Popular Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt says he plans to organize a concert, featuring Indian and Pakistani movie stars and singers, to raise money for the earthquake victims in both countries.
“They (Pakistani actors) had come to India to help us raise funds for the tsunami relief, and now we need to do something for the earthquake victims,” Dutt said in an interview on Thursday on the independent New Delhi Television channel.
Details were being worked out, he said.
The 7.6-magnitude quake on Saturday smashed towns and villages, mostly in Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan. More than 35,000 are believed to have been killed in Pakistan and at least 1,358 in Indian-controlled Kashmir.
Dutt had organized a concert in February to raise funds for victims of the Dec. 26 tsunami which killed more than 10,000 people in India.
He said he was following the example set by his father, Sunil Dutt, an actor-turned-politician who was known for organizing charity events. Sunil Dutt died following a heart attack in May.
Sanjay Dutt, an action hero who has starred in dozens of hit Hindi-language movies, said he would also appeal to India’s more than 1 billion people to donate one rupee (about 2 US cents) each to help the earthquake victims.
Meera launches ‘open truck’ crusade for quake victims
Lahore | October 11, 2005 12:08:46 PM IST
Pakistani film actress Meera has announced a financial aid of Rs five lakh for the earthquake victims, and a door-to-door campaign in which film stars and other artists would raise funds for the quake-hit victims.
Meera said that along with other film stars, she would kick start the fund raising campaign today from the Liberty Market, while riding on an open truck.
Addressing press persons at the Lahore Press Club, the actress, who attracted enough media attention after her controversial kissing scenes in Bollywood film “Nazar”, said that Indian film stars Sanjay Dutt, Rani Mukerjee and Bipasha Basu had telephoned her and expressed their shock and grief over the tragic disaster.
According to the Daily Times, she told media persons that Dutt had talked to Congress president and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi for a combined Indian and Pakistani stars’ show in Pakistan for the purpose of raising funds for the quake victims.
On the occasion, Meera was accompanied by another Pakistani film actress Resham, and dress designer BG, who urged the Pakistani government to issue a no objection certificate (NOC) for the show to raise funds for earthquake victims.
Resham also announced an aid of Rs one lakh and called the earthquake as Pakistan’s “biggest crisis” for which the film industry should hold fundraising activities. (ANI)
About her experiences while doing Bollywood films, Meera said:
“Rani Mukherjee is my best friend. She spent a lot of time improving my speech and my over all personality. The same goes for Sanjay Dutt, he is also a good friend. Dutt and I will soon hold a show for earthquake victims either in Delhi or Bombay. Mahesh Bhatt is like a father to me and he helped me a lot. I am doing a film with Subhash Ghai.” (ANI)
Meera raising funds for quake victims
11th Oct 2005 18.10 IST
By Nikhil Kumar
Pakistani actress Meera is spearheading a campaign in Pakistan to raise money for the victims of the earthquake that is now being described as the biggest natural calamity in the nation’s history.
With more than 20,000 people having perished in the devastating quake in Pak, it is film personalities who are now taking the lead to help raise money for the relief work.
Meera, who has already become a known face in Bollywood because of her films Nazar and Kasak , has announced a personal contribution of Rs 5 lakh. She is also starting a fund raising campaign in which she and Pakistani film personalities and other artists would ride in an open truck and urge people to contribute.
Meera also held a press conference at the Lahore Press Club where she said that Indian film stars Sanjay Dutt , Rani Mukherjee and Bipasha Basu had telephoned her and expressed their condolences.
Meera is also quoted by The Daily Times as saying that actor Sanjay Dutt has expressed interest in a combined show of Indian and Pakistani stars in Pakistan for raising funds for the quake victims.
