Sonia Faleiro’s journey into the dance bars of the Bombay underworld.

What is life like for a bar dancer in Bombay? Many are uneducated, sold by their family and sexually abused once they become ‘of age’. Dancers operate at the top of a skewed moral hierarchy in the sex trade: they do not strip or lap dance, and sex with ‘kustomers’ is frowned upon, undertaken in secret at the dancer’s discretion. It was into this world in 2005 journalist Sonia Faleiro began her five year journey which led to Beautiful Thing, an absorbing book with dancer Leela at its heart: beautiful, sharp, and completely devoid of self-pity.

As Leela led her further into the damaged soul of Bombay, Sonia discovered first-hand how money truly reigned supreme, in an industry where women have become the main currency. As a commodity that can at once rule the hearts of men, and extract their untold riches, they in turn feed the men who will always rule their lives.

But is this only Bombay’s dark secret to hide? Is it even just India’s? Are there parallels and lessons that can be learnt from the centuries of struggle for women’s rights in Britain?

Sonia will be reading from Beautiful Thing and in conversation with journalist, writer and broadcaster Anita Sethi, with an introduction by Surina Narula, President for the Consortium of Street Children’s charities

All proceeds to the Consortium for Street Children.
www.streetchildren.org.uk  

Supported by the South Asian Women’s Creative Collective (SAWCC).