Bollywood’s youngest superstars Parineeti Chopra and Sushant Singh  Rajput joined the already stellar line-up as tickets went on sale for the Charity concert being held at the Indira Gandhi Indoor stadium in Delhi for the flood victims of Kashmir and Assam.  The entertainment industry led by the Event and Entertainment Management Association (EEMA), the Film and Television Producers Guild and the global media conglomerate Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd.(ZEE) has initiated a fund-raiser campaign, "HUM HAIN… Umeed-e-Kashmir" to raise funds and awareness for flood-stricken Kashmir. The recent floods in Jammu & Kashmir and Assam have devastated and unhinged the lives of many leaving many casualties and loss of homes, property and livelihoods in its wake.

HUM HAIN... Umeed-e-Kashmir will invite donations to its philanthropy partner, United Way of India and along with their team of professionals strive to work alongside several NGOs, Government bodies, celebrities and civilians to give the cause a unified voice. The concert will include a list of celebrity performers who will appeal and urge viewers to donate to key NGOs and specified Disaster Relief Funds in support of the flood relief projects. 

On 18^th October, HUM HAIN… Ummeed-e-Kashmir is being hosted at the Indira Gandhi Indoor stadium in Delhi and features a veritable who’s who: Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Vishal Bhardwaj, Farhan Akhtar, Ranbir Kapoor, Sharmila Tagore, Gulzar, Sonu Nigam, Shaan, Sukhwinder Singh, Rekha Bhardwaj, Shantanu Moitra, Anupam Kher, Imtiaz Ali, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Mukesh Bhatt, Swanand Kirkire,  Zaheer Khan, Neha Dhupia,  Aditi Rao Hydari, Javed Ali, Neeti Mohan, Monali Thakur, Bhoomi Trivedi  and more celebrities will continue to join as performers, as the build-up to the event begins. Tickets for the event and all proceeds, which will go to the charity United Way, are available on Bookmyshow.com and other outlets across the Delhi NCR region.

The televised SIMULCAST on ZEE’s 38 channels is the highlight in reaching out to the largest audience base in India. This is for the first time that the inventory of all of ZEE’s 38 channels will be given for free to support the cause. This is the also first time that such a partnership is being achieved where the sponsors on ZEE are directly paying the NGO to pledge their support.

Ten News channels of ZEE Media Corporation Ltd (ZMCL) will come together to connect the multiple events being held simultaneously across the country and do follow-up reports on the outcome of all donations. India will be one as the event management industry in Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Jaipur, and Kolkata will feature their respective film and entertainment industries. Zee’s anchors and its vast network will connect the cities and performers LIVE from 3 pm onwards on 18th October. 

A total of 35 Zee channels will SIMULCAST this initiative on Sunday 26^th October. Also, Zee Marathi, Zee Kannada and Zee Telegu will air the event on 2 November. The promotion of the event has started across channels of ZEE from 2nd October. Viewers can donate from INR 1 to any amount of their choice. ZEE TV’s star-studded reality show Dil Se Naachein Indiawaale has numerous appeals being made by Shah Rukh Khan, Farah Khan, Deepika Padukone, Boman Irani, Sonu Sood and Vivaan Shah to support the cause from 11^th October and will continue till 9 November. All contributions will be made through www.zeetv.com/humhai.

The campaign’s uniqueness is the creation of simultaneous live events on-ground across 7 cities on 18th October with the main event at the Indira Gandhi Stadium in New Delhi and simultaneous events are being held in Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Jaipur.  The spread of events across the country will help demonstrate that India cares.

Punit Goenka, MD & CEO, ZEE saying “As a nation, we have always treasured Kashmir the most, our precious crown that it has always been. In such a calamity, it is nothing less than a moral responsibility of every citizen and corporate in India to step forward and extend the best possible support towards the relief. As a global media company, with a wide bouquet of multiple channels across the nation, and a strong connect with over 730 million viewers, ZEE aims at offering a dual support to this initiative. Firstly, through the advertisement revenues generated from the broadcast, which would be entirely donated to the relief work, and secondly by offering a nationwide reach to the event. Committed to ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, which we espouse as our brand positioning, it is ZEE’s responsibility to step forward and work for its Family, of which the people of Kashmir are an integral part.”  

