MUMBAI: India is finally waking up to the conversation on heinous crimes of sexual assault against women. 

Amitabh Bachchan in Star Plus’s latest campaign on ‘Victim Shaming’ urges families, authority figures and citizens to reflect upon the need to break the tolerance towards how victims of sexual assault are treated. Society has failed these victims by stripping them off their dignity through incessant interrogation about the horrific incident by authority figures and merciless character assassinations shaming her instead of the perpetrators. In a Public Service Awareness Initiative by Star Plus, Amitabh Bachchan questions these culprits of the character assassination with one pertinent question “Who’s fault is it?”. The campaign advocates that society needs to place the guilt rightfully with the perpetrators by putting them on trial instead of shaming the victims.

Bachchan says, “The idea that a woman loses her dignity if she is sexually assaulted is instilled strongly in our cultural mindset. The shame should be on the perpetrators instead of the victim. We need to foster a safe, secure and supportive environment where victims can seek refuge especially from those who they turn to for protection like Authority Figures, Family and Society.  There is a strong need to step forward and talk about this through stories which can trigger this change in mindset of the people. ‘Kya Qusoor Hai Amala Ka’ is an effort by Star Plus in the same direction.”

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A lighthouse brand, Star Plus has always endeavored to tell stories which inspire change keeping the progress of the women at the heart of every initiative. Talking about this special initiative, Star Plus general manager Narayan Sundararaman says, “Kya Qusoor Hai Amala Ka is a story about the indomitable spirit, courage and unimaginable strength of one woman's quest for justice against all odds. The story is not just about Amala but representative of every woman who lives in fear, measuring her every move to keep herself safe thereby giving power to the perpetrator to dictate her life on his terms. Amala's uphill battle to conquer these demons of society and her refusal to back down in the face of all hurdles will make viewers pause, reflect and think "Kya Qusoor Hai Amala Ka?"

Through this story on Star Plus Dopahar, our intent is to sensitize audiences and society at large, to the trauma of the victims of sexual assault. Television has the power to spark meaningful change and as a channel, we want Amala’s inspiring story to reach maximum people through our platform. We have tied up with an NGO - Jan Sahas Social Development Society- which is an organization providing support to survivors of sexual assault since 2000. 

Victims can reach out for aid to them via a toll-free helpline which is 180030002852.

A first on television, Star Plus is telecasting this brave story ‘Kya Qusoor Hai Amala Ka?’ as part of its afternoon programming lineup at 1230 pm.  The show is an official adaptation of the acclaimed international Turkish series called Fatmagul which has been remade with an Indian cultural backdrop. The show portrays Amala as a woman of substance and a survivor who has the conviction to fight for justice conquering the demons in people’s minds and reinforcing through her story that the shame should rightfully be placed with the perpetrator and not the victim of sexual assault.