#PlaySafeStaySafe: Yaariyan to naujavaan lover-log

First things first, let me thank you lovely people. Remember last week ethezh tumhala sangitla about this mighty lesbian called Robin Chaurasiya, who started an organisation called Kranti for empowering daughters of sex workers? The girls were selected for a drama performance at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe but had no funds for travel. The good news is that the girls are now in London. So give yourself a pat on the back, jiyo mere laal!

This week, there was a rain of goodness in Mumbai. The Humsafar Trust’s youth wing, Yaariyan, released one of its three videos on HIV prevention and protection. Since I am little too famous (*drum roll*) and call myself the extended family of Humsafar Trust, I got to see all three films (wink, wink).

These films are the need of the hour. A peep into the adolescent health section of the World Health Organisation’s website is enough to startle you. It begins with: “Currently, over 30 per cent of all new HIV infections globally are estimated to occur among youth aged 15 to 25 years. Also, increasingly, children infected at birth grow into adolescents who have to deal with their HIV positive status. Combining the two, there are 5 million youth living with HIV.”

If you thought these are just global statistics and India is untouched, I would like to tell you, ‘hello!’ time to remove your blinkers. The National AIDS Control Organisation’s website reads: “In India, people in the age group of 15 to 29 years comprise almost 25 per cent of the country’s population; however, they account for 31 per cent of the AIDS burden. This clearly indicates that young people are at high risk of contracting HIV.”

What do we do when we are faced with such alarming statistics? Of course, we set up drop-in centres for people to visit and seek help. The Humsafar Trust has had one ever since its inception. But when it comes to advocacy and connection, nothing seems better than a true-to-life video.

I asked Koninika and Richa from The Humsafar Trust and Yaariyan about the urgent need for these films and Koni promptly responded, “Arey yaar… there is very little awareness about HIV. The youth is the largest demographic and is sexually active”. Richa added, “We can’t afford ignorance.”

The first film is #PlaySafeStaySafe, the second is called #ChalBaatKarteHai (about drugs and sex). Both were directed by Manoj Mathew. The third is #SirfStatusBadlaHai, which is my favourite, and is directed by Shruti Kulkarni. It speaks about how the change in HIV status from negative to positive doesn’t change interpersonal relationships. This film will bring down the prejudices against people living with HIV and make them aware that there is life, and love, beyond HIV.

Mumbai, lavkar test kar.

Ani love-kar condom vapar.

(Activist Harish Iyer shares his entertaining adventures through Mumbai’s landscape)

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