BANGALORE: Eight years ago, when actress Roopa Iyer started Namma Mane (Our home) it was with the intention of reaching out to the old and weak. Through her little efforts, she supported destitute women and old prison inmates by teaching them performing arts and life skills.
Soon, she realised that she had to start at the roots. “That’s why I shifted my focus to children,” she explains.
And with the eighth edition of Mr and Ms Sandalwood that will unfold on Sunday, children will walk hand-in-hand with models on the makeshift ramp laid out at Ambedkar Bhavan.
These children are either orphans, physically challenged or HIV positive, says Roopa who spearheads India Classical Arts that is behind the effort. “If you have a charity show, no one will be interested. Such shows have a wider reach,” explains the actress.
Last year, the show generated a huge response.
“As the children walked down the ramp, the audience was moved to tears,” she recalls. But she notes, “Lip sympathy doesn’t last. People have to make an effort. They can come out and sponsor these children.”
Roopa, who supports 120 children says that the show will have guests who are influential in the society.
“There will be union ministers. There will be families too. We want to get everyone involved,” she says.
The 20 selected models (10 men and 10 women), she says will be judged on a different platform.
“These models were asked to spend time with the children they will be walking with. The have to train these children to walk with them. The models will be sharing their experiences about their interactions. They will be judged not just on the looks, but also on social sentiments,” she explains.
“It is through such events that we can spread across the message that children have to be taken care of. I know people from middle-class and upper middle-class families who throw their newborns on the streets because they fear raising a physically challenged or an HIV positive child,” says Roopa.
Her documentary, 'Mukhaputa' that recently fetched laurels at international film festivals addresses the issue of raising a child who is HIV positive. Now she is planning on bringing out a film about the hearing impaired.
“I will be doing it in a commercial way. That way, the reach will be better,” she signs off.
Santoor Mr and Ms Sandalwood will be held at 6 PM on August 8 at Ambedkar Bhavan.