Born Into A Kolkata Brothel, Sonagachhi Boy Is Now Nyu Grad, Asst Dire

September 7, 2013

[color=#3F3F3F][font=georgia][size=4]KOLKATA: Destiny put a camera in Avijit Halder's hands in 2004. Today, the boy born into a Sonagachhi brothel is framing his own destiny with it, as an assistant director in Hollywood.[/size][/font][/color]

[color=#3F3F3F][font=georgia][size=4]The story of Halder, who was among the eight children of sex workers featured in the Oscar-winning 2004 documentary 'Born Into Brothels' directed by Zana Briski and Ross Kauffman, has taken [/size][/font][/color][color=#3F3F3F][font=georgia][size=4]incredible[/size][/font][/color][color=#3F3F3F][font=georgia][size=4] turns in the nine years since.[/size][/font][/color]

[color=#3F3F3F][font=georgia][size=4]He went to the US to study in 2005 as a 14-year-old and hasn't looked back. A [/size][/font][/color][url="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/New-York-University"]New York University[/url][color=#3F3F3F][font=georgia][size=4] (NYU) degree in 2012 gave the 22-year-old a ticket to [/size][/font][/color][url="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Beverly-Hills"]Beverly Hills[/url][color=#3F3F3F][font=georgia][size=4]. Halder worked as an assistant director in Dan Baron's 'Basmati Blues', a musical on a US genetics company exploiting Indian farmers starring [/size][/font][/color][url="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Donald-Sutherland"]Donald Sutherland[/url][color=#3F3F3F][font=georgia][size=4] and [/size][/font][/color][url="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Brie-Larson"]Brie Larson[/url][color=#3F3F3F][font=georgia][size=4]. Amid the post-production frenzy, however, he is yearning to be home for the Pujas and spend time with his sister and granny.[/size][/font][/color]