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Mick Jagger and Will Smith will be among dozens of international and Indian celebrities performing from their homes at a four-hour concert to raise funds for the battle against the coronavirus in India, where the number of cases is increasing.
The country’s cricket captain Virat Kohli, actors Priyanka Chopra and Shah Rukh Khan are some of the top national names billed to perform or read messages during Sunday’s event.
The presentations will be broadcast live on Facebook and will pay tribute to workers fighting the pandemic.
Organized by Bollywood directors Karan Johar and Zoya Akhtar, the event aims to raise millions of dollars for more than 100 groups that provide food and other essential services during the crisis.
The concert organizers said the money was necessary “for those who have no job or home and don’t know where their next meal will come from.”
India’s 1.3 billion people have been locked up since March 25. The restrictions have recently been eased, but are expected to last until at least May 17.
The closure has left millions of migrant workers in cities with little food or money. Special trains were organized on Saturday to help thousands of workers finally return home.
The government has announced a series of special activities to gather support for front-line workers. The Indian air force will organize an air liftoff on Sunday and military helicopters will drop petals at hospitals serving patients with coronavirus. Warships will also have a special display.
Other participants in the concert, called I For India, are reported to include Bryan Adams, Mindy Kaling, Jack Black, and Indian stars AR Rahman and Akshay Kumar.
