“Sare Jahan Se Accha” points the camera at child abuse

Children are precious little gifts from above, innocent, loving, and full of hope for a better tomorrow. In a world so big, how are we going to protect them from the darkness of evil people? Child Sexual Abuse is one of the most alarming problems in this world. Documented data is staggering, however, how accurate are these numbers when there are rural communities that don’t give much importance to this kind of inhumane exploitation among children? How much effort does the government of a country exert to educate, prevent, and take action against child sexual abuse? And what is the community’s role in this unfortunate cruelty? How are we going to stand up for these children and help put a stop to this nightmare? We may not have all the answers to these questions or the solution to this problem, but with our own initiative and compassion for these children we can make something happen, just like what Gurprasad Singh did, he made a film that opened my eyes to these unfortunate events and unlocked the fighter within me to spread this advocacy.

Sare Jahan Se Accha is the most heart-breaking movie I have to review. Though fictional, the story was well written. It doesn’t just tell a story, it awakened my senses about what is happening in many parts of the world, and in this case, in the country of India. Statistically speaking India is ranked second highest when it comes to population, in which 44 percent of country’s citizens are children. According to a scholastic researched that I have recently read, because of the vast number of children without adults looking out for their safety, it makes them an easy target for sex offenders and abusers. And the fact that this problem extends to India’s early history, it is disheartening to know of the insufficient research and intervention of the government about child sexual abuse. The physical trauma, mental and emotional strain, as well as the many other factors that victims of sexual abuse experience in their lifetime, most especially if they don’t receive the proper treatment, is truly unbearable.

The film’s purpose to educate and have us hear the cry of the many silent victims of child abuse is truly admirable. I am in high hope that this film will reach many places, not only because of its award-winning caliber but also because of the awareness that it is trying to instill within the hearts of its viewers, the way it did mine. The heart-wrenching storyline, as well as the moving performance of child actresses Daneen Kaur and Arshia Sharma, are unquestionably worthy of recognition. This movie made a mark on my heart and soul. I will forever remember its advocacy and how director Gurprasad Sing poured his heart out to a film for the welfare of many children.