Mirko
Ries

visual storytelling

Mirko
Ries

visual storytelling

kamathipura

Kamathipura, located in the heart of Mumbai, is one of Asia’s largest and oldest red-light districts. Once a bustling area, it has become a shadow of its former self. Today, towering skyscrapers dominate the skyline, as the real estate boom continues to reshape the city. The allure of profit from property development has displaced much of Kamathipura’s original character, with brothels now surrounded by snack bars, mobile phone shops, and street vendors selling everything from pirated Bollywood DVDs to shoes, sarees, fruits, and coffee.

The atmosphere is a chaotic mix of scents, something between urine and spices and crows can be seen fighting with goats for scraps. Amidst the grime, sliced melons and wilted bananas are the most seductive offerings.

One of the few who intimately understands the struggle of living in Kamathipura is Pinky, a 22-year-old sexworker. Her life has been a tragic series of events that led her to this infamous district. Born in Jharkhand, Pinky’s father abandoned her family when she was just a child. Raised in extreme poverty with a brother, a sister, and her mother, Pinky’s early years were marked by hardship.

At just 12 years old, Pinky was sold by her uncle to a brothel. The transaction was lucrative for the brothel owner, as men would pay to spend time with her. Two years later, Pinky was rescued during a police raid and placed in a shelter. Her uncle was arrested and sentenced to 7 years in prison, a sentence he has almost completed.

However, Pinky’s escape was temporary. At the age of 18, she was once again forced into Kamathipura and has remained trapped in its harsh reality ever since. For many women like Pinky, Kamathipura feels like an open prison, where the cycle of exploitation and poverty seems impossible to break.

Life in Kamathipura is a complex web of survival, exploitation, and broken dreams. Once a person becomes entrapped in its web, the path to freedom can seem insurmountable. The district remains a symbol of Mumbai’s dark underbelly—an area where poverty, desperation, and the harsh realities of the sex trade collide.