Warrior princess

JITESH PILLAAI EXPLORES THE HUMANITARIAN SIDE OF BHUMI PEDNEKAR, WHO IS AS PASSIONATE ABOUT THE CAUSES SHE ESPOUSES AS SHE’S ABOUT HER CRAFT

- JITESH PILLAAI

Bhumi Pednekar.

She’s the archetypal new-age Hindi film heroine. Someone who isn’t satisfied by being just arm candy to her leading man. She wants an equal length in roles, equal pay, equal billing...the works. And she also wants to be taken seriously as an actor. Hence, she searches for roles with meaning. Roles which find an echo in real life. Roles which the common Indian women can relate with. Roles which have the power to bring about a change. And she isn’t satisfied playing a warrior in films. She wants to be one in real life as well. Bhumi started a campaign championing climate change. She also used her immense clout to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. She didn’t just utilise her efforts on social media but went to ground zero as well, helping people procure medicines, hospital beds, oxygen cylinders. The army of volunteers she amassed is working tirelessly still. And she’s connected to the cause with double the enthusiasm. It’s something that has become part of her life and something she’d invest in till her last breath. Excerpts from an explosive interview with the gutsy actor, who says social work has changed her life around...

You launched COVID WARRIOR, a social media initiative to fight the pandemic. It was not a superficial show, you were actually online 24/7... getting oxygen cylinders, ventilators, mobilising people etc...

You know all this work that I do off camera is something that is a part of me. It comes naturally to me. It does not require me to think out of the ordinary. From a young age, I’ve seen my parents show compassion for other people. All the work I did for Covid Warrior was something that just happened.

Does being a celebrity help in these initiatives?