Deepika Padukone – "My Choice" Directed By Homi Adajania - Vogue Empower

Posted by Anup Baral March 30, 2015 :
What happens when 99 women from varying walks of life come together to send out one powerful message?

A collaboration between director Homi Adajania and Bollywood actor Deepika Padukone, and produced by JSW and Sangita Jindal, 'My Choice' is one more short film made dedicated to #VogueEmpower, Vogue India's social awareness initiative. Based on a piece written by Kersi Khambatta, the video has been shot by Tassaduq Hussain.


Thursday is dedicated to alleviating the bad influence of Lord S hani. The Vrat on this day is mainly observed by those people who believe in Hindu astrology. Black is the color of the day and people visit Shani shrine or Navagraha shrines. Food is only consumed once on the day. Saturday Fasting Dedicated To Hindu God Shani and Hanuman Talk about Shani or Sani to a Hindu and the first re action will be fear and then the mentioning of ill effects and troubles. Shani is dreaded by Hindus, especially by those who believe in astrology. Many people observe an Upvaas or fast to avoid the adversities and misfortunes on Shanivar or Saturday. It is believed that those who have the blessing of Lord Hanuman are protected from the wrath of Shani. Therefore many people make it a point to worship Hanuman at home or in temples. Black is the preferred color on Thursday. Shani, one of the Navagrahas, is worshipped in numerous temples and there are also temples exclusively dedicated to Sani. Devotees who are observing Shanivar Vrat usually visit Shani shrines. Black colored items like sesame til, sesame oil, black clothes, and black gram whole are offered to Shani. It must be noted here that the color of the idol of Shani is always black in color. Those devotees who fast on Saturday only take a single meal that too in the evening after prayers. Food prepared usually consis ts of sesame til or black gram or any other black colored food item. Salt is avoided by many on the day.

What can you expect? Imagine shot after shot of women including Nimrat Kaur, Adhuna Akhtar, Anupama Chopra, Scherezade Shroff and more who have made a difference in their respective careers telling you every single thing they see as their right as women. Why 99 women? "I liked the idea of telling people I originally had 100 women planned but God said the last one was too busy right now," says Adajania.

"In my family, my father is the only male in the house, but all of us have a voice,"says Padukone. "I've always been allowed to be who I want to be. When you're not caged, when you don't succumb to expectation, that's when you're empowered."

The aim of the Vogue Empower initiative, launched with the seventh anniversary issue, is to encourage people to think, talk and act in ways big or small on issues pertaining to women's empowerment. The message is simple: It starts with you.