I was at the University of the Punjab, where I earned my bachelor’s in mass communication from the Department of Communication Studies. It was the 5thsemester of my bachelor’s degree and we were assigned to make documentaries on some social issues. I had my group with my two other friends. We decided to make a documentary on Child labor. We went to Barkat market to record some shots and interviews as it is a place where you can see many children working in restaurants and other shops. We found a mechanic shop where almost 3 to 4 children were working. We interviewed 2 children and the story of one of them was quite sad and the best fit for our documentary. One of his siblings had some heart issue and they needed 5 lakhs for his operation. His father was ill too so he had to work at such a young age. We did some other interviews with nomads, beggars, and a child who was selling some stationery items. But the strongest story that we have found was that mechanic child story.
That day we had one of our male friends with us. As you know, when you are recording something everyone will be curious about what you are doing. In such cases having a male with you helps to get through a lot of issues that a female might face. When we got home and watched the recorded clips there was an issue in the recorded clip of that mechanic child. So we decided to shoot it again. But at that time that male friend couldn’t accompany us. So it was just two women who had to go again to that place crowded by men. We went to that mechanic shop and talked to that child again, but his owner asked him to focus on work. He Indirectly refused to interview with us again. Everyone there was just staring at us like we were aliens. At that time a huge burden of emotions overcame my heart.
We did some other shoots and came back to our University. I was feeling so puzzled at that time because of the behavior of those people. But the moment we reached and took the first step through the university gate, all that puzzled feeling flew away like it never happened. It just felt like some Indian Drama in which a woman enters the house and there’s the background music of Dhumtananadhum and that girl seems quite happy about entering that place.
I don’t know if someone could understand me or not but from that day my department has a special place in my heart. It feels like my second home because it relieves me like a home does when you return after a long and hard day. I may have some issues with our department but except all that, this place has a feeling that no other place can replace.
