Pranav Birje • Senior Correspondent
Trailer Out Now
Inspired by the thrilling true rescue story of Dipesh Tank – the man who risked everything to rescue minor girls from trafficking – comes a short film that is a war cry wrapped in cinema. This July 30, World Day against Trafficking in Persons, filmmaker Keith Gomes is set to release his boldest work yet: Dear Men, a hard-hitting short film that dares to look trafficking straight in the eye and pays a tribute to Dipesh and every rescuers courage. Versatile Sayani Gupta stars in this powerful story that blends undercover bravery with raw emotional grit, bringing to life a thrilling narrative that has remained buried in the shadows of India’s heartlands for far too long. As of early 2024, 44% of human trafficking victims in India were minors, with Rajasthan and Bihar recording the highest number of child trafficking cases between 2018 and 2022 (2,711 and 1,848 charge sheets, respectively, as per ETV Bharat). Around 53% of trafficking victims are exploited in sexual slavery, with an estimated 1.2 million individuals trapped in forced prostitution.
The storyline of Dear Men revolves around a rescue worker (played by Sayani), disguised as a filmmaker shooting a glamorous Bollywood item song, entering a lawless village on a secret mission to save two trafficked minor girls held by a notorious gangster. Based on a real‑life rescue operation carried out by social activist and Governor’s Medal recipient Dipesh, Dear Men unearths the unbearable reality behind India’s trafficking corridors — where patriarchy, power, and poverty weave a brutal trap.
As the founder of Starfish Productions, Keith Gomes has carved out a reputation for unflinching, socially conscious storytelling. His previous shorts include the Oscar‑considered thriller Shameless (2018) and the Amitabh Bachchan–endorsed award winner Doobie (2020), alongside working in Bollywood, Directing the Himmesh Reshammiya cult, Badass Ravikumar (2025) and co writing Kick (2014). Each short film has cemented his style of blending stark realism with cinematic tension, a perfect foundation for the adrenaline-inducing drama of Dear Men.
Keith Gomes said, “When I first learned of Dipesh Tank’s operation that entailed him fearlessly walking into a gang‑ruled village under the guise of a filmmaker, I felt both awe and alarm. The raw brutality of trafficking is not an abstract horror, but a festering wound in our society. Making Dear Men forced me to reckon with my own privilege and ask: if I were in Dipesh’s shoes, could I summon that kind of courage to rescue kids? This film is a tribute to all those who work tirelessly to end trafficking. On the film, with our own funds. Mayukh Ray came on board and we put together a fantastic team. Not to mention, Sayani Gupta brought a fury and compassion to the screen that did more than justice to this tribute to Dipesh’s contribution to India. The greatest victory would be if this film lead to a conversation and the anti trafficking bill is approved in parliament”
Sayani Gupta says, “I still remember being terrified after the first time Keith described Dipesh’s rescue mission to me before we set out to shoot Dear Men. The gravity of human trafficking suddenly stopped being a distant news report and became the sprint‑to‑the‑finish that hangs in every parent’s worst nightmare. I hope that Dear Men becomes the angry letter to everything that let trafficking exist.”
Activist Dipesh Tank,( awarded by Maharashtra Governor) says –
For so long, trafficking has been a headline or a statistic for most of us. When I went undercover, disguised as a film director for the rescue, I felt more desperate than brave. I felt rage that it had come to this and that there’s a market for buying children for sexual pleasure. Watching Dear Men shook me in ways I didn’t expect. It’s not a polished version of the story. It’s raw, intimate, close to the bone. Keith didn’t try to dramatize what happened and that takes sensitivity. I’m very grateful to this film not because it shows what I did—but because it shows why I had to, like many more working in anti trafficking space”
Produced by Mayukh Ray, Rahul Vishwakarma, Zaman Habib and Sandeep Kamal, Dear Men brings together a powerhouse team of creators from across the globe, elevating this urgent narrative into a cinematic force. The haunting score has been composed by Hollywood composer Alex Somers whose evocative work on films like Captain Fantastic, Causeway, Honey Boy, and the Oscar-nominated Nickleboys has earned him international acclaim. Oscar-winner Resul Pookutty and Vijay Kumar lends unmatched mastery to the film’s sound design, while the gripping, high-stakes action is choreographed by Stefan Richter, celebrated for his work on Kick, Uri and Barbarians. Dear Men premieres free to watch on Keith Gomes youtube channel on 30th July, World Anti-Trafficking Day.