Images: Malaika, Ileana, Dia walk for rural India

Photographs: Hitesh Harisinghani/Rediff.com

At Vikram Phadnis' show for the Swades Foundation, practically half of Bollywood showed up. Photos by Hitesh Harisinghani

As designer Vikram Phadnis showed his latest line A Celebration of Rural India, the who's who of Bollywood turned up to walk for him and support the Swades Foundation for which he had put up this show.

The colours of Phadnis' designs were inspired by those of the Swades Foundation's signifying the sun and its glow.
Swades Foundation run by UTV bosses Ronnie Screwvala and Zarina Mehta has worked in the Raigad and Ratnagiri districts of Mahrashtra.

Joining about two dozen celebrities who walked the ramp were villagers from the districts who had made a difference to their own lives and those of the societies they lived in.

Thus, we first had Anurag Basu and Ashutosh Gowariker walk alongside Manda Kesarkar who along with Mangal Kerarkar introduced second-cropping for the first time in their villages.

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Dr Indu Shahani, Sudham Mali and Vaibhavi Merchant

Photographs: Hitesh Harisinghani/Rediff.com

Former Mumbai Sheriff Dr Indu Shahani and Vaibhavi Merchant walked alongside a beaming Sudham Mali, a teacher.

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Ram Kapoor, Jayram Sutar and Sakshi Tanwar

Photographs: Hitesh Harisinghani/Rediff.com

Television stars Ram Kapoor and Sakshi Tanwar took to the ramp with Jayram Sutar, a village sarpanch who has worked in the area of water and sanitisation.

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Sophie Choudry, Baburao and Farah Khan Ali

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Farah Khan Ali and Sophie Choudry along with Baburao, yet another water warrior like Jayram Sutar.

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Dino Morea, Laxmi Hobde and Kunal Kapoor

Photographs: Hitesh Harisinghani/Rediff.com

Dino Morea and Kunal Kapoor look on as Laxmi Hobde who trains her village members on a variety of livelihood enhancement opportunities including cultivating turmeric, vermicompost and sewing, has her moment in the sun.

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Rahul Bose, Ashwini and Chetan Bhagat

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Laxmi's sister Ashwini along with actor Rahul Bose and Chetan Bhagat.

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Abhishek Kapoor, Manali Sawant and Pragya Yadav

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Manali Sawant has been bringing about change in her village through her women self-help group.

Here she is seen with director Abhishek Kapoor and Pragya Yadav.

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Neha Dhupia with Vidya Kule

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Vidya Vinayak Kule who helps train health workers in providing basic medical aid walks the runway alongside Neha Dhupia.

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Balaji Patole with Punam

Photographs: Hitesh Harisinghani/Rediff.com

Balaji Patole, a school principal is pleasantly surprised to spot Shatrughan Sinha in the audience (not in picture) and greets him alongside the veteran star's wife Punam.

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Rohit Bal, Sanjana Khedekar and Farah Khan

Photographs: Hitesh Harisinghani/Rediff.com

Health worker Sanjana Sanjay Khedekar broke into a little jig at the end of her runway walk along with Rohit Bal and Farah Khan.

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Chandrakant Pawar and Ileana D'Cruz

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Farmer Chandrakant Pawar looks much at ease even as he walks alongside the actress Ileana D'Cruz.

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Ayushman with Sunita Sutar

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Ayushman Khurana takes a bow with a healthworker and innovator Sunita Sutar.

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Sanjay, Pavan Mahadik and Zarine Khan

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Yesteryear star Sanjay Khan and Zarine Khan walk along with Pavan Mahadik who is among the first in his school to master computers and now helps his young friends to learn it too.

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Dia Mirza with Rohini Valavatkar

Photographs: Hitesh Harisinghani/Rediff.com

Rohini Valavatkar along with Sneha Lokhande encouraged communities to spearhead environmental preservation by advocating the use of CFL bulbs to conserve energy.

Here she is seen with actress Dia Mirza.

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Jeetendra, Mangal Kesarkar and Ekta Kapoor

Photographs: Hitesh Harisinghani/Rediff.com

Father-daughter Jeetendra and Ekta Kapoor walk the ramp along with Mangal Kesarkar who along with Manda helped bring about change by introducing second cropping for the first time in her village.

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