Child artistes denied rights, are victims of unfair practices: Study

Four years ago, and six decades after the trauma, India’s best known child actor Daisy Irani had confronted her pain and opened up about being beaten and sexually abused while she was working multiple shifts to star in over 50 films.

- Mohua.Das

What had prompted her to break her silence is the large number of children working in television, films, and talent shows, hoping that her cautionary tale would serve as a wake-up call for parents and the entertainment industry to keep children under arc lights from harm.

However, a study released last month by Child Rights and You (CRY) — ‘Child artistes in India, an exploratory study in Mumbai’ — revealed several worrying trends that continue to define the strange, and sometimes disturbing, lives of child actors. The sample survey of former child artistes, parents, casting agencies, directors, producers, guilds, and acting academies found several instances of infringement of child rights and consent where most children have little or no say.

The recent success of child-centric content in films, television and now OTT has elevated child actors from supporting roles to central figures who often drive entire plots and also the earnings. But the star kid phenomenon is often a double-edged sword.