Sold

Shilpa explains that sometimes the local police raid Happiness House and take one girl away if Mumtaz is late with her payments. A police officer who is Shilpa’s regular customer confirms that delinquent payment was indeed the reason for the raid. However, Anita still believes that the raid was carried out by Americans who shamed Shahanna and left her in a ditch to die. Mumtaz orders the girls to clean the building so they can open for business and to work extra hard to pick up the slack of losing Shahanna. Lakshmi is sick and stays in bed, but Mumtaz still sends men up to her.

Lakshmi stays in bed in a trance-like state for a while until Mumtaz threatens to sell her to a different brothel. Lakshmi doesn’t care, but Anita smacks her in the face to snap her out of it, then puts her makeup on for her. Lakshmi decides that Anita is the only friend she has left. Anita shows Lakshmi her hiding place for raids and invites Lakshmi to share it next time. Another American customer visits Lakshmi, and she tries to show him the business card and get help.