JOIN USCampaign boosts radical choices
The radio network 92.7 BIG FM has launched an evolutionary campaign, #IAmNotSorry, that aims at breaking barriers and accepting people who are different. It also wants to encourage people who not afraid or apologetic of their choices.
Bengaluru RJs Shruti, Rohitt and Divyashree are the ones spearheading this campaign. Metrolife caught up with them to know more about RJ Divyashree feels the campaign is an inspiring and thought-provoking one. “It gave people an opportunity to voice their opinions against social stereotypes. We hope it inspires and encourages more people to say #IAmNotSorry and see the world from a completely different perspective.”
RJ Shruti adds, “Even simple stereotypes, like pink is for girls and blue for boys, need to be broken. Initially, the campaign was just a fun thing for the listeners. Later on, it started picking up momentum; a lot of the stories I heard (like that of a woman who said she is not sorry she didn’t wear a mangalsutra or a toe ring even though she is married) were straight from the heart.
When we asked the Rjs about their own stories and the stories from the callers they liked the most, this is what they had to say.
RJ Divyashree
“I am not sorry about the way I choose to dress. I often have people tell me to dress up in a more modern way. But this is how I am. I am comfortable wearing kurtis and not jeans.”
“My favourite story is of Ramesh from Yeshwanthur. He said he was not sorry about the bold steps he took to lead a happy life with the girl he loved. She was from a different religion. In order to get married, either of them had to change their religion. Deviating from the normal practice, Ramesh converted and not the other way around.”
RJ Shruti
“People always think that I look like a typical traditional woman, but I wear skirts and shorts and sport tattoos. I am not sorry that I choose to dress up and look like this.”
“I recently got a call from a person named Gaurav who told me about the need to break the stereotypes of boys watching only action movies. He said he liked watching mushy movies and he was not ashamed that he cried while watching these. He said it makes a person feel stronger about his emotions and he is not sorry for choosing to watch such movies.
RJ Rohitt
“We do a lot of things in our daily life to impress the people around us. One such example is drinking and smoking when we are with our peers.”
I am not sorry that I have not done these things, even when people called me ‘uncool’.” “The story of a listener named Avinash was the one I loved the most. He lives with his brother and his parents. He also takes care of his in-laws, who don’t have a son, in their old age. This is something he’s not sorry about.”
Celebrities show support, share stories
Celebrities such as Ayushmann Khurrana, Shankar Mahadevan, Sonu Nigam, Nargis Fakri and Sunny Leone have supported the campaign by sharing their own ‘I Am Not Sorry’ Stories.
Actor Ayushmann Khurrana said he was not sorry for doing movies on taboo subjects. “I am not sorry for choosing ‘Vicky Donor’ and ‘Dum Laga Ke Haisha’ because their subjects became a drawing room for discussions. I have sometimes rejected roles that were too commercial and I am glad my films, and my decisions, are working.”
Actor Sonu Sood said, “There is a place in Juhu where a lot of garbage used to pile up; it was a nuisance but people had no clue how to clean it up. I started a cleanliness drive there and also reached out to the BMC officials and requested them to support the drive. The area is clean now. I am not sorry to pick up garbage to keep my city clean.”
Actress Sunny Leone said, “I am not sorry for anything that I have done in my life and I am proud of myself. I believe, whatever you do, you should do it from your heart.”
These videos got a lot of positive reponses from on-air and digital audiences. The campaign was trending on number four on Twitter after its launch.