Ranbir Kapoor talks about girl child welfare

By Subhash K. Jha -

March 8, 2011 - 11:24 AM IST

Raj Kapoor had once said about the woman he loved, "My heroine can never be my wife." If the truth be told, the true inheritor of the RK tradition of falling in love with his heroines is Ranbir. From Sonam Kapoor in Saawariya to Nargis Fakhri in Rockstarâ€¦Ranbir has been linked with every co-star barring Konkona Sen Sharma during Wake Up Sid.

But the truth is, there are only two women Ranbir really loves. His mother and sister.

Speaking on the women he adores, Ranbir exults, "On International Women's Day, I salute my mother for the values which she imbibed in my sister Riddhima and me. She taught us by example that men and women are equal. In fact, in my case, I believe that Riddhima had an edge over me because she is a girl! I wish that to happen to every girl child in India...I would like all parents to give their daughters an edge over their sons, to make up for all the years in our society, where girls have been treated as lesser than boys."

For International Women's Day, the new youth icon says, "I think International Women's Day is important because it celebrates the struggle of women to get their due. Of course I agree that every day should be celebrated as Women's Day but to have a symbolic day is important because it brings focus to an issue that needs attention. In the film industry too, things are changing. Today's heroines are far more free to lead the lives they wish to Marriage and kids do not stop a Kajol or a Madhuri Dixit to be coveted by filmmakers. It's a welcome change and I'm for empowerment of women because I believe that's good for our society."

Thanks to his association with Shabana Azmi and her Mijwan Welfare Society, Ranbir is now an active participant in the betterment of conditions for the collective development of the girl child.

Says Ranbir, "As Youth Leader of Mijwan Welfare Society, I realise that today's girl child is tomorrow's empowered woman. We must invest in our girl child, give her equal opportunity, so that the power of youth, propelled by girls and boys together, makes India a shining example for the world. I have been sensitised to women's issues because of Mijwan Welfare Society (MWS), an NGO in Azamgarh - UP, founded by Kaifi Azmi Saheb and now run by Shabana Azmi and Namrata Goyal. Even as we celebrate International Women's day, I'd like to take this opportunity to remind ourselves that there are many women who are struggling against a patriarchal system and it is for the Youth to come forward and join organisations like Mijwan Welfare Society who are working to empower women. Donate Rs. 6000 a year and gift a girl child education for a year. We blow up several times that amount in a single evening!"