From Akshay Kumar, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan to Pawan Kalyan, heres how film celebrities have stepped up to fight COVID-19 pandemic

6 Apr 2020

With a million people having tested positive for Coronavirus and over 60,000 people dead across the world, mankind is getting together to fight this virus. The first case of Coronavirus was confirmed in India in the last week of January. However, it was only a few weeks later, it hit India once again and the cases have since been on the rise. To break the chain of the virus, PM Narendra Modi announced a nationwide lockdown for three weeks that commenced on March 25. The lockdown had a huge economic impact on several sectors especially the daily wage workers. Narendra Modi announced the PM-CARES Fund and requested people to donate to fight the virus. Soon celebrities from the Indian Film industry started making generous donations to help India fight the virus. Heres looking at the contributions made by film celebrities from across India in this time of crisis. (NOTE: The list is in no particular order of preference. Every contribution is a positive step in the right direction.) BOLLYWOOD Akshay Kumar Akshay Kumar was the first Bollywood actor to make a massive contribution to the PM-CARES Fund. The actor took to his social media to announce that he has made a contribution of Rs. 25 crores from his personal savings. Apart from that, Akshay Kumar who enjoys a massive fan following has been making use of his social media platform to reach out to people urging them to stay at home and practice social distancing to break the chain of the virus. Salman Khan Salman Khan is known to be a silent giver. The actor who runs the Being Human Foundation has always been at the forefront to help people in need. When the lockdown was imposed, it directly affected the livelihood of daily wage cine workers. Salman Khan came out in support of 25,000 workers and their families and has been funding for all their essential needs. Federation of Western Indian Cine Employees confirmed the same and said that Salman was the first member from the industry to approach them to provide financial assistance to the members who are facing very tough times due to the lockdown. Salman's father Salim Khan also revealed that the family is looking after the meals of people in their building and his security guards. A member of the film Radhe had also revealed that despite the shoots coming to a halt, Salman Khan has paid the salaries of all the members in advance. Shah Rukh Khan Shah Rukh Khans group of companies, Kolkata Knight Riders, Red Chillies Entertainment, Meer Foundation and Red Chillies VFX announced several initiatives to support the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Ministers Arvind Kejriwal and Uddhav Thackeray in its COVID-19 fight. Apart from contributing to PM-CARES and Maharashtra CM Relief Fund, the actor through various foundations, is working towards providing essential items to people in need and 50,000 PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) kits to the healthcare sector. Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan have also given BMC their four-storey office building to expand quarantine space. Amitabh Bachchan Amitabh Bachchan has pledged a monthly ration to support 1,00,000 households of daily wage workers belonging to the All India Film Employees Confederation amid the Coronavirus pandemic. The initiative will be supported by Sony Pictures Networks India and Kalyan Jewellers. Hrithik Roshan Hrithik Roshan marked his contribution by providing the Government of Maharashtra with a generous amount, which a highly placed source revealed to be Rs. 20 lakhs, to procure preventive masks and other requirements for them. Vicky Kaushal The actor who has been winning hearts and National Award for his performance has pledged to donate Rs. 1 crore to the PM-CARES Fund and Maharashtra CM Relief Fund. Kartik Aaryan The actor who has been enjoying a massive fan following in the past one year donated Rs. 1 crore to the PM-CARES Fund. While announcing his contribution, the actor wrote, Whatever I am, whatever money Ive earned, is only because of the people of India. Kangana Ranaut Kangana has contributed Rs. 25 lakhs to PM CARES and donated ration to daily wage earners families. Rohit Shetty and Ajay Devgn Rohit Shetty, who is known for his philanthropy, has made a donation of Rs. 51 lakhs towards FWICE (Federation of Western India Cine Employees) for the welfare of the daily wager. Meanwhile, Ajay Devgn has also contributed an amount of Rs. 51 lakhs towards FWICE. Arjun Kapoor Actor Arjun Kapoor has also done his bit by making generous contributions towards the PM-CARES Fund, Maharashtra Chief Minister's Relief Fund, Give India, The Wishing Factory, and Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE). Varun Dhawan The actor who is popular among the youth has been appealing to people to stay at home and abide by the rules to break the chain. He even made a rap song highlighting the importance of staying at home and maintaining personal hygiene. Apart from this, the actor has done his bit by contributing Rs. 30 lakhs to the PM-CARES FUND and Rs. 25 lakhs to Maharashtra CM Fund. Rakul Preet Singh Rakul Preet Singh has decided to help over 200 -250 families living in a slum close to her Gurgaon home. Her family will be preparing and sending home-cooked food to these families. They are currently sending two meals a day and will continue even if the lockdown period extends. Kapil Sharma Actor and comedian Kapil Sharma stood up for the nation and donated a sum of Rs 50 lakhs to the PM-CARES Fund. Bhushan Kumar Bhushan Kumar, the head honcho of T-Series which has been behind several hit Bollywood films and music, donated Rs. 11 crores to the PM-CARES Fund and Rs. 1 crore to Maharashtra CM Relief Fund. Yash Raj Films YRF is reaching out to thousands of daily wage earners of the industry and their families who are in critical need of support and has already collected details of their bank accounts. The Yash Chopra Foundation will be crediting the donation directly into the banks of these people. In Phase 1 of the support, YRF will be paying out Rs. 1.5 crores to these workers and their families. Ekta Kapoor Balaji Telefilm owner Ekta Kapoor has decided to forsake her one year salary to help ease the financial stress on her co-workers. While announcing the same, Ekta took to social media and wrote, It is my first & foremost responsibility to take care of the various freelancers & daily wage workers who work at Balaji Telefilms & who are going to suffer immense losses due to shootings in the current scenario and uncertainty over the indefinite period to follow. I would thus forsake my one year salary that is Rs. 2.5 crores at Balaji Telefilms so that my co-workers don't have to take a hit during this period of crisis and complete lockdown. Randeep Hooda and Jay Patel The actor and entrepreneur did their bit by pledging a donation of Rs. 1 crore to the PM-CARES Fund. Diljit Dosanjh The actor-singer, who believes that our priority should be to help our country get through this tough time, pledged an amount of Rs. 20 lakhs to PM-CARES Fund. THE POWER COUPLES Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Nick Jonas Priyanka and Nick will be donating $100,000 in total to women who are rising above everything during this crisis. Priyanka took to her social media handle and asked people to share stories of women that need to be told and heard. The couple also donated to several charities including PM-CARES Fund, Unicef, Feeding America, and Goonj among many others to fight the coronavirus. Ayushmann Khurrana and Tahira Kashyap The couple has for years supported a non-profit organization in Delhi, Gulmeher - a women's collective of waste-pickers turned artisans. Such lower income groups have been really hit hard economically with the all India lockdown during the COVID-19 crisis and Ayushmann and Tahira have come forward to support them financially. Gulmeher works with about 200 women ragpickers and this contribution will help them look after themselves and their families. Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma Virat and Anush