MMS to spread AIDS awareness

[Guest guest]

This MMS is not porn, spreads AIDS awareness

Sunday December 11 2005 00:00 IST

IANS

AHMEDABAD: It's an MMS and is tantalisingly titled Forbidden Fruit.

But this MMS by a Gujarat medico doesn't titillate; instead it

educates people on AIDS and the need for safe sex.

Gaurav Chhabra's 80 second MMS (multimedia messaging service) will

hit the mobiles soon, a fictional clip spreading awareness on the

deadly disease and cautioning people on the disease while urging

them to have safe sex.

The 27-year-old doctor in this Gujarat city said he was never

inclined towards a routine medical practice and always wanted to do

something different.

He had been keen on making films since his college days - and has

till now made three documentaries and now an MMS on preventive

healthcare among the masses.

Making the MMS was not an easy job, he said. With " the public image

of MMS as porn film " , he had a lot of problems getting people for

the project.

" When my actors heard that I am shooting for an MMS, they didn't

turn up. They even refused to take my phone call, " Chhabra told IANS.

Finally, his friends - Melvyn and Jinni - a married couple, came

forward to act.

" It was a disappointing situation. But knowing the impact of the

medium, I decided not to give up, " he said.

The doctor wants to explore healthcare communications but has not

yet found a proper channel.

His brief stint as a communications consultant left him frustrated.

" Red-tapism did not allow me to work. With a medicine background I

could have decided the technicalities in a better way than the

others, " he said.

" Soon my stubborn nature came in between and I quit, " Chhabra

laughed.

He also worked with the AIDS control society for about a week.

Not really satisfied with his work so far, Chhabra said his projects

so far were " still aimed at urban audiences only " . He wants to learn

more and reach out to the rural areas.

Chhabra wants his work to be different. He is not in favour of

making informative films with simple messages.

" People are not interested in watching dos and don'ts with a

minister's photograph in the background. If messages are

entertaining, you are successful, " he said.

http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?

ID=IEP20051210071427 & Page=P & Title=Nation & Topic=0 &