Mumbai: It is essential to behave responsibly and one must heed the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for the ‘Janata curfew’ to minimise social interaction and help control the spread of the coronavirus, Bollywood celebrities said on Friday.
Modi on Thursday had urged citizens to implement ‘Janata curfew’, a curfew by the people and for the people, on Sunday from 7 am to 9 pm to avoid mass gatherings.
Superstar Shah Rukh Khan said the whole idea behind the ‘Janata curfew’ was to slow down the spread of the virus.
“It’s imp 2 reduce social interaction 2 minimum. Self Quarantine. The idea of #JanataCurfew on Sunday is a means to this end & we should continue this concept at a personal level as much as we can & more. We need to slow down time’ to arrest the virus spread. Be safe & healthy all,” Shah Rukh Khan wrote on Twitter.
In a video message later, the actor urged his fans to not panic and follow government’s instructions.
“I appeal to all the people to avoid public places and to avoid commuting by trains and buses if not absolutely necessary. The next 10 to 15 days are extremely crucial. To fight this crisis the government and the citizens have to put up a strong joint front.
“So I appeal again please do not panic and please be careful about misinformation. And please follow the instructions and guidelines issued by the state government,” Shah Rukh said in his video message.
Actor-politician Kamal Haasan it was time to take extraordinary measures to fight the virus, that has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation.
“I stand in full solidarity with our Prime Minister’s call for #JanataCurfew. In this extraordinary situation, we have to take extraordinary measures. It’s a disaster that has befallen on us and by staying united and indoors, we can Stay Safe,” he said.
Actor Madhuri Dixit Nene said it was essenftial to follow the rules and be responsible.
“It’s time to understand our social responsibility & follow the guidelines. Let’s show gratitude to all the people who have been working round the clock for us by observing the #JantaCurfew on 22nd March. Do your part. Stay safe to keep others safe,” she posted on Twitter.
Actor Shahid Kapoor said, “22nd of March #JanataCurfew . This virus is affecting our heads at a faster rate than our bodies. Let’s show solidarity as a nation. Let’s be at our most positive and our most restrained. Let’s raise the bar. This moment in time calls for it. God speed. Jai hind.”
Legendary playback singer Lata Mangeshkar extended her support to the ‘Janta Curfew’ called by Modi and also hailed the decision of Maharashtra Chief Uddhav Thackeray for complete shutdown of workplaces from Friday midnight till March 31.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for Janta Curfew. and I support this. Also I laud the decisions taken by Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. I urge everyone to support this and overcome this crisis,” Mangeshkar tweeted.
“Request everyone to stay home and adhere to the #JantaCurfew on the 22nd of March from 7am to 9pm. Let’s all fight this together! @narendramodi #IndiaFightsCorona,” Ayushmann Khurrana tweeted.
“Request everyone to stay home and adhere to the #JanataCurfew on the 22nd of March from 7am to 9pm. Let’s all fight this together!,” he said, tagging PM in his tweet.
Last night, Kartik Aaryan took to social media to deliver a ”Pyaar Ka Punchnaama” style monologue about the importance of social distancing in fighting the coronavirus pandemic.
Celebrities such as Amitabh Bachchan, Karan Johar, Akshay Kumar and Hrithik Roshan also took to social media to applaud Prime Minister”s statement on Janata curfew.
Meanwhile, several top stars of the industry, including Bachchan, Akshay, Ajay Devgn, Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan, Madhuri, Ranveer Singh recorded a special video to spread awareness about the novel coronavirus.
The one minute fifty second long video, an initiative by Rohit Shetty Picturez in collaboration with Maharashtra government, features actors appealing to citizens to tread with caution and safety amid the pandemic.