Akshay Kumar, Taapsee Pannu, Shilpa Shetty, other stars to join hands for musical campaign supported by UN

Akshay Kumar, Taapsee Pannu and Rajkummar Rao

Overdue as it may be, there has been an increased dialogue about environmental conservation over the past few years. mid-day has learnt that Bollywood stars have joined forces to drive the message home on World Environment Day that will be celebrated on June 5. Akshay Kumar, Taapsee Pannu, Rajkummar Rao, Bhumi Pednekar, Shilpa Shetty Kundra and Arjun Kapoor have come together for a musical campaign, titled Dharti Ka Dil, which is supported by the United Nations and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

Environmentalist and green crusader Asif Bhamla, who has coordinated the initiative through Bhamla Foundation, reveals that the campaign is two-fold, consisting of a music video, and sound and song bytes of celebrities. "We have previously been felicitated by the UN for our Tik Tik Plastic campaign. Since their theme is ecosystem restoration this year, the music video focuses on how we need to rejuvenate the planet, the way our forefathers did for us," he says of the video that is expected to release before June 5.

Sachin Tendulkar is part of the campaign. Pic/PTI

While Kumar leads the single from the front, it has been composed by Shaan, with Swanand Kirkire taking over the song-writing duties. Singers B Praak, Adnan Sami, Shankar Mahadevan, Palak Muchhal and others have lent their voice as well as featured in the track. Explaining the decision to rope in film personalities, Bhamla reasons, "Bollywood celebrities are role models. Arjun, Taapsee, Bhumi, Rajkummar, Shilpa and Sonu Sood are part of the song bytes. We also have leaders from other walks of life, including Sachin Tendulkar, Manish Malhotra, and Faye D'Souza, as well as senior heads of the United Nation Environment Programme [UNEP]." The environmentalist is grateful that the stars have thrown their weight behind the idea, despite their busy schedules. "It was a challenge to create the song and organise sound bytes during the lockdown." He adds that of all the entries that have come from other countries, the UNEP has chosen to unveil the India teaser on social media by May 31.

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