Sabbas Joseph, President of Event and Entertainment Management Association said, “As we continue to plan the relief campaign, there is an optimistic energy building that we will be able to help rebuild Kashmir with a sense of solidarity that is representative by every film, music and sports icon coming together. The idea of creating multiple simultaneous live events showcases the strength, diversity and unity of our country; it also demonstrates the growing strength of the live and event management industry across the country. Bringing the country together is at the core of the initiative that we are building.”

Amitabh Bachchan speaking about the initiative said “As human beings and as Indians we need to do all that we can to help our countrymen in need. The plight of the people of Jammu & Kashmir has always been a matter of concern and the floods have only made it worse. All that we do simply won’t be enough to meet the various challenges facing the people; but every drop counts. Hence we call on everyone in our country and from the world community to come forward and provide their support.”

Mukesh Bhatt, President of the Film & TV Producers Guild said, “The land of ethereal beauty & purity is in tatters, devastated by nature’s fury. Kashmir, the embodiment of Indian culture & tradition, is crying for help from millions of fellow Indians. The Indian entertainment industry has shared a wonderful symbiotic relationship with the land of Kashmir over the years & the time has come to repay the generosity & hospitality of Kashmiris in their time of strife. The industry has forever pioneered charitable causes whenever India has been ravaged by tragedies & this time too, we would like to support our Kashmiri brethren & contribute in our own humble way to this gargantuan task of relief & rehabilitation.”Hum Hain… Umeed-e-Kashmir” will not only assemble industry forces on a common platform of compassion & nobility but more significantly appeal to the consciousness of the vast multitude of Indians to generously donate funds in our endeavor to provide some succor to the survivors in Kashmir."

Arvind Vohra, Head of India Operations, Gionee smartphones said “Gionee is honoured to partner an initiative like Hum Hain… Ummeed-e-Kashmir  which supports Kashmir and our brothers and sisters in Kashmir in this tough time . It is the hour when everyone in the country is contributing towards the rehabilitation on Jammu and Kashmir and  by getting associated with this initiative is a small part which we have been able to contribute towards this noble cause .  This is a great attempt by EEMA and The Producers Guild and we at Gionee are with them  in this initiative.”

The 35 Zee channels that will SIMULCAST this initiative on Sunday, 26^th October include Zee TV, Zee Cinema, & Pictures, Zee Classic, Zee Action, Zee Premiere, Zee Café, Zee Studio, ETC, Zing, Zindagi, Zee Tamil, Zee Talkies, Zee Bangla, Zee Bangla  Cinema, Zee Anmol, Zee Smile, Zee Salaam, Zee Jagran, ZQ, Khana Khazana, Zee TV HD, Zee Cinema HD, & Pictures HD and Zee Studio HD, Zee News, Zee Business, Zee 24 Taas, Zee 24 Ghanta, Zee MP CG, Zee Punjab, Zee Sangam, Zee Marudhara, Zee Kalina and Zee Purvaiya. Studios will also be set up in both New Delhi and Mumbai where celebrities will also send across poignant messages, performances and showcase footage films that bring alive the devastation and relief work undertaken in an effort to strengthen the appeal.

All money generated through the fund-raiser through sale of tickets, donations, sponsorships, commercial time, auctions, etc. will be given to charities that the organisers will painstakingly select.  A collection of celebrity memorabilia will also go on auction. This October, the Event and Entertainment Management Association, along with Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. and the Film and Television Producers Guild of India have come together in solidarity with the people of Kashmir and India, at large and is sending out a call-to-action. All partners associated made this announcement at the event’s hospitality partner Shangri- La’s – Eros Hotel in New Delhi tonight.

Tickets are available at bookmyshow.com and are priced at Rs 1000/-, Rs 1500/-, Rs 2500/-, Rs 5000/- and Rs 10000/-.