Bollywood stars unite against domestic violence

Indian actor and activist Rahul Bose, who kickstarted a star-fuelled movement against domestic abuse during coronavirus lockdown on April 20 by enlisting the help of his famous friends like Anushka Sharma and Madhuri Dixit for an awareness video, seems to have lit a spark among his colleagues to promote the worthy cause relentlessly. Domestic violence, often called the shadow pandemic by World Health Organisation, has seen a spike in occurences during Covid-19 times. Helpline numbers for domestic abuse victims have been lighting up as survivors seek help after domestic abuse related incidents. Last month, Bose spearheaded the 60-second video titled ‘Lockdown on Domestic Violence’, as a powerful reminder for everyone to take a firm stand against domestic violence. The pertinent issue is back in focus.

This week, another clutch of famous Bollywood stars have come forward to bring awareness to the issue of domestic violence and raise funds for the Mumbai-based NGO Sneha. On Tuesday, actors including Abhishek Bachchan, Karisma Kapoor and Swara Bhasker chose to highlight the issue of domestic violence by naming the survivors on their own image. Here’s a look at some of the stars who are turning anti-domestic violence warriors in the times of coronavirus:

Abhishek Bachchan: “I am Jayshree” was the picture caption emblazoned on Bachchan’s black and white photograph. “I am her voice today and the voices of the many victims of domestic abuse which are going unheard as they are locked up with their abusers in the lockdown,” posted Bachchan on his Instagram account. He tagged director-actor-singer Farhan Akhtar and producer-director Karan Johar and urged them to do a similar activity on their Instagram.

Malaika Arora: “I am Ruksar,” was the message on Malaika Arora’s black and white image. According to a post by NGO Sneha, calls for help have been rising in the lockdown period as victims find themselves locked in their homes with their abusers.

Karisma Kapoor: “I am Ankita,” read the message on Karisma Kapoor’s black and white bespectacled image. The messaging was clear indication of their support for the voiceless.

Bipasha Basu: “I am Anikta,” said the picture caption on Bipasha Basu. She nominated Dia Mirza, Malaika Arora and Deanne Pandey to participate in this initiative.

Vidya Balan: In a separate initiative, the Indian National Award-winning actress Balan also spoke about how domestic violence is rising during these COVID-19 times. “Domestic violence is a virus that destroys everyone … We all feel fear and anxiety, but that doesn’t mean you beat up your loved ones. It’s a difficult period, but stand by those who love you and don’t hurt them,” implored Balan.