This Raksha Bandhan (Aug 29, 2015) take a pledge to give a new meaning to ‘Rakhi’ as ‘Star Plus presents Girl Rising –Woh Padhegi, Woh Udegi’ a ground-breaking film by Academy Award nominee Richard E. Robbins that will inspire a billion imaginations to empower girls.

On Aug 29, Star Plus will, for the first time in India, telecast Girl Rising, Woh Padhegi, Woh Udegi - a 2013 film that narrates the stories of eight girls across - from Afghanistan, Egypt, Ethiopia, Haiti, India, Nepal, Peru and Sierra Leone – and their fight to overcome impossible odds to realize their dreams.

The Hindi version of the two-hour film features leading actors like Priyanka Chopra, Freida Pinto, Nandita Das, Madhuri Dixit, Sushmita Sen, Alia Bhatt, Parineeti Chopra and Kareena Kapoor and voice narration by the legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan. Both Priyanka and Freida are also producers and ambassadors for Girl Rising. The film will be telecast on Star Plus and will also be available in both Hindi and English on hotstar, Star India’s popular digital platform, at 1.30 pm on Aug 29, 2015.

Uday Shankar, Star India CEO, said: “Star Plus has constantly worked to redefine the role of Television as an agent of social change. Our aspirational content has especially resonated with the women of this country and has influenced their changing role in society. On this Raksha Bandhan, Star Plus will be presenting Girl Rising – Woh Padegi, Woh Udegi, a ground-breaking film designed to inspire a billion imaginations. We believe that the happiness of a nation depends on how we treat our daughters.”  

‘Star Plus presents Girl Rising – Woh Padegi, Woh Udegi’ is Star India’s endeavor to inspire the nation on Raksha Bandhan and empower girls. Star India will be appealing to people to empower the nation's girls by increasing public attention, raising awareness, and engagement and eliminating gender disparity.

Maneka Gandhi, Union Minister of Women and Child Development, said: “I am very happy about the collaboration between the ministry’s ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ campaign and Girl Rising. The child sex ratio in India is a matter of concern for all of us. Time has come to initiate more interventions and consolidate our efforts to secure the future of our girls. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji has chosen the auspicious occasion of Raksha Bandhan to broadcast the film asking families to not only protect the daughters but to also promote their education”

Priyanka Chopra, Girl Rising Producer and Ambassador, said: “Woh Padegi, Woh Udegi… it’s what I’ve truly believed in and it’s a motto shared by every one of the amazing women who have joined me on this journey for Girl Rising. We’ve all come together to narrate real life stories that highlight the amazing, positive impact that education can have on young girls. We believe that storytelling is a powerful way to inspire people and also to empower them to take action. I’m grateful to the Star TV Network for joining hands with us to take this film and its important messages into millions of homes across the country. We are also very humbled and thankful to have the support of the Honorable Prime Minister and the remarkable Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign.  Together, I know we can all make a difference in getting closer to our objective of ensuring that all girls get through secondary school. Every girl has the right to education and the more girls we educate the more our country stands to gain.”

Freida Pinto, Girl Rising Producer and Ambassador, said: “There couldn't be a more appropriate day to bring to every Indian a movement that is so crucial in changing the way we perceive the role of girls and raise our boys in our country. As a producer of Girl Rising India, I was very honoured to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June to talk about Girl Rising and he not only embraced the idea but also suggested that we launch it on Raksha Bandhan. We are very pleased to have join hands with the Prime Minister, Ministry of Women and Child Development and their formidable Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign and the socially conscious television giants Star.”

Ambassador Alfonso E. Lenhardt, Acting Administrator, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) said: “Every day, girls are changing the world. An educated girl has a positive ripple effect on her health, family, community and society as a whole. That is why USAID is committed to girl's education in India and around the world. This exciting partnership reflects a new model for development--a powerful collaboration of governments, the private sector, civil society and media lending their voices, talents and resources to promote a more inclusive and prosperous India by educating and empowering girls.”

The film is the centerpiece of Girl Rising’s national campaign for girls’ education and empowerment that uses the power of storytelling to raise awareness and ignite people to take action. The campaign is powered through partnerships that include USAID, HP, Intel, Star TV, and Ministry of Women and Child Development’s Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Abhiyan. To find out more, go to www.girlrising.in.