International Sex Workers’ Day 2025: Bollywood Movies Depicting the Life of Sex Workers and Forced Prostitution

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International Sex Workers’ Day 2025: International Sex Workers' Day, held on June 2nd each year, commemorates the occupation of the Saint-Nizier church in Lyon, France, by over 100 sex workers in 1975 to protest their exploitative living and working conditions.  This day is a critical reminder of the continuous fight for sex workers' rights, which advocates for decriminalisation, increased safety, and an end to stigma and violence. 

Bollywood Movies on Sex Trafficking

Bollywood, with its huge reach and impact, has frequently played an important role in bringing delicate and sometimes marginalised topics into public debate. While some portrayals have been chastised for sensationalism or reinforcing stereotypes, others have valiantly attempted to shed light on the complex lives of sex workers and the tragic realities of forced prostitution, sparking much-needed debate about these taboo subjects.

In this article, we bring you some of the best Bollywood movies that have portrayed the lives of sex workers and other sensitive matters related to prostitution on the big screen. 

Begum Jaan (2017)

Begum Jaan depicts a brothel on the Radcliffe Line during the 1947 partition as a microcosm of resilience, focusing on a group of sex workers who, despite their vocation, find strength and camaraderie in their shared home. The film emphasises their tenacity in defending their autonomy and dignity against external forces, illustrating how circumstance and a lack of societal options can lead women into sex work while they attempt to define their own sense of belonging and battle for their space.

Gangubai Kathiawadi (2022)

Gangubai Kathiawadi follows the story of a young lady who, after being brutally tricked and sold into prostitution, rises to become a prominent madam and advocate for sex workers’ rights in Kamathipura. The film vividly depicts the brutal reality of forced sex trade entry, as well as the hierarchical structure and daily struggles within brothels, culminating in Gangubai's transformation into a figure who bravely fights for her community’s dignity, safety, and recognition, challenging societal prejudices and demanding basic human rights.

Chameli (2003)

Chameli provides an intimate character study of a street-smart sex worker over the course of one night in Mumbai, humanising her beyond the constraints of her occupation. The video delves compassionately into Chameli’s life, portraying her as a person with a pragmatic attitude to her career while also displaying her capacity for empathy and quiet dreams. It does not directly focus on the protagonist’s forced prostitution, but rather on the daily realities, negotiations, and emotional complexities of a sex worker's life in a metropolis that both depends on and stigmatises her.

Chandni Bar (2001)

Chandni Bar depicts bar dancers and sex workers in Mumbai in a gritty and realistic manner, exposing the brutal realities of their lives, institutional exploitation, and deeply ingrained cultural stereotypes. The story follows Mumtaz, whose entry into bar dancing is motivated by dire circumstances and poverty, demonstrating how limited options can push people into such professions and highlighting the pervasive cycle of desperation, crime, and exploitation that frequently traps women in the industry, making it difficult to leave.

Lakshmi (2014)

Lakshmi is a brutal and unforgiving film that exposes the heinous reality of child sex trafficking and forced prostitution. It graphically recounts the terrible abduction and following agony of a little girl, Lakshmi, who is sold into a brothel, highlighting the tremendous violence, abuse, and psychological damage perpetrated on child victims. The film is a dramatic and heartbreaking tale of sexual slavery, emphasising the critical need to address the global issue of human trafficking and safeguard vulnerable children.

Love Sonia (2018)

Lakshmi is a brutal and unforgiving film that exposes the heinous reality of child sex trafficking and forced prostitution. It graphically recounts the terrible abduction and following agony of a little girl, Lakshmi, who is sold into a brothel, highlighting the tremendous violence, abuse, and psychological damage perpetrated on child victims. The film is a dramatic and heartbreaking tale of sexual slavery, emphasising the critical need to address the global issue of human trafficking and safeguard vulnerable children.

Pakeezah (1972)

Pakeezah is a film masterpiece that depicts the life of Sahibjaan, a courtesan born into the trade, emphasising the beauty, artistry, and emotional depth that are frequently connected with this life, as well as the inherent loneliness and societal ostracism. While not displaying direct physical coercion, the film delicately communicates the societal restraints and lack of alternate options that effectively “force” women into this ancestral trade, as Sahibjaan yearns for a life of love and respect outside the brothel.

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