Sumith Prasad
In Garth Davis’ biographical drama film ‘Lion,’ John and Sue Brierley, an Australian couple based in Hobart, Tasmania, become the parents of Saroo Brierley, a young Indian boy who unintentionally ends up in Calcutta (present-day Kolkata), nearly 1500 kilometers away from his hometown in Khandwa. They offer him a safe space to grow and become a capable man, deservedly earning a beloved son in return. After adopting Saroo, they also welcome another Indian boy named Mantosh to their family. As the movie portrays, the couple commendably backed their first son when he set out to track down his biological family!
John and Sue Brierley Have Been Saroo Brierley’s Support System Since His Adoption
John and Sue Brierley adopted Saroo Brierley in 1987. Even though they were fertile, they were adamant about giving a new life to a vulnerable child from India rather than having a kid on their own. They followed the same principle when they adopted Mantosh in 1991. The couple raised both of their children incredibly. The two boys grew up and joined their father to run the family business. Watching all three men in her life working together was special for Sue. That was when Saroo tracked down his biological mother, Kamla Munshi. The father and mother supported their first son’s decision to return to India and meet his loved ones after more than two and a half decades in 2012.
After Saroo had visited Kamla, who had converted to Islam and become Fatima by then, Sue wanted to meet her. The opportunity arose when ‘60 Minutes’ in Australia proposed the meeting to capture it for a documentary. In May 2013, without John, she went to India and embraced the woman who gave birth to her son. Sue described their meeting as “wonderful” and one of the most significant events in her life. Even though she found Kamla “amazing,” she realized the need to step away from Saroo’s relationship with his biological mother, which he deserved to cherish without a third person present. “We made our peace, and I gave her my gratitude, and it’s important that she [now] live her life,” Sue told The Guardian in 2020.
Even though this life-altering experience was immensely joyful for Sue and John, there were hardships associated with it. The media attention they received overnight was overwhelming for them as a family. “Suddenly, we are in a world that is not ours. We are in a fantasy world. It places a lot of stress on the family,” Sue recollected in an interview given to the Australian radio station Hope 103.2. The people around the couple had difficulty acknowledging the “permanence” of their relationship with Saroo, as several asked them whether their son would return to them after finding his biological family. Sue and John had to welcome their son back from India amid facing several similar questions.
Sue Brierley Became a Writer Following the Success of Saroo’s Memoir
John and Sue Brierley’s lives turned around when Saroo Brierley published his memoir, ‘A Long Way Home.’ Their popularity catapulted when The Weinstein Company acquired the rights to the literary work for a film adaptation in 2014. Soon, Nicole Kidman became part of the project to play Sue, along with David Wenham, who joined the cast to portray John. The real-life couple met their on-screen counterparts while the movie was being made. John and Sue attended several events concerning ‘Lion’ in the next few years, ranging from premieres to award functions. After watching the film for the first time, the couple poured their hearts out, and this “journey” took them to the 2017 Academy Awards with Saroo after the biopic garnered six nominations.
John and Sue met Kidman again at the Oscars. As per a 2020 interview, the matriarch of the family even remained in touch with the renowned actress for years. After ‘A Long Way Home’ became an international sensation, Saroo motivated his adoptive mother to write her own memoir. He even teased her, saying that there might be another movie on the way based on her potential book. Finally, Sue wrote ‘Lioness’ and published the work in 2020. In her book, she explores her childhood, her long-lasting relationship with John, and the circumstances that led them to adopt Saroo and Mantosh.
Sue revealed several “secrets” concerning her upbringing through the book that nobody else was aware of. The experience of becoming a writer was not at all easy for her, despite Saroo’s promise that it would be cathartic. “If I knew what I know now, I don’t know that I would have done it,” she told The Sydney Morning Herald about writing the memoir in November 2020. “Saroo said, ‘Keep on pushing on, don’t stop now, you’ve come this far… it will be cathartic.’ Famous last words. It wasn’t. It gave me post-traumatic stress,” she added. Still, writing the work gave her an opportunity to explore how she was fortunate enough to welcome two little gems to her life from India.
John and Sue Brierley Continue to Run Family Business Ventures in Tasmania Even Today
John and Sue Brierley continue to live in Hobart, the capital city of Tasmania. In the captivating Australian state, they have not only raised an invaluable family but also own and operate several industrial supply stores. These include Brierley Hose and Handling, Brierley Marine Chandlery, and Tas Lifting. Even though John is the “main man” when it comes to the operation of these stores, he let Saroo take the lead in expanding the business to Launceston, a city located in the north of Tasmania. The family formed by the couple and their two children remain together even today, sharing happiness and cherishing joyous occasions.
John, Sue, Saroo, and Mantosh regularly meet one another for celebrations or occasions like birthdays. When they are not having a lovely dinner with their children, the couple can be found in their garden, which was described as a “happy, carefree space crowded with exotic plants, certainly not trendy but full of life and perfumed air.” During their gardening hours, they are surrounded by a giant echium that grows and blooms without any direction or birds that show up out of nowhere to enhance the calming ambiance at the place. Sue is also a gifted painter who loves to give life to landscapes on canvas.
John and Sue love dropping by their favorite restaurants for a satisfying dinner or a cheerful drink. They are avid travelers who have visited several captivating cities across the world, ranging from Rotterdam in the Netherlands to Florence in Italy. In July 2024, Sue visited Iceland as well. The adorable duo walk around Port Arthur, Eaglehawk Neck, or Bathurst Harbour in Tasmania when they feel adventurous. Their house is not far away from the waters, and they don’t even need a ticket to watch the annual Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race from the comfort of their homes. When she is not sharing her time with John, she must be immersed in books and yoga, two things that definitely enhance her life nowadays.
Sue Brierley is One of the Prominent Advocates of Adoption in Australia
Over the years, Sue Brierley has emerged as a strong advocate of adoption, specifically intercountry adoption, in Australia. She has strong, unflinching opinions regarding matters like overpopulation and environment conservation, which are conveyed through her book ‘Lioness.’ “We all have the ability to do wonderful things, and share these by living a compassionate life — it pains me to see that there are so many children that still have no family,” she said in an interview given to 9Honey. Sue has voiced her concerns regarding Australia’s adoption rules and regulations, which vary from state to state.
After seeing her first child, Saroo Brierley, reunite with his biological mother, she hopes Mantosh will get the same opportunity. Even though they know the name of the latter’s mother, Asha Rani Das, we have yet to learn whether they have been able to track her down. Until such a reunion materializes, Sue will keep trying to communicate with Asha telepathically to let her know that Mantosh is a “loving and kind man” whom she is proud to call her son.
