski
      • Self "Zana Auntie"as Self "Zana Auntie"
      • (uncredited)
      Sunil Halder
      • Selfas Self
      • (uncredited)
      • …
      • Directors
        • Zana Briski
        • Ross Kauffman
      • Writers
        • Zana Briski
        • Ross Kauffman
      • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
      • All cast & crew

      More like this

      Taxi to the Dark Side
      7.5
      Taxi to the Dark Side
      An Inconvenient Truth
      7.4
      An Inconvenient Truth
      Man on Wire
      7.7
      Man on Wire
      Ray
      7.7
      Ray
      Sideways
      7.5
      Sideways
      Syriana
      6.9
      Syriana
      The Queen
      7.3
      The Queen
      Capote
      7.3
      Capote
      Dreamgirls
      6.5
      Dreamgirls
      Precious
      7.3
      Precious
      La Vie en Rose
      7.6
      La Vie en Rose
      The Constant Gardener
      7.4
      The Constant Gardener

      Storyline

      Edit

      Did you know

      Edit
      • Quotes

        Avjit: There is nothing called hope in my future.

      • Connections
        Featured in At the Movies: Constantine/Son of the Mask/Because of Winn-Dixie/Born Into Brothels (2005)
      • Soundtracks
        Sankarabaranam pancha nadai pallavi
        Performed by Shenkar and The Epidemics

      User reviews105

      Review
      Top review
      9/10
      Documentary at its best
      I often disagree with the academy award nominations. It's usually too political to nominate the best movies and performances of the year. Born Into Brothels is an exception, it was nominated and won! The only mistake was not nominating it for best picture.

      Brothels is the story of a woman, Zana Briski, who traveled to Calcutta to photograph the brothels. She fell in love with the children and began teaching them photography. The movie is seen through their eyes.

      The result is extraordinary in so many ways. Calcutta's red light district is interesting in and of itself. The setting is the first extraordinary feature. The filming makes you feel like you are there. Director Ross Kauffman captures the feeling of being trapped in dark allies with a dark future. Without a director commentary running though the film, you're able to see it all by the way it's been directed. The dark past and future of these families is presented in a beautiful and horrific way.

      Secondly, the children are lovable. The story focuses on 8 or 9 children of prostitutes. Each one is unique. Some are incredibly funny, others serious, some are troubled, and at least one has an undeniable talent for photography. You'll leave the theater feeling like you know them.

      This is documentary film at its best. It transports us to another country and makes us love the troubled children. What was troubling to me was having to leave the theater never to see these troubled children again. Putting aside the incredible movie-making abilities of these creators, Zana Briski is a true hero.
      helpful•19
      6
      • ncbrian
      • Mar 23, 2005

      FAQ1

      • Is this available to watch on any streaming services?

      Details

      Edit
      • Release date
        • March 11, 2005 (United States)
      • Country of origin
        • United States
      • Official site
        • Official site
      • Languages
        • Bengali
        • English
      • Also known as
        • The Kids of Sonagachi
      • Filming locations
        • Calcutta, West Bengal, India
      • Production companies
        • Red Light Films
        • HBO/Cinemax Documentary
        • Creative Visions
      • See more company credits at IMDbPro

      Box office

      Edit
      • Gross US & Canada
        • $3,515,061
      • Opening weekend US & Canada
        • $14,605
        • Dec 12, 2004
      • Gross worldwide
        • $3,529,201
      See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

      Technical specs

      Edit
      • Runtime
        1 hour 25 minutes
      • Color
        • Color
      • Sound mix
        • Dolby Digital
      • Aspect ratio
        • 1.37 : 1(original negative)
        • 1.85 : 1

      Related news

      Contribute to this page

      Suggest an edit or add missing content
      Born Into Brothels: Calcutta's Red Light Kids (2004)
      Top Gap
      By what name was Born Into Brothels: Calcutta's Red Light Kids (2004) officially released in India in English?
      Answer
      • See more gaps
      • Learn more about contributing
      Edit page

      More to explore

      View list
      List
      The 10 Most Anticipated Marvel and DC Movies
      See the full list
      Image caption not available
      2:14
      The Most Anticipated Movies and Shows to Watch in May
      Watch the video

      Recently viewed

      Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
      Get the IMDb App
      • Get the IMDb App
      • Help
      • Site Index
      • IMDbPro
      • Box Office Mojo
      • IMDb Developer
      • Press Room
      • Advertising
      • Jobs
      • Conditions of Use
      • Privacy Policy
      • Interest-Based Ads

      © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.