The Indian Institute of Human
Brands (IIHB), in the lockdown period conducted a survey about who would
the corporate companies and the consumer’s rate as their favourite brand
Ambassador. Sonu Sood , Akashy Kumar , Amitabh comes first , second and third. Reason,
being that they helped in the lockdown period by donating liberally and paying
for migrants to reach home. By same yardstick, Raghava Lawrence ,the dancing
Star- director- producer of the South,
should have figured in the top list . I think he has given Rs 1 crore to PM Cares fund. So is there a different
survey for products that are sold only in the South States? Or the corporate and
consumers are not aware of a guy called Lawrence and his Samaritan deeds? It
looks like the persons surveyed are from the North India and our `national ‘
channels did not go to town with Lawrence like with the Sood, Khiladi Kumar and Bachchan charity acts.
Anyway, Lawrence first outing
in Bollywood is Laxmi Bomb directed by him with Akshay and to be released on
Disney- HotStar. I heard my three friends in the YouTube Channel `Valai Pechu’
say that the personal assistants of actors are not part of any union and they
are denied benefits given by FEFSI during lockdown period. They hoped that
Lawrence could be of help. The next thing was that Lawrence called them and asked
them to give him a list of affected
workers and he would reach help to them. Apart from the PM Fund, he has given
to FEFSI and to Dancers Union, a huge amount. His charity work did not start after lockdown. It is a 15 year long
process that started way back.
Starting out as a driver of a
stunt master, moving to be a group dancer and graduating to a choreographer,
Lawrence knows the pain. When veteran Puliyur Saroja ,our Screen Award jury
member said Lawrence was the winner, we
were stunned. He won for a Telugu film and me who moved around with Salim, Puliyur Saroja ,Raghuram Master and
Sundaram Master never had the eye to note a talent like him. My colleague BVS
who tracked Lawrence’s one room place in Vadapalani backstreets to invite him
said that he could not believe it. It was his first award in his life.
An ardent die-hard fan of Rajinikant,
he turned director and a reputed choreographer in Telugu films. He is a favourite of Chiranjeevi and a pet of
Nagarjuna. His Kanchana series made him a hit in Kollywood. Though, he has no
market in Kerala, he donated Rs 1 crore to CM Flood Relief. Akshay Kumar who
heard about Lawrence’s project to build a home for transgender announced a
donation of Rs 1.5 crore. Said Lawrence –“I consider everyone who helps as God. So now, Akshay Kumar sir is a God
for us. I thank him for lending his huge support for this project. “
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