Our Hearts Are Bleeding
Documentary Feature
LOGLINE
Ajeet Singh and his organisation Guria India have spent 35 years fighting child trafficking and prostitution. But a trial stuck in government led corruption since 2009 threatens to let the guilty walk free. With a retired government official turned key witness, this film is Ajeet’s last chance to expose the truth and those who have tried tobury it.
Project Type: Documentary Feature
Project Status: Post-Production
Director: Jake Schneider
Producer: Vikrant Chopra
Co-Producer: Christine Cowin
Writer: Jonah Lowton
SYNOPSIS
During a 2008 reconnaissance mission in the Red Light District of Allahabad, Non Governmental Organisation Guria India, rescued 136 women and children from the hands of a notorious trafficking gang. Through legal action, Ajeet Singh, Guria’s founder, managed to secure the protection of the rescued women and children, getting them placed into a government shelter home. Yet only a year later, 43 women and 8 children were re-trafficked from the government protection home by the warden who was meant to protect them. Over the course of a 15 year legal battle, Ajeet recounts the unjust and corrupt nature of India’s judicial system as he has fought tirelessly to re-rescue the lost women and children.
In 2023, after years of relentless struggle, Guria India managed to achieve a hard-earned victory by securing a life sentence for the warden of the protection home.
However, in 2024, during the height of the Indian Election the verdict was overturned by Justice Bela M. Trivedi of the Supreme Court of India, and the warden was set free. Bela M. Trivedi, who was formerly the law secretary to PM Modi, throws out all the evidence presented by Guria India and prevents them from disposing in court.
With little to no legal avenues left Ajeet Singh writes to the Chief Justice of India, in protest, outlining the clear implication of government influence in high profile cases relating to trafficking. With his response pending and the warden acquitted of her crimes, in 2025 Ajeet Singh comes to hear that another 40 children have been trafficked from the infamous Agra Shelter Home back into a life of exploitation and abuse.
Filing a new petition to acknowledge the missing children, but left with little to no hope in India’s legal system, Ajeet contacts his long standing accomplice, Raju Bhatt, a prolific Human Rights Lawyer. Ajeet and Raju discuss their plan to escalate these cases to an international governing body, drafting a letter to UN secretary general, Anthony Gurziam.
With an opportunity to speak with one of the original children, who was trafficked 15 years ago and the investigating officer who tried to help but was transferred by corrupt officials – now more than ever, this film is Ajeet Singh’s last attempt to cast an international spotlight onto India’s Judicial system and to get justice for those who have been trafficked.
MORE ABOUT THE PROJECT
Trafficking and corruption are becoming more prominent than ever before, with minority groups being pushed further away from the justice they deserve, whilst officials prioritise their governments’ reputation. During the 2024 Indian election, it was reported that seven high-profile government cases were transferred to the bench of Justice Bela M. Trivedi—a judge with long-standing ties to the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
A new petition filed by Guria India, exposing the disappearance of 40 additional children from the same Agra Shelter Home, clearly displays the ongoing collaboration between government institutions and trafficking organizations.
Meet The Filmmakers
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Vikrant Chopra
Producer
With 24 years in the film industry, Vikrant Chopra is a seasoned producer known for The Black Prince (Cannes 2017). His work spans Indian and U.S. projects like Rockstar, Haunting of the Queen Mary, and Top Chef. In 2023, he cofounded Bridging The Gap Films Ltd. and is a BAFTA Connect member.
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Jonah Lawton
Writer
Jonah studied International Relations, with a background in print journalism, but moved into documentary filmmaking as a means of providing a voice to those who are silenced by their nation's cultural and political climate.overlooked realities and explore diverse perspectives on life, meaning, and human connection.
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Christine Cowin
Producer
Christine Cowin is an EP / Producer with 25 years’ of experience across TV, film, distribution, sponsorship, and integrated marketing for bluechip brands and rights holders and A-list talent. Credits include Creation Stories with Danny Boyle, Buena Vista Social Club:Adios with Wim Wenders and Lucy Walker and Welcome to the Darkness with Fulwell 73. Golden Wild channels her vision for the future, unique expertise and personal values as a force for good.
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Jake Schneider
Director
Jake began his career in factual entertainment and created Time Storm Productions in 2022. Jake’s plethora of industry contacts and knowledge of commercial, feature, and documentary programming and ability to manage large-scale production both in the UK and abroad, with a key eye for edit producing and securing access, has allowed for unique projects to reach a wide audience with maximum impact.
Your Help
OUR HEARTS ARE BLEEDING is a fiscally sponsored project of Cinematography for Actors, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Your donation will be tax-deductible!