Kaun Kitney Paani Mein makes its Bollywood premiere

BCR NEWS (New Delhi): Kaun Kitney Paani Mein (KKPM) is a new Hindi feature film directed by Nila Madhab Panda (award-winning Director of ‘I am Kalam’) set in a hypothetical village in Odisha. The film is a satire on the issue of water scarcity set against the backdrop of a traditional Bollywood love story. The film seeks to entertain viewers but leave them thinking about the importance of water conservation long after they leave theaters. The film was produced by One Drop, an international organization in the water sector, with the generous contribution of the Royal Bank of Canada and United Technologies, as part of its unique social arts-oriented approach to behavior change with respect to water and sanitation. Radhika Apte, Kunal Kapoor, Saurabh Shukla and Gulshan Grover star in the film that is slated for an all -India release on 28 August 2015.

India has made substantial progress in ensuring access to improved sources of water supply. In rural areas, the population covered by improved water sources has increased from 64% in 1990 to 91% in 2012. Despite this progress towards universal access, 10% of the country’s rural population continues to depend upon unprotected water sources. Further, of the 1.66 million rural habitations, 26% do not have full coverage, and about 8% report chemical water quality issues.

WaterAid India is supporting the film by facilitating its non-commercial distribution in remote, rural areas to enable greater awareness around critical issues of water scarcity, especially among those living with this reality.

“We are so very pleased and proud to have our film released in theaters. What started as an idea to reach more people than ever before with our social arts approach to water has become a reality thanks to the hard work and brilliant creativity of Nila Madhab Panda, the actors, and everyone who worked on the film, said Catherine B. Bachand, CEO, ONE DROP. “I hope that everyone who sees the film is inspired towards change, because it is only in this way that we can truly resolve the critical water issue in India and beyond.”

Films in India are a brilliant medium to reach out to the masses and convey socially relevant messages. More such films should be made, which not only entertain but also educate people on the criticality of environmental and social issues. Water being one of the key focus areas of our work, we are happy to be associated with the film. On behalf of my organisation, I commend the entire crew for coming up with such a great idea and hope the film becomes a superhit!”, said Neeraj Jain, Chief Executive, WaterAid in India.

To promote the film within the water and sanitation sector, One Drop and WaterAid India organized a special premiere of the film at the Siri Fort Auditorium on 25 August 2015. All the key ministries and organizations working in the sector were invited.

“I had a great time working on this film. It’s a film which has its heart in the right place and is talking about something important to society.

It feels good to be a part of a film that is focused on such a critical issue that our country is facing currently. I believe that there is enough water for everyone, everywhere and can be made available to all if we use it judiciously. I would request everyone to watch the film and take the key message to heart: Please do not waste water. It is a finite precious resource”, said Kunal Kapoor.

Notes to Editors:

About ONE DROP: ONE DROP^TM is an international non-profit organization created by Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberté. At the core of our mission is water as a transformative force to improve living conditions, as well as give communities the ability to care for themselves and their family. We believe in the combined power of safe water for consumption and production while inspiring behavioral change towards water and proper hygiene practices by creating a lasting understanding through social arts. To do this, One Drop has developed the unique A∙B∙C for Sustainability™ intervention approach, a winning combination of strategic and operational initiatives designed to address access to safe water. To learn more, visit onedrop.org

About WaterAid: WaterAid is an international charity established in 1981. Presently, WaterAid works in 37 countries worldwide, transforming millions of lives every year with safe water, sanitation and hygiene projects. WaterAid works with local partners and influences decision-makers to maximise its impact. WaterAid began working in India in 1986. WaterAid in India has its focus on the poorer states in the country to better target India’s most vulnerable communities.