Cinema Industry Does its Bit for U’khand

New Delhi, July 19, 2013: Theatre-turned-film actor Deepak Dobriyal was in the Capital on Thursday to talk about his upcoming cinematic venture but his mind was in the devastated State of Uttarakhand.

Hailing from Pauri Garhwal, Deepak says while the media has been concentrating extensively on pilgrimage-centres of Kedarnath and Badrinath, it has not portrayed the colossal damage to Pithoragarh.

“We are not from the corporate world, which can generate a bagful of green notes in a jiffy. But as artistes, who are sensitive to what is going on around us, we decided to chip in. We approached actors, film-makers and even technicians from the film industry. I helped film-maker Bala Negi in generating funds for the noble cause. People are big-hearted in our film industry and even though they live in the tinsel town they realise the gravity of the situation. They are aware that in Uttarakhand local people, especially senior citizens, women and children, are crying for attention.”

Instead of handing over the money to a non-government organisation, the actor says money was handed over personally to the affected population.

Honest enough to concede that the money generated was not sufficient to help in reconstruction of the region, Deepak says money was distributed equitably so that food packets, drinking water and clothing could be purchased by those whose homes and property have been ravaged.

Source: The Hindu, DT. July 19, 2013.