Facebook has collaborated with some of the biggest names in Indian entertainment to organise ‘I For India, a home-to-home fundraiser concert. According to a statement, all the proceeds from the concert will go to the India COVID-19 Response Fund managed by GiveIndia (giveindia.org), to support on-ground relief efforts.
The line-up includes leading music composers, lyricists and singers from cinema and classical realm — AR Rahman, Ajay-Atul, Amaan and Ayaan Ali Bangash, Ayushmann Khurrana, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Ankur Tewari, Anoushka Shankar, Arijit Singh, Badshah, Bryan Adams, Divine, Farhan Akhtar and band, Gulzar, Hariharan, Javed Akhtar, Mick Jagger, Nick Jonas, Papon, Rekha Bhardwaj, Shankar Ehsaan Loy, Shreya Ghoshal, Shruti Haasan, Sonu Nigam, Sunidhi Chauhan, The Shillong Chamber Choir and Ustad Zakir Hussain.
The four-hour long concert will also feature Aamir Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Alia Bhatt, Anil Kapoor, Anushka Sharma, Dulquer Salmaan, Farah Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Karan Johar, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Katrina Kaif, Kiran Rao, Madhuri Dixit, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Rana Daggubati, Rani Mukherji, Ranveer Singh, Saif Ali Khan, Shabana Azmi, Shah Rukh Khan, Tiger Shroff, Varun Dhawan, Vicky Kaushal, Vidya Balan, Vishal Bhardwaj and Zoya Akhtar, among other names.
Bryan Adams, Lilly Singh, Mindy Kaling, Russel Peters, Sophie Turner and Will Smith are also part of the line-up, along with sports personalities Rohit Sharma, Sania Mirza and Virat Kohli.
GiveIndia is associated with over 100 NGOs working on-ground to support the required interventions with prevention, healthcare infrastructure, livelihood support and essentials for people in need.
The objective of the concert is to entertain those locked down in their homes, to pay tribute to those who are working on the frontlines, and to raise funds for those who are in need.
Speaking about the COVID-19 lockdown situation, Shabana Azmi said in a statement, “It’s time we realised how interdependent we are on each other. Irrespective of caste, class, gender, religion or country. It’s time for introspection. It’s time to shed our prejudices, it’s time to come together in kinship and harmony.”
Katrina Kaif appealed to viewers to donate, stating, “There are 1000s of frontliners and emergency workers who are putting their lives on the line every day in the fight against COVID-19. Every rupee we collect today will help protect these heroes better.”
The concert will be live globally on Facebook (facebook.com/Facebookindiaapp) on Sunday, May 3, 7.30p.m. onwards. Viewers will be able to donate using the donate button next to the video.