Mumbai: Countless Indians honor women as goddesses, ironically, a significant number among them abandon female infants at birth due to the belief that a daughter cannot perpetuate the legacy of a family. As per the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) report issued in 2020, about 4.6 lakh girls in India were missing at birth each year between 2013 and 2017. This grim reality reflects the insidious grip of ‘chhoti soch’ (narrow-mindedness) deeply embedded in the collective psyche even today, demanding an urgent overhaul in the way society perceives and values girl child. Addressing many such socially relevant issues and building upon its legacy of delivering distinctive content, COLORS brings to light yet another critical issue – the abandonment of girl child – through the compelling narrative of ‘Doree’. At the core of ‘Doree’ lies an unwavering depiction of a girl’s struggle that comes with her birth and the fight for her societal rights. Starring Sudhaa Chandran as Kailashi Devi Thakur, Amar Upadhyay as Ganga Prasad, and Mahi Bhanushali as Doree and produced by Jay and Kinnari Mehtaa’s Jay Mehtaa Productions, ‘Doree’ premieres on 6 November 2023 and airs every Monday to Friday at 9:00 pm only on COLORS.

Set against the backdrop of Varanasi and highlighting social issues 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?

Set to be seen essaying the role of Ganga Prasad, Amar Upadhyay 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.”

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On embodying the role of Kailashi Devi Thakur, veteran actor Sudhaa Chandran 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.”  

Producer Jay Mehtaa and Kinnari Mehtaa jointly 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.”

While being at the forefront of driving societal change through its acclaimed shows, COLORS is known for its disruptive marketing activations. To shed light on the persisting issue of girl child abandonment in our society, COLORS has carefully crafted a comprehensive marketing campaign spanning across multiple platforms. On International Girl Child Day (11 October) the HGEC launched a powerful promo for ‘Doree’ across platforms. Challenging the misconception that such practices are not prevalent in today’s world, the channel is running a campaign revealing shocking facts and real-life instances of girl child abandonment, aiming to underline the issue and underscore the importance of presenting such thought-provoking narratives. Leveraging its extensive reach, the channel will reinforce the show’s message through strategically placed billboards at prominent locations in key markets, creating a visual impact and a strong presence on social media.  As part of the digital plan for ‘Doree,’ 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. Its digital strategy involves working with public figures and influencers such as Swara Bhaskar, Richa Chadha, Faye D’souza and gathering opinions from the public through vox-pop segments. The channel will be teaming up with COLORS’ Social Squad and involving various artists to spread awareness about girl child abandonment. Through this well-thought-through marketing and digital campaign, the channel aims to open a dialogue about this pressing societal concern.

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Let’s pledge to bring a change in society with ‘Doree’ premiering on 6 November 2023 and thereafter every Monday to Friday at 9:00 pm only on COLORS.

Source for the statistic: United Nations Population Fund:
https://www.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/UNFPA_PUB_2020_EN_State_of_World_Population.pdf

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