TV show aims to curb domestic violence

"Dil se di dua.Saubhagyavati Bhava?", a TV show which seeks to highlight the plight of women who face domestic abuse, has tied-up with an NGO to encourage men to curb the social evil.

The show, which airs on Life OK, has joined hands with Breakthrough, a human rights organisation, which uses the power of popular culture, leadership training and community education to transform public attitudes.

"Dil se di dua.Saubhagyavati Bhava?" is the story of Jhanvi, a newly-wed middle-class housemaker. Her husband Viraj suffers from Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD) and the character is both -- abusive and charming at once, leaving Jhanvi physically, mentally and emotionally tortured.

To get the message across beyond the small screen, and to help alleviate the pain of women suffering this torture in everday life, the channel has come together with Breakthrough's Bell Bajao initiative.

The campaign encourages men to be catalysts in bringing down cases of domestic violence.

"Domestic violence is a persisting problem in our society, and it's only through such powerful initiatives can we try and change this. The tie-up is symbiotic, and we hope to reach out to our viewers, including men, to help us in bringing about this change in society," Ajit Thakur, general manager of Life OK, said in a press statement.

As part of this tie-up, awareness camps will be hosted to educate people about domestic violence and its impact on society.

In addition, the channel will use the NGO's resources to train people from diverse backgrounds to convey knowledge, share ideas and to reshape individuals.

The footprint of this initiative is spread across seven districts in Uttar Pradesh and five districts in Delhi and Karnataka.

"For us human rights must live in every home so that women enjoy equality and freedom," said Sonali Khan, vice president, Breakthrough India.

"Dil se di dua.Saubhagyavati Bhava?" is entering people's homes and raising the issue of domestic violence and is trying to shake people out of their inertia. We believe that this partnership with Life OK will help spread 'Bell Bajao's' message to a large audience. I am sure that this serial will get people to think and hopefully act to stop violence," added Khan.