Magic Bus, a 'childhood to livelihood' NGO, has rolled out its first TVC. The film has been conceptualised by Paperboat Design Studios and features a cameo by Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan.
The film opens with a family of four in a car stuck in traffic. A young girl in the rear seat notices a slum. She sees a man repairing a tyre and a child picking up garbage. She also notices a girl, the protagonist, about the same age as her, engaged in labour. Her family sees her too. The girl, carrying wooden logs, sees them and stops for a moment. After an awkward exchange, they exchange smiles. This doesn't last long as a man hits her, forcing her to continue with her work. The family looks on, shocked. She walks away, but stops and turns back as a voice over (Bachchan's) says that with just Rs 500 and two minutes of one's time, one can change the future of the child. On screen, the girl is now in a Magic Bus T-shirt, happily moving through her slum. She stops to see another girl with a child as a super declares that eight lakh girls under the age of 10 are forced into child marriage. Among the two lakh girls at Magic Bus, there is no child marriage, it adds. The protagonist in school uniform transforms to a young woman in an office, as the super reads: 'Magic Bus children are 100% likely to finish school. And go on to salaried jobs'. Bachchan Makes an appearance to deliver the call-to-action message.
Matthew Spacie, founder, Magic Bus India Foundation, said, “Every time we read the newspaper or step out of our homes, we witness children living in worst possible circumstances. This video appeal is our attempt to provide urban, educated people to be directly part of a solution. When you support a child on the Magic Bus programme, you ensure she goes to school, escapes child marriage and has a salaried job when he or she grows up.”
