Hindi GEC Colors has lined up a social drama ‘Doree’ focused on girl child abandonment.
Challenging ‘choti soch’ towards the girl child, show will premiere on November 6, 2023 and air Monday to Friday at 9 pm.
The show is rooted in the fact that while Indians honour women as goddesses, a significant number abandon female infants at birth. As per a United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) report of 2020, about 4.6 lakh girls in India were missing at birth each year between 2013 and 2017.
Doree will depict a girl’s struggle that comes with her birth and the fight for her societal rights. It stars Sudhaa Chandran, Amar Upadhyay and Mahi Bhanushali and has been produced by Jay and Kinnari Mehtaa’s Jay Mehtaa Productions.
A statement explains the plot: “Set against the backdrop of Varanasi and highlighting social issue like girl child abandonment, the show ‘Doree’ traces the tale of a six-year-old doting daughter who lives with her foster father, Ganga Prasad in the Bunkar mohalla and questions her abandonment at birth. While Ganga Prasad counts himself lucky to have a daughter, the ruler of Varanasi’s handloom empire, Kailashi Devi Thakur deems daughters as unworthy. In this world steeped in discrimination, will Doree break the shackles of patriarchy?”
Upadhyay, who plays Ganga Prasad, said, “It’s incredible to be a part of a show that aims to give viewers more than just entertainment. The show focuses on regressive mindset of abandoning female child at birth. I’m beyond excited on portraying the character of Ganga Prasad in ‘Doree’, a dedicated father, who like any parent wants the best life for his daughter, despite facing challenges in acquiring a job due to an impaired hand. Reconnecting with Colors for a show like this, is a matter of pride and we hope that Doree will spark conversations around such important topics in the public sphere.”
Sudhaa Chandran, who plays Kailashi Devi Thakur, said, “I applaud Colors for bringing a show like ‘Doree’ that sheds light on some prevalent social malady like girl-child abandonment which even today is observed in many parts of our country. Fixated on a male heir, Kailashi Devi upholds archaic values within her family and runs its handloom empire. Having been part of numerous shows on the channel, I’m delighted to collaborate with them once again. Over the years, the audience has shown immense love for my previous roles. I’m hopeful that the same love and appreciation will be extended to this show.”
Producers Jay Mehtaa and Kinnari Mehtaa said, “We are thrilled to present ‘Doree’, a show that delves into a heartwarming father-daughter bond and how she navigates her fight for equality against Kailashi Devi. Through Doree, our aim is to initiate impactful conversations on girl child abandonment that still persists in today’s time. We look forward to our collaboration with Colors, and with this thought-provoking show we hope to bring a positive change in the society.”
An integrated campaign
To shed light on the persisting issue of girl child abandonment, Colors launched a promo for ‘Doree’ across platforms on International Girl Child Day (October 11).
The channel is running a campaign revealing facts and real-life instances of girl child abandonment, aiming to underline the issue and underscore the importance of presenting such a narrative.
The channel will reinforce the show’s message through strategically placed billboards at prominent locations in key markets. On digital, the channel is creating a special audio-visual (AV) that narrates the legacy of the brand in bringing forward socially relevant issues which are still prevalent in the society. It will work with influencers such as Swara Bhaskar, Richa Chadha, Faye D’souza and gather opinions from the public through vox-pops.
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