Documentary on Hollywood actor Ashley Judd's HIV mission in India

New Delhi, Mar 21 (UNI) Renowned Hollywood actor Ashley Judd's mission to understand issues surrounding HIV in India and trying to bring about a positive change in attitudes, with help from Bollywood stars Sushmita Sen, Akshay Kumar and Shahrukh Khan, is the subject of a new television documentary.

A documentary film on Ashley Judd's current trip to India, aimed at raising funds for a care and nutrition programme for women who are HIV positive, is to be aired on the National Geographic Channel.

Being produced by Delhi-based media company Miditech, the documentary, which seeks to capture Ashley Judd's efforts to raise AIDS awareness in India, in her role as Brand Ambassador to Population Services International - an international non-profit working in the area of HIV - will premiere on NGC on World Aids Day, December 1.

The film follows Ashley as she embarks on the HIV trail in India to see how this deadly disease spreads from Mumbai to other places across the country. She is joined by Bollywood stars Sushmita Sen and Akshay Kumar who hope to create some kind of positive change.

Shahrukh Khan who also appears in the film invited Ashley to his film set and promised to help in the fight against AIDS.

While Ashley and Sushmita interact with sex workers in Kamathipura, Akshay connects with the truck drivers in Jaipur to understand the real state of the disease and its victims in India.

As they interact with high risk groups, and other people whose life has been changed by HIV, the film will explore the rapid spread of AIDS in India and complex concerns like stigma, sexuality and behaviour patterns that surround this issue.

The filming was done under difficult conditions.

''Everyone we met and interacted with for this film, had a heart wrenching story to tell. I was amazed at their genuine warmth and understanding despite their difficult circumstances that aptly showed during the filming. Ashley had a beautiful connection with everyone she met. Sushmita too struck a chord with the sex workers who were touched that a Bollywood star had taken time out to meet hem,''Director Chandramouli Basu says.

Dana Ward, Operations Director, PSI says,''women in India are increasingly at risk from HIV/AIDS from their partners who indulge in sex with commercial sex workers while living with their wives.

This puts women and the entire family at a great risk. Thus, empowerment of women is essential to prevent the disease from spreading into the general population and to prevent the stigma associated with it.

The film is about empowerment of women and HIV/AIDS and we are grateful that Ashley, Sushmita and Akshay have agreed to be a part of this film. We are positive that this will help us to communicate the message we want to.'' This film will be telecast on all the National Geographic channels around the globe, Vice-President Programming, NGC India, Joy Bhattacharjya said.

During her ongoing trip to India, Ashley Judd hopes to raise funds for a care and nutrition program for women who are HIV positive.

UNI