Show-ing support

Ektaa Kapoor is about to launch a nationwide charity drive for debt-ridden farmers in the Vidarbha region who are committing suicide and even selling off their daughters and wives to repay their loans.

“One news report — about a farmer who had sold off his daughter — really disturbed me and I decided to do something for such people. Women are being treated like cattle. I’m a woman too, so how can I not do something for them,” Ektaa said, adding that her research for her TV serial Bairi Piya had shocked her.

“Girls are also being mortgaged on stamp paper. The deed says the girl will be with a person for so much time and the farmer would get so much money. This is like prostitution and no one is doing anything about it. We realise that the government has done a lot for farmers in debt but there are certain villages where help hasn’t quite reached — we want to work in those areas,” she adds.

The charity drive will take off from Vidarbha and travel to various cities across the country. “I’ve realised that taking up a social issue is served by just doing a show on it. I have to take my mission to the grassroots to actually help them. The logistics of this drive are being worked out and we might team up with government officials and other people working in these areas.”