Bollywood Stars Sushmita Sen, Gulshan Grover, Esha Deol, Rohit Shetty Declare ‘No More Fear!’ at BETI Fundraiser

Ranjit Rodricks

Sushmita Sen

MissMalini

Anu Ranjan’s NGO, BETI partnered with designers Varuna D Jani and Neeta Lulla for a celebrity fashion fundraiser aimed at generating support for the victims of rape and other atrocities against women. Aptly titled No More Fear, this charity event was held last night at JW Marriott Hotel in Mumbai. The show was directed and choreographed with perfection by Achla Sachdev, who also led a bevy models on the ramp, holding LED candles.

Gulshan Grover

The clothes for the celebrity models were designed by Neeta Lulla while the dazzling array of jewelry was by Varuna D Jani.

Varuna D. Jani, Neeta Lulla and Anu Ranjan

Sushmita Sen, the show-stopper of the evening, said she was moved by the courage of a few survivors who were present on the occasion to share their stories. She said they are fighters and should not be called victims as there is no shame in being physically attacked or violated by someone. The ones who should be ashamed are the perpetrators of such ghastly crimes.

Actor Deepak Tijori’s wife, Shivani Tijori, also recounted the horror of their personal experience when their 13 year old daughter was abducted and molested. She narrated the harrowing experience they underwent pursuing the case with the police and the judiciary and called for more sensitivity from the media, police and courts in dealing with such issues.

Achla Sachdev

Some of the celebrities who walked the ramp included Zeenat Aman, Sushmita Sen, Shriya Saran, Esha Deol, Jackky Bhagnani, Alka Yagnik, Gulshan Grover, Wardha Nadiadwala, Rohit Roy, Sameer Kochchar, Shibani Kashyap, Vaibhavi Merchant and our very own MissMalini.

Zeenat Aman

“Today, women are expected to uphold traditional values in a family or joint family and also work and earn. They have more responsibilities than ever before on multiple fronts and end up multi tasking. Despite this, why should there be female foeticide, acid attacks, dowry deaths, rape and such inhuman atrocities to women? It is time we stood up for ourselves and for women who have gone through this trauma to support them to stand on their feet to give them confidence that they are not alone to help guide them out of feeling ashamed or overcame lack of self esteem,” concluded Neeta Lulla.