MUMBAI: Bollywood actor Farhan Akhtar is well known for voicing his thoughts and opinions in support of social causes through Twitter and other mediums. This time the actor has gone further ahead by collaborating with IPL to support and encourage gender equality.
Reports suggest that Farhan Akhtar will be distributing over 70,000 moustaches at the IPL on 26 April 2013 to promote a cause close to his heart, MARD (Men Against Rape and Discrimination). The concept of MARD took root in August 2012, after a Mumbai lawyer was sexually assaulted and killed. The actor-director-singer has been urging his Twitter and Facebook fans to adopt and spread the message. “It can only spread as a pyramid effect through you,” Akhtar had tweeted.
After a lot of online campaigning, this will be the first on-ground activity at such a large scale. Prior to this, he performed at a college concert in Bangalore wearing a T-shirt that had the logo of MARD on it.
26 April 2013 will see one of IPL’s biggest matches between Shah Rukh Khan’s Kolkata Knight Riders and Preity Zinta’s Kings XI Punjab, who have also come forward to support MARD.
Farhan is seen carrying out extensive twitter campaigns to generate more awareness about MARD and to encourage supporters to come forward:
When I hear about female foeticide, I am reminded of the story of ‘The man in the tree’, the one who sawed off the branch he was sitting on
— Farhan Akhtar (@FarOutAkhtar) April 11, 2013
Farhan also posted behind the scenes pictures of Shah Rukh Khan and Preity Zinta shooting for the MARD campaign:
And here’s @realpreityzinta behind the scenes… getting me to expose my #MARD logo. 26/4 here we come. twitter.com/FarOutAkhtar/s…
— Farhan Akhtar (@FarOutAkhtar) April 17, 2013
A behind the scenes glimpse of @iamsrk shooting the 26/4 #MARD initiative match promo. twitter.com/FarOutAkhtar/s…
— Farhan Akhtar (@FarOutAkhtar) April 17, 2013
Recently even cricketer Harbhajan Singh tweeted about the cause saying:
Delighted 2 infrm u tht Apr 26 game KKR vs KXI is now officially in support of MARD. IPL is supporting dis initiative by Farhan,Bling,JWT
— Harbhajan Singh (@harbhajan_singh) April 16, 2013
Shah Rukh Khan and Preity Zinta who have come together with Farhan Akhtar to support and promote Gender Equality have released a promotional video in order to attract more attention towards the cause:
Check this out.. Extra innings IPL T20 #MARD initiative promo. @iamsrk and @realpreityzinta youtube.com/watch?v=nZFgbE…
— Farhan Akhtar (@FarOutAkhtar) April 17, 2013
