“I For India”, Bollywood’s largest fundraiser concert began on Sunday evening with earnest excitement.
An initiative by Bollywood directors Karan Johar and Zoya Akhtar, the virtual concert was organized by an organization called ‘Give India’. The said organization is aiming to help those affected by the coronavirus by raising funds.
In order to help the people who don’t have the privilege of having a roof over their heads or a constant supply of food, celebrities joined hands. It gave a chance for the average viewer to donate to people who are in need of resources.
Celebrities from all over the world were part of this noble initiative. The list includes Bollywood stars like Aamir Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Ranveer Singh, Shah Rukh Khan, and many more.
International stars like Lily Singh, Jonas Brothers, Will Smith, Mick Jagger, and Mindy Kaling also took part. The at-home concert that featured singing, dancing, standup, and speeches were live-streamed on Facebook.
Karan Johar and Zoya Akhtar shortly briefed viewers about the purpose of the concert and encouraged them to donate to Give India’s COVID-19 Response Fund.
After that, musical performances by singers like Shreya Ghoshal, Ehsaan, Loy, Badshah, Soni Nigam, and many more took place.
Actors also tried their hand at singing during this time. Celebrities like Parineeti Chopra and Tiger Shroff sang beautiful songs. Hrithik Roshan also showed off his musical talent by playing the piano.
However, the show-stealer would have to be the finale performance by Shah Rukh Khan and his son, Abram.
The ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ star started off by saying, “Everybody who knows me knows that I cannot sing to save my life. So thank you for taking a chance on me, everybody.”
His son made an appearance and the duo put up an adorable performance that stole viewers’ hearts and made a lasting impression. Varun Dhawan performed on several motivational songs with Shiamak Davar’s crew.
Priyanka Chopra Jonas had recited a touching poem written by Vijay Maurya while Farhan Akhtar performed the song ‘Tum Ho Toh’ from his movie ‘Rock On!!’ along with his band.
Amidst all these entertaining performances, however, celebrities made sure to address the hardships of daily wage earners, migrant workers along with social issues like child abuse and domestic violence. These crimes have been on a rise due to the lockdown.
They also encouraged viewers to develop eco-friendly, hygienic habits, and to treat the stray animals in their vicinity with affection.
To drive the last point home, actor Sidharth Malhotra even appeared with his pet dog. He used the opportunity to urge the audience to not abandon their furry friends during this outbreak.
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Hollywood celebrities also left their mark during the concert. Jack Black, for example, shared his message and said, “We got to work together. The whole world has got to work together. Count me in.”
Singer Joe Jonas and actress Sophie Turner, his wife, recalled their visit to India and asked viewers to stay safe by adhering to lockdown and quarantine rules.
Over Rs 3 crore were raised by the end of the 4 hour and 20-minute “I for India” which brought together influential personalities from all over the world.