Gokulnath Shanmugam, School of Law, SASTRA Deemed University
ABSTRACT
This paper is a construction of 13 chapters and revolves around multiple aspects and factors in a worklife of a child artiste. This paper can be dissected into three acts. The First act of Setup: Chapters 1-3 deals with giving an introduction and description of the term child artiste, their importance and roles. The Second act of Exploitation: Chapters 4-8 briefs about the hardships and exploitations the child artists face and their types, how it impacts the child both mentally and physically and the remedy they have in the form of law. The Final act of Confrontation and Resolution: Chapters 9- 13 is about who plays a role in the child artists’ exploitations, what improvements are needed in the existing law and concludes with how children are the country’s future and everything should be done accordingly to safeguard their interests. This paper importantly deals with how law fails to govern the child artists by drawing a line between a child labour and a child artiste and as a result, the child artists are getting exploited in the entertainment field and its aftermaths in the child’s welfare are enormous. This paper also talks about how the parents at the home and the agents and casting directors at the office play a role in the child artists’ exploitations with the predominant factor being money. With a view to reformation in the future, the paper also recommends how child artists means not only child actors but also the child athletes, the children employed in the circus and how they should also come under the ambit if a law comes in place for child artists safety and rights.
Keywords: Entertainment, Media, Child artists, Education, Exploitation, Child labour, Agents.
