Megan Mylan’s acclaimed documentary Smile Pinki, which won an Oscar in the short documentary category in 2009, focused on the story of a girl named Pinki. Born with a cleft lip or cleft palate, Pinki’s condition is common among tens of thousands of children born in India each year. At the time of the Oscar win, Pinki was only 6 years old and attended the prestigious award ceremony with her father. Now, at the age of 20, she still resides in her village, where not much has changed.
Currently in the 12th grade, Pinki and her family face several challenges and are primarily focused on their daily struggles rather than their past encounter with fame. With a family size of six members, they are finding it difficult to make ends meet.
Pinki’s father, Sonkar, continues to sell vegetables from his cart and works tirelessly to meet their basic needs. Every day, the family has to walk over 100 meters to fetch water from a well. Additionally, the school Pinki attends, SRVS Inter College in Ahiraura, is located 9 kilometers away from their village.
Speaking to Hindustan Times, Pinki shared, “My father has to work very hard to fulfil our basic needs. He has very little land. Selling seasonal fruits and vegetables is his only source of income. See, the condition of my house. We have just two small rooms, one without a door.”
Sonkar added, “Life went back to normal after returning from America. I resumed selling seasonal fruits to support my family financially.”
When asked about her experience at the Oscars, Pinki mentioned, “I don’t remember much. What I do recall is that I felt honored by the Smile Train team and the documentary film director. They thanked me and presented me with a trophy. I cherish it dearly. This trophy symbolizes our trip to America and participation in the Oscar award ceremony. Many notable individuals were present, and the ceremony was grand.”
Pinki received a free corrective cleft lip surgery from plastic surgeon Subodh Kumar Singh, based in Varanasi and associated with Smile Train India, a charitable organization dedicated to addressing cleft lips and palates. The documentary showcased Pinki’s journey and treatment through the charity, taking her to Los Angeles and, four years later, to London.
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