Mumbai: From Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan to Chiranjeevi and Prabhas, everyone is trying to help the helpless. Among these are migrant workers, daily wage earners and those from their own industry facing joblessness. Lives have turned very harsh due to the pan-India lockdown implemented to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The worst hit are the migrant workers and the daily wage warners.
As COVID-19 spreads, the stars, filmmakers and musicians are trying to help out in whatever way they can. They are contributing money, food and medical supplies. In some cases, some have offered their properties for use as quarantine centres.
They are being innovative too, raising money through online concerts and throwing in a virtual date.
Monthly rations for daily wagers
The grand-daddy of stars, Amitabh Bachchan, has pledged monthly rations to support 1,00,000 households of daily wage workers. This is for spot boys and makeup artists, belonging to the All India Film Employees Confederation (AIFEC). Bachchan, one of the most followed stars in India, also did his bit to spread awareness. He was part of a short film on social distancing called Family. The film was made in collaboration with stars from Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam cinema.
Helping hand from Salman
Superstar Salman Khan was one of the earliest celebrities to understand that lack of shootings will render many jobless. He pledged to directly help 25,000 daily wage artistes of FWICE every month through his ‘Being Human Foundation’.
“We have about five lakh workers out of which 25,000 are in dire need of financial help. Being Human Foundation said they will take care of these workers on their own. They are ensuring the money reaches them directly,” FWICE president BN Tiwari said.
The actor has also asked fans to donate food to the needy. Salman was seen loading ration packets in tractors and bullock carts to be sent to villages near his Panvel farmhouse.
Shah Rukh’s contribution
Shah Rukh went a step further by announcing a series of initiatives with wife Gauri Khan and his business partners. He also made a sizeable donation to the ‘PM-CARES fund’. It was done through his and actor Juhi Chawla’s IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
Their ‘package’ of relief includes contributing ‘personal protective equipment’ (PPE) for frontline health workers. Shah Rukh’s group is also providing daily food for 5,500 families in Mumbai and essentials for 2,500 daily-wage workers. Groceries for 2,500 workers in the national capital are also being provided.
Shah Rukh and Gauri have also offered their four-floor office in suburban Mumbai to local civic authorities. They have said it can be used as a quarantine facility.
“This crisis is not going to pass in a hurry, it will take its time and its toll on all of us. It will also show us that there isn’t really a choice between looking out for ourselves and looking out for one another,” Shah Rukh said.
Others also come forward
Other stars are digging deep into their pockets too. Akshay Kumar donated Rs 25 crore to the PM-CARES fund. He also made a Rs 2 crore contribution to Mumbai Police and other charity contributions. Others who have donated are Vicky Kaushal, Karan Johar, Priyanka Chopra, Anushka Sharma, Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone.
Ajay Devgn and filmmaker Rohit Shetty have donated Rs 51 lakh each for the daily wage workers in the film industry. Besides, Hrithik Roshan, Vidya Balan, Farhan Akhtar, Sonu Sood and Sonakshi have given money for PPE kits. They have also contributed for food for healthcare professionals and other workers. Sood has also arranged for buses to ferry migrant workers to their native places.
South Indian actors do their bit
Down south, Baahubali actor Prabhas has given Rs 4 crore out of which Rs 3 crore is for the PM’s National Relief Fund. He has also donated Rs 50 lakh each to relief funds of the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana chief ministers.
Actor Ram Charan and his father Cheeranjeevi donated Rs 70 lakh and Rs 1 crore to the centre and state charities.
Agencies