Aamir Khan is the Galsworthy of India for promoting social awareness

30 June, 2012

Aamir Khan's Satyamev Jayate is a great exposure on the TV screen of India's social evils. The reality show is having a strong impact on the minds of the people as well as on the government - both at the state and the Centre. Aamir is doing an admirable job.

GALSWORHTY'S DRAMA Justice inspired Winston Churchill to amend the laws of England on solitary confinement. Churchill was Galsworth’s personal friend. Aamir Khan’s struggle is more tough. In his Satyamev Jayate program, he is doing the job of awaking social awareness on various controversial issues in an excellent way. Aamir Khan is thought-provoking in his films. That he has become so loud in a straightforward way about any cause on the TV screen gives Satyamev Jayate its new edge.

In the first episode of Satyamev Jayate the focus was on female foeticide, and millions of viewers watched the show. The show has had a strong impact on various state governments. In Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan severe action has been taken against the offenders. Other states are also more alert.

In the second successful episode of Satyamev Jayate, he focused on child sexual abuse. 53% kids are sexually abused in India and child sexual abuse is rampant. The facts exhibited by Aamir send shivers down our spines. He highlighted the horrible experiences of Cinderella Prakash. He laid bare the horrific tale of many such child abuses by relatives. The second episode also had a strong impact and the Lok Sabha has come forward to pass the Anti-Child Abuse bill.

In the third episode of Satyamev Jayate, Aamir listens to Komal's horrific story of humiliation torture. Aamir focuses on the evils of dowry by presenting many examples from many states. He also shows pictures of simple marriages without pomp and show to give a positive message.

But the fourth episode of Satyamev Jayate dealt with medical malpractices. The episode was liked by million of viewers. The anger against the culprit doctors reached such an extent that even Medical Association felt it imperative to come to the defense of the medical practitioners. Thousands of people were on Twitter about the episode reminding us of the first phase of the Anna Hazare movement against corruption and the defective Lok Pal Bill. It is heartening to note that in the state general hospitals public health facilities will be available free of cost within a short time. The impact of this episode is so strong that even the government had to adopt some measures.

After the big response from the people to the first part of Satyamev Jayate, Aamir Khan is back with the second part but this time with the sponsorship of the Women and Child Development (WCD) ministry which is trying to fight out Child Malnutrition. India is ranked 2nd in the world of the number of children suffering from malnutrition, after Bangladesh where 47% of the children are victims of malnutrition. The campaign against malnutrition will use in its whole for reaching out to the masses. It will be a three-layer campaign with the first explaining nutrition itself, the second and third conveying messages for prevention of malnutrition. Aamir is doing a yeoman’s service to the nation.