Indian womb — German baby: transnational gestational surrogacy in the film Monsoon Baby (2014)

Abstract

The film Monsoon Baby (2014) by Andreas Kleinert sympathetically shows the needs of the German couple seeking parenthood by gestational carrier in India. I argue that it also takes a strong stand against commercial surrogacy abroad because it points out legal issues and — more importantly — shows how surrogacy work can exploit women’s bodies, emotions, mental and physical health and even lives. From a postcolonial perspective, it is also problematic because it contains neo-colonial topoi and attitudes. Surrogacy with foreign intended parents has in the meantime been banned in India, but it may just move to other countries. Monsoon Baby remains an important contribution to the public debate about reproductive rights and choices as well as global reproductive justice.