Dr Pooja Mukul, an eminent Rehabilitation Physician from Jaipur has been featured in an international documentary -- 'The Price of Cheap', in the recently-held Jaipur International Film Festival (JIFF).

This documentary, directed by Toronto filmmaker and screenwriter, Barry Stevens, tells the stories of modern slaves hidden in fashion supply chains. Poverty and debt compel parents to send away their young children to work in factories and textile mills where they are practically held hostage. The film follows activists on raids to rescue children from unsafe factories and the survivors trying to rebuild their lives. The film has won 17 awards in International Film Festivals across the globe.

One of the people covered in the documentary was one such modern-day slave. At the age of 15 years, while working at a cotton mill, his right hand got crushed in a machine and had to be amputated from close to the shoulder. He and his family were devastated, the future seemed bleak. Three and a half years after the amputation, he was brought to Dr Pooja Mukul in Jaipur for his rehabilitation at the Jaipur Foot Rehabilitation Center. He was fitted with an advanced Myoelectric artificial hand. After two days of training, he learned to operate the artificial hand. The transformation was dramatic, he was a new person, confident, complete and happy.

He returned to Jaipur for follow up in December 2021. Presently, he runs his own flour mill in Phutela village near Udaipur in Rajasthan, and financially supports his parents and siblings. Dr Pooja, says, "The impact of an artificial limb goes way beyond restoring the person's functional independence. It makes him financially productive, restores his dignity and encourages social inclusion."

About the film, she further adds: "The documentary is thought-provoking. It aims to make us think about the clothes we buy. There is a need to look past styles and brands, to pay attention to where the clothes come from, the people who make them and how our choices affect their lives."