Title | CARE LIVES ON #TOUCHOFCARE |
Brand | VICKS INDIA |
Product / Service | #TOUCHOFCARE |
Category | A02. Script |
Entrant | MEMESYS CULTURE LAB Bambolim, INDIA |
Idea Creation | PUBLICIS SINGAPORE Singapore, SINGAPORE |
PR | 20:20 MSL Mumbai, INDIA |
Production | MEMESYS CULTURE LAB Bambolim, INDIA |
Post Production | MEMESYS CULTURE LAB Bambolim, INDIA |
Name | Company | Position |
---|---|---|
Anand Gandhi | Memesys Culture Lab | Director |
Zain Memon | Memesys Culture Lab | Executive Producer |
Shreya Dudheria | Memesys Culture Lab | Producer |
Kaushal Shah | - | Director Of Photography |
Jenny Montgomery | - | Colorist |
Sneha Khanwalkar | - | Music Producer |
Ajay Thrivikraman | Publicis Singapor | Chief Creative Officer |
Mihir Dhairyawan | Publicis Singapore | Creative Director |
Shirlie Alexis Tay | Publicis Singapore | Agency Producer |
Sharmista Nagarkatti | Publicis Singapore | Business Director |
Natalie VanderVorst | Publicis Singapore | EVP |
Jordan Price | Publicis Singapore | Head of Planning |
Hui Chong Yong | Publicis Singapore | Planning Director |
Jess Geli | Publicis Singapore | Senior Account Director |
Sophie Ow | Publicis Singapore | Senior Account Executive |
Ruchita Shah | 20:20 MSL | AVP and Lead |
Jeunelle Rebello | 20:20 MSL | Senior Manager |
Pemiya Gandhi | 20:20 MSL | Sr. Executive |
Ekta Joshi | 20:20 MSL | Sr. Executive |
This is the story of Dr Dnyaneshwar Bhosale- the visionary who gave up his high-paying city job and moved into the heart of the country with his wife, Priyanka, and their son. He was driven by a singular dream - to build a state-of-the-art hospital for those who could afford it the least. After the Covid-19 pandemic broke out, Dr. Bhosale labored day and night to save thousands of lives. Unfortunately, he succumbed to the virus himself. Some people live on in their children and loved ones. Others, like Dr. Bhosale, survive in their work and ideas, transcending to a higher meaning. Dr. Bhosale’s vision of building an institution of care is now being realized by Priyanka Bhosale. She is building a hospital in her late husband’s memory - with the support of the ‘Vicks #TouchOfCare Fund’. In her words, “He is no longer a person. He is a purpose.”
In February 2021, the Indian Government announced that 162 doctors had died on the frontlines while combating COVID-19. The Indian Medical Association refuted this claim and revised the number of doctor deaths to 734. The IMA also condemned the government for its apathy towards doctors and their families. (https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/coronavirus-over-160-doctors-107-nurses-lost-lives-due-to-covid-19-in-india-ashwini-kumar-choubey-told-rajya-sabha-2361781)(https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/ima-refutes-govt-s-data-says-734-doctors-died-due-to-covid-19-condemns-centre-s-apathy-101612365469868.html) According to a March 2021 article, The Guardian reported that “Doctors and medical workers in India are being ostracized from communities, evicted from their homes… over fears they may be carrying coronavirus. (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/30/indian-doctors-being-evicted-from-homes-over-coronavirus-fears) “Even surviving medical professionals are frustrated, demoralized and in distress,” reads a report from May 2021. (https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/india/doctors-demoralised) According to the Indian Medical Association,1492 doctors have died in India so far. (https://ima-india.org/ima-covid-donate/) Many, according to the IMA, have left behind families that need to be taken care of. We made this film in solidarity with every healthcare worker, whose invisible sacrifices have kept us safe. https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/for-paranoid-house-owners-doctors-are-persona-non-grata/article31155165.ece https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/30/indian-doctors-being-evicted-from-homes-over-coronavirus-fears https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-52151141 https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/horrific-assault-on-doctor-by-family-of-covid-victim-caught-on-camera-2454178]https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/5/26/why-indias-doctors-are-furious-over-yoga-guru-ramdevs-remarks
He was a doctor at a big city hospital. A pediatrician. Children would travel miles to see him. So he thought, “Why not build a hospital for children in the villages?” The dream was big but the beginnings, small. After they’re gone, people live on through their children. A few rare ones live on through their purpose. Like my Sir. I’d always call him “Sir” at the hospital - it was part reverence, part jest. There was always so much left to do. His dream of building that state-of-the-art hospital for children in villages. It had become his singular mission. Six months after we moved to the village, COVID broke out. More and more COVID positive children were brought to the hospital each day. He’d spend entire nights at the hospital caring for them. I was anxious. I suggested that we shut down the hospital for some time. He’d say, “Aren’t our patients our children too?” He saved every child brought to him. It hit us so quickly, we just didn’t know what happened. He had to be taken miles away to a COVID speciality hospital. I knew he’d call me in the morning. The call came. But it wasn’t him. Gyanpriya was born a week after he left. How do I live without him? Why must I live? But there is work to be done. An unfinished dream to be fulfilled. He is no longer a person - he is a purpose. He will live on through his care. Dr. Dnyaneshwar Bhosale, 36, lost the battle with COVID on 29th July 2020 leaving behind broken dreams. Today, Vicks is contributing towards building a hospital to keep Dr. Bhosale’s touch of care alive. Writer’s Note: From the very onset, we gravitated towards a clearly defined vantage point for narrating and scripting Dr. Bhosale’s incredibly powerful, haunting story. The idea was to extend a most sensitive and grateful invitation to his wife, Priyanka Bhosale to take a global stage and inspire all of us with his story. The ambition was to keep the storytelling graceful and dignified, taking the utmost care to ensure that the retelling is not sentimental or sensational. Rather, we sought the profound emotional impact that can be delivered through the rational appeal of someone who has suffered a most unkind blow of fate. We were extremely fortunate to have Priyanka align with the vision of the film and immediately come aboard. We hoped and tried to create a safe space for her to talk about Dr. Bhosale’s life and death. In turn, Priyanka was infinitely generous with her time and insights. In almost spirited tones, she drew for us an intimate portrait of the departed: replete with lush nuances and charming anecdotes. We distilled the script from hours upon hours of conversation with Priyanka. Through her words, memories, and enduring care, Dr. Dyaneshwar came alive long enough to settle right into our script. Despite the devastating circumstances of his passing, she spoke with an inspiring steadfastness. We soon learned the source of her strength - it comes from the knowledge that Dyaneshwar lives on in the hundreds of lives he has saved - and that her loss, while infinite and immeasurable, is not final - in dying for others, he has become immortal - that the way to keep him alive is to keep his intentions and his dreams alive - and that the path to care for those who care for us is by caring for their dreams. Over our conversations, the script also evolved to reflect a major insight - the story was as much about Priyanka as Dyaneshwar. In paying tribute, we realized that this story is far from over - the baton has simply been passed on. The dream lives on in Priyanka, and through her, so does Dr. Dyaneshwar Bhosale. We are very grateful for her generosity in letting us into her life and letting us become a part of her healing and her vision.