MUMBAI: Y-Films, the youth films division of India’s leading movie studio Yash Raj Films, has joined hands with the Global Goals Campaign to promote the cause of gender equality in India as the United Nations launches the Global Goals for Sustainable Development.
YRF will be creating an exclusive four-part web series titled “Man’s World” for this cause in collaboration with Project Everyone, founded by British filmmaker Richard Curtis, the writer-director of iconic films such as “Four Weddings and a Funeral,” “Notting Hill” and “Love Actually.” He is also the creator of “Mr. Bean.”
On Sept. 25 at the UN, 193 world leaders will adopt the Global Goals, a series of 17 ambitious goals to end poverty, fight inequality and injustice and tackle climate change for everyone by 2030. Prime Minister Narendra Modi shall pledge the country’s commitment at the UN General Assembly in New York.
The Global Goals Campaign – with Project Everyone, Global Citizen, action/2015 and UN agency partners — aims to share these Global Goals with 7 billion people within 7 days of their announcement and has tied up with partners across the world to promote these goals in their respective countries. In India, Project Everyone chose YRF to spread awareness about gender inequality.
The international partners of Project Everyone include Aviva, Getty Images, Pearson, SAWA Global Cinema Advertising Association, Standard Chartered, Unilever, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, United Nations Foundation, UNDP and UNICEF.
Public figures and international talent supporting the campaign include Jennifer Lawrence, Ashton Kutcher, Daniel Craig, Gilberto Gil, Jennifer Lopez, Meryl Streep, Malala Yousafzai, One Direction, Sir Ken Robinson, Richard Branson, Professor Stephen Hawking, Stevie Wonder, Aamir Khan, Hrithik Roshan and A.R. Rahman, among others.
YRF has been working closely with Curtis and his team on creating this content, a one-of-its-kind four-part, original comedy series that will be launched Sept. 29 on the week of the Global Goals Campaign. The series will be available to audiences for free on Y-films’ YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/yfilms.
Filmmaker Curtis said, “The Global Goals, if met, ensure the health, safety and future of the planet for everyone on it. In particular, young people all over the world have the most crucial role to play in making sure their leaders deliver on their promises over the next 15 years. And that’s why we’re so delighted to partner with one of India’s leading film companies, Yash Raj Films, who not only understand but help beat the pulse of India’s young digital consumers.”
He goes on, “Our catchphrase is: ‘You can’t fight for your rights if you don’t know what they are.’ Yash Raj is helping to make millions of young people in India aware of their rights. We also believe that to make things happen you have to make things – and Yash Raj has made something great.”
Ashish Patil, vice president of Y-Films, Brand Partnerships and Talent Management at YRF, says, “Gender equality is not a woman’s issue, it’s a human issue, and it affects us all. And we’re thrilled to partner with the UN and Richard for our first ever web series that can get that message out there in a fun, entertaining yet meaningful manner and hopefully make an impact.”
Project Everyone is the brainchild of Curtis with the ambition to tell everyone in the world about the Global Goals, so they are best achieved. The project’s founding partners include Aviva, Getty Images, Pearson, SAWA Global Cinema Advertising Association, Standard Chartered, Unilever and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
All over the world, the project is being supported by hundreds of television, radio, poster and digital companies, mobile phone and broadband providers, NGO organizations from all sectors, businesses, sports clubs, film and television production companies, record labels, events, magazines and retailers, all of whom have agreed to carry the goals to their fans, customers and users to help them become known all over the world.