UNAIDS’s ‘Ghotul’ uses tribal traditions to teach teens about love and equality

New Delhi: On the occasion of International Day of the Girl Child, UNAIDS has released the short film Ghotul, which draws on indigenous Gond traditions to explore conversations around gender, sexuality, and equality for adolescents. 

The film addresses taboos, encourages dialogue, and highlights every girl’s right to bodily autonomy, choice, and dignity.

Each year, 21 million girls worldwide become pregnant, with over 11 million in India alone. Globally, 4,000 adolescent girls are infected with HIV every week. Despite these figures, discussions around sexuality often remain limited, leaving young girls without safe spaces, accurate information, or agency. 

This situation contributes to early marriage, intimate partner violence, and restricted educational and professional opportunities.

The film takes inspiration from the Gond Muria tradition of “Ghotuls,” communal learning spaces where elders guide adolescents in open discussions about love, intimacy, and responsibility. These practices demonstrate egalitarian values and help young people navigate desire with awareness and dignity.

Ghotul was written by Shruti Johri, a gender and inclusion practitioner, and directed by Shashanka ‘Bob’ Chaturvedi of Good Morning Films. The project was conceptualised by advertising executive and feminist Swati Bhattacharya, with cinematography by Tassaduq Hussain, known for his work on Omkara and Kaminey.

The film features Indira Tiwari, recognised for her roles in Serious Men and Gangubai Kathiawadi, alongside emerging actor Puja Kulay.

UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima said, “By knowing the facts and educating young people about their sexual health, we can help them feel safe and stay safe.”

Shruti Johri said, “Silence often does more harm than speech. Ghotul is about breaking that silence, it is an invitation to reimagine a world where our daughters are not guarded like clay pots but guided like rivers, free to choose, to love, and to live without shame.”

Swati Bhattacharya said, “In the tribal wisdom, elders spoke freely with adolescents about love, desire, and growing bodies, not to shame them, but to guide them. Today, when young children often turn to the internet for answers, Ghotul reminds us of the need to bring those honest, caring conversations back into our homes.”

The film has received support from several leading cultural figures and contributes to ongoing efforts to create safer, more informed spaces for adolescents to discuss relationships and sexual health.

Watch the film: