MOVIES, FASHION & LIFESTYLE

Thought Leaders & Celebrities Throng Raell Padamsee’s Rise Up for Equality Women’s Festival at Royal Opera House

Ace theatrician Raell Padamsee, under her braindchild, The Create Foundation, celebrating its 20th anniversary, curated the ‘Rise Up for Equality’ Women’s Festival at the Royal Opera House, Mumbai. With the increasing crimes against women and children, the aim of this festival is to make Maharashtra the safest place for women and children. To that end, Raell Padamsee has also associated with the Mumbai Police, Maharashtra Government and Judiciary in the initiative.

Together with the Royal Opera House and Avid Learning, supported by the IMC Ladies Wing, presented by The Create Foundation and Bajaj Group, ‘Rise Up for Equality’ witnesses two plays ‘Bitter Chocolate’ and ‘Untitled’, both starring the internationally acclaimed actress Lushin Dubey. While ‘Bitter Chocolate’, based on Pinki Virani’s eponymous best-seller, is a poignant solo piece portraying child sexual abuse in India and its impact on young minds, ‘Untitled’ is inspired by the eminent writer Vijaydan Detha’s ‘Nyari Nyari Maryada’ and Nobel-Laureate Dari Fo’s ‘Medea’. Both the plays are directed by Arvind Gaur.

In attendance at the do were Satyanarayan Chaudhary – Joint Commissioner of Police, Greater Mumbai, Justice Neela Gokhale, Justice Revati Mohite Dere, Justice Sadhana Sanjay Jadhav, actors Kunaal Roy Kapur and Makrand Deshpande, Raell Padamsee, Lushin Dubey, Laljee, Niraj Bajaj, Minal Bajaj, Nandita Puri, Arvind Gaur, Anupama Verma, Uma Da Cunha, Kailash Surendranath, Aarti Surendranath, Poonam Soni, Roger Pereira among others.

Raell Padamsee, who believes that nothing will change until women themselves decide to take their destiny into their own hands, imparted, “Only when we work together can we make Maharashtra the safest state for children and women. We are here to help the police and judiciary to, first, disseminate information that is already available; and secondly, in the implementation and amplification of the different schemes, laws, and facilities available, which address issues for safety of children and women.”

In his speech, Satyanarayan Chaudhary – the Joint Commissioner of Police, Greater Mumbai, assured that the entire Mumbai Police force is fully committed towards the safety of women, children and senior citizens. He also threw light on the various facilities that the Mumbai Police offers for the protection of women and children, and insisted that we use these facilities when in need.

‘Rise Up for Equality’ festival is on at the Royal Opera House till 25th August, 2023.