Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Will Smith join concert to raise funds for virus relief

Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Will Smith join concert to raise funds for virus relief

By Web Desk
|
May 03, 2020

Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Hollywood actor Will Smith and other celebrities are taking part in a concert to raise funds for coronavirus relief in India.

Rock legend Mick Jagger, cricket captain Virat Kohli and some of the top domestic names were set to perform or read messages from their homes in a four-hour concert.

Organised by Bollywood directors Karan Johar and Zoya Akhtar, the show will be live-streamed on Facebook and pay tribute to workers fighting the pandemic.

It aims to raise millions of dollars for more than 100 groups providing food and other essential services during the crisis.

Concert organisers said the money was needed "for those who have no work and no home and do not know where their next meal is coming from".

India's 1.3 billion people have been under lockdown since March 25 with the restrictions, while recently eased, set to last until at least May 17.

The shutdown has especially hit millions of migrant workers stranded in cities with little food or money. Special trains were being organised Saturday to help thousands of labourers finally return home.

India has so far reported 37,335 coronavirus cases and 1,218 deaths, with more than 2,000 new infections in the last 24 hours.

Experts fear a lack of testing and poor reporting procedures mean the death toll is much higher.

The government has announced a string of special activities to rally support for frontline workers.