Madhya Pradesh govt ropes in Bollywood actors to promote staying indoor amid coronavirus lockdown

In a bid to deter people from stepping out during the COVID-19 lockdown, the Madhya Pradesh government roped in Bollywood actors Ashutosh Rana and Rajpal Yadav to appeal to people, an official said on Wednesday.

The Bollywood artistes took to the streets of Kotwali area in Jabalpur on Tuesday, asking people to remain indoors to stem the spread of coronavirus, an officer from the state's public relations department said.

"People peeped out of the windows of their homes to catch a glimpse of the two actors, who urged them to practice social distancing whenever they stepped out," he said.

Rana, who was born in Narsinghpur district, has won the Filmfare Award for his films 'Dushman' and 'Sangharsh', while Yadav has a host of strong performances under his belt, and is known for his comic roles.

For latest updates and live news on coronavirus, click here

The actors distributed masks and sanitisers to policemen who were manning the streets, the official said.

The duo praised police personnel for their dedication and honesty in performing their duty in these unprecedented times, he said.

The actors were in Madhya Pradesh to meet their spiritual guru Pandit Dev Prabhakar Shastri, popularly known as Daddaji in the neighbouring Katni district.

At least 27 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Jabalpur, of which six have recovered from the infection.