Actor Trisha Krishnan, who has been the face of over 40 films, was appointed as the UNICEF Celebrity Advocate for child rights on Monday on the occasion of International Children’s Day. The actor is only the third member of the Indian film fraternity after Amitabh Bachchan and Priyanka Chopra to be given the mantle.
Speaking to TNM about the responsibilities that she had towards her audience as an actor and now as a UNICEF advocate, Trisha said, “I think, parental control at home and the censor certificate must be taken into consideration seriously. Because children are innocent and you can’t blame them for getting influenced. We, as responsible adults, should be able to tell them ‘this is for you at this particular age and when you’re an adult you can do this’.”
When it comes to children being influenced by what they see on screen, however, Trisha believes that education plays a part. “There is a lot of bad that is still going on but these kinds of little things (warning signs for drinking and smoking in movies), there has also been immense progress because of it. So the day people stick to rules and laws, trust me, our country would be far better.”
“These are things I’ve always believed in. Right now, I want to pump it up a little more now because I’m proud to be a UNICEF spokesperson. It means what I say carries value, so the responsibility is probably ten times more than what I had all these years,” she said.
The actor said that she was honoured to be named a UNICEF advocate, and that while her responsibility on the issue of child rights is much more now, she doesn’t see it as ‘pressure’.
Trisha is the first south Indian actor to receive a recognition by UNICEF. She will be working especially in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, according to the official release, which said she will voice concerns that address anaemia, child marriage, child labour and child abuse.
Trisha said that people cannot be blamed for ignorance on the issues of child rights. “I shoot a lot in rural towns – you can’t blame them for being ignorant because they don’t know. Actually, if people know, if you tell them things, they are willing to listen to you, and that’s where I’m hoping to play a part,” she said.
Unlike any other 'honorary title', she was actually put on the spot on Monday when she had to participate in a panel discussion with children who had and were studying in government schools.
During the discussion, the actor then stressed on the importance of awareness in society to limit abuse and the need to ensure education is holistic. "I was part of the drama group in school and that helped me develop as a person and removed any traces of stage fright. Extracurricular activities are very important for students to gain confidence," she added.
Job Zachariah, Chief UNICEF state officer for Tamil Nadu and Kerala, while addressing students and the media said it was time to act against evils that affected children. "Incidents of sexual abuse and suicide are growing. We also need to focus on giving students an education fit for the 20th century. If we don't, there will come a time when history asks what we did to help," he warned.