Review: Highway Courtesans

Guddi Chuahan, a pretty, giggling Indian teenager, is not given a choice. Her father/pimp forces her into the family business--which also happens to be the world's oldest profession. It's a sordid life for Guddi and for her younger sister and their pretty young neighbor, forced to service the steady stream of truck drivers who drive the highway that passes their home.

Mystelle Brabbee's documentary covers six years, tracking the transformation of the subservient, insecure teen to an assured 23-year-old who makes independent decisions to shape the course of her life. Highway Courtesans is certainly a depressing film--it is a horror that prostituting your daughters to feed the family and support your sons could be a commonly accepted practice--but Brabbee strikes a hopeful note. Guddi wants a husband, a home, and most importantly, a different job. She overcomes great family reluctance to become a teacher in their rural community. Highway Courtesans opened on Friday. 3 stars. [posted by Marcy]