Manoj's rendezvous with Ashley Judd!

Manoj's rendezvous with Ashley Judd!

Manoj Bohra and wife Teejay Sidhu have just worked with Hollywood star Ashley Judd in a documentary on AIDS

NICOLE DASTUR

Hollywood actor Ashley Judd is facing the camera once again, this time in "high-risk areas around Mumbai city," as we're told. However, it's not an action Hollywood flick she's doing, but a documentary film on two causes extremely close to her heart — spreading awareness about HIV and AIDS and women's empowerment — along with Sushmita Sen. And TV's bad guy Manoj Bohra and his wife Teejay Sidhu are also part of
the documentary.
"We are involved with another organisation that works to spread awareness about AIDS. Population Services International (PSI), the NGO behind the documentary, approached us to be a part of the documentary through them. And we agreed," says Teejay, adding that the documentary's primary focus is on women's empowerment: what women should know about HIV and AIDS, and their right to express their opinion.
Ask about the experience of working with Ashley, and Teejay's all praises, "She is so passionate about the cause, it shows. She's extremely focussed and very professional." However, what Teejay appreciated the most was Ashley's humility. "No starry airs, no nakhras. Just work. She has immense respect for Indians and curiosity about Indian culture; she even asked about the significance of touching elders' feet. And when she mentioned that the sex workers are like sisters to her, she meant it!" Manoj adds that Ashley embodies both commitment and compassion, as far as her work is concerned.
The documentary is being shot in various brothels in the city, in Dharavi and a skit enacting how women are treated, was shot in Alankar, a cinema hall in the Kamathipura district. "Ours is a small role in the documentary. We are part of the skit in the documentary where we speak to sex workers about safe sex," says Manoj. The rest of the documentary will be shot in other parts of India.