Freida Pinto’s growing global presence has certainly impressed business tycoon Anand Mahindra. He has roped in the Slumdog Millionaire actor for his initiative Nanhi Kali Foundation — that aims to provide free education to 1,00,000 girls across India by 2010.
Freida joins a host of big celebrities from across the world (see box) and has pledged to extend her hand to Anand’s foundation. Anand hopes to have the support of the 101 most successful women in the world to root for children’s education.
Officials of the Nanhi Kali foundation feel that Freida, with her appeal and fan following in the West, will be able to pull in many celebrities to donate with an open heart and also promote this cause in Hollywood. The foundation has started a website www.101women.org that will carry Freida’s bio-data along with her photograph. It’ll even carry a photograph of an underprivileged girl by her side to show that with good help, one needy girl can become someone to reckon with in the future.
Sheetal Mehta, president, Mahindra Foundation Trust and executive director, KC Mahindra Education Trust, said, “Freida Pinto has confirmed her support to us and she is in our big scheme of things. Our reason to choose Freida is because of her global appeal and the inspiring story behind her success. She is independent, successful and an achiever in her own right.”
She added, “Freida has become a buzzword in Hollywood with her great movie and acting and is now the most sought after Indian actor in the West. She is signing big movies (
You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger by the iconic Woody Allen and
Miral by Oscar-nominated director Julian Schnabel) and great endorsements which mean the West has made her one of their own now. That’s a big plus point as we feel by Freida being on board, she will raise the awareness and take up our project in the West especially among the people associated in the movie making business.”
