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Preity Zinta gives back 34 times over

On her 34th birthday, Preity Zinta adopted 34 orphan girls--instead of buying herself a big fancy car befitting of a Bollywood actress

"Yes. I have adopted them and will be completely looking after their education, food, clothes etc. It`s an amazing feeling to be part of their lives. I'm going to make it a point to visit them at least twice a year. They are my children, my responsibility now." Preity is reported saying in Bollywood Mantra.

More from that story:

Preity at first decided to spend those big bucks on an imported car but later she changed her mindset and donated the money for a charitable cause. "The horrors of female foeticide and child abuse are not just headlines for me. These 34 girls are just the beginning, I am going to adopt a couple more on every birthday", adds Preity.

Preity Zinta Adopts 34 Orphans on Her Birthday - Funny bloopers R us

Why the Hamara Foundation is Important

Still on a high from Slumdog's eight Oscars, but please read this Daily Telegraph article about the complexities of providing better housing for the child stars of the movie. The pictures say a lot.

For example, Danny Boyle and his team provided the families of the children with the means to find better housing. But for example, Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail's family paid a broker who ran off with the cash.

It is really quite sad, and demonstrates why organizations such as the Hamara Foundation are so important. Hamara is a Mumbai-based outreach organization to help street children in Mumbai.

So again thanks to everyone who came out to support our party on Saturday. Because while we am happy these Azharuddin and Rubina are going to find a better life, so many more children still need our help.

For more information on how you can help visit their website or e-mail hamarafoundation@rediffmail.com.

Thank you!

Just wanted to extend an enormous thank you to everyone who came out and celebrated Slumdog Millionaire at our party. You guys and girls are THE BEST and we appreciate you coming out to support a great movie and for helping to raise money for the Hamara Foundation.

and....

GO SLUMDOG!! EIGHT OSCARS!!!!

As A.R. Rahman said in accepting his SECOND Oscar said,
"All through my life I had the choice of love and hate…I chose love and I am here.”

Let's let that be our lesson and drive our actions.

Jai Ho indeed!!

We're famous in Kolkata

The Telegraph in Kolkata, India did an article about Slumdog pre-Oscar parties in the U.S. and included some details about the nation's capital.

In downtown Washington last night, about 200 people packed the Panache Restaurant and Lounge to hear DJ Ali Ji belt out music from Slumdog — its upbeat finale Jai Hoand Lankan-origin rapper M.I.A.’s hit, Paper Planes.

Fox Searchlight, the distributors here for Slumdog, provided DMVABCD, a Washington-based production company, which hosted last night’s party, with CDs of the film’s soundtrack and other memorabilia that were raffled away.

Fox Searchlight also permitted the film’s official trailer for the Oscars to be played during the party.

Pushpa Koneri, one of the organisers, said the entire proceeds from last night’s event, would be donated to Hamara Foundation, which runs a development initiative for street children in Mumbai. The foundation began operating as a part of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences in Mumbai in 1989 and became a full-fledged NGO in 2002.

“It was serious,” Koneri said about the objective of the pre-Oscar party. “But it was also fun.”

You can read the entire article here: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090223/jsp/nation/story_10577145.jsp

Guest list closes at 6 tonight!

Hi all,

We're really excited about tonight's event and have gotten a tremendous response. Please make sure you have all the names of your party sent to rsvp@dmvabcd.com by 6:00 p.m. tonight to get on the guest list.

See you there!

Freida Pinto, A.R. Rahman on Leno

In case you missed it, the lovely Freida Pinto was one of the guests on the Tonight Show last night, and A.R. Rahman ended the night with "Jai Ho." She is always so delightfully charming.

Every time I hear Mr. Rahman belt out "Jai Ho," my heart just soars. But uh...why did Jay Leno keep pronouncing his name like he was the new Cup of Noodles flavor?

You can see it here: http://www.nbc.com/The_Tonight_Show_with_Jay_Leno/video/episodes/#vid=1029261 by selecting chapters five and six.

And we hope to see YOU tomorrow, Feb. 21, at Panache Restaurant in Lounge for our Pre-Oscar Charity party!!

Dont' forget to RSVP at rsvp@dmvabcd.com

E-mail for reduced cover

Happy Thursday,
This is just a friendly reminder that you must e-mail rsvp@dmvabcd.com in order to guarantee the $15 cover.

Even if you signed up on another site (Facebook, DesiParty, or DesiClub), you still need to send an email with your name.

Thanks!

NBC4 picks up the Slumdog Pre-Oscar party

Jiitu Abraham and the good people at NBC4--Washington D.C.'s local NBC affiliate-- posted an article on their website about our Slumdog Millionaire Pre-Oscar benefit.

You can read about it here:
http://www.nbcwashington.com/around_town/nightlife/The-Millionaire-Cocktail-.html

Ellen Crew Dances to Slumdog

Jai Ho English translation

Check out this website for a translation of the "Jai Ho," the finale hit from Slumdog Millionaire:

http://www.pinoylottowinner.com/2009/02/jai-ho-lyrics-and-english-translation.html

You can really see how poetic and beautiful the lyrics are and why A.R. Rahman deserves all the accolades he's been getting.

And don't miss out on the pre-Oscar celebration Feb. 21. (not sure how you could miss it if you're reading this blog, but...RSVP at rsvp@dmvabcd.com)

Fox Searchlight rocks my world

Really exciting news and I had to share right away!

The good people at Fox Searchlight pictures--you know, the ones with the smarts to distribute Slumdog Millionaire--got wind of our party and have offered to help by providing with CDs of the Slumdog soundtrack to give away, as well as providing the official trailer for us to play during the party.

Sooooo excited and this blog post doesn't even begin to articulate how grateful we are at DMV ABCD. With their help, we have less overhead, and less overhead means more to donate to Hamara, which means the more we can all do to help the street children in Mumbai.

So an extra special thanks to Fox Searchlight, and Julie Hall at Allied Advertising for all their support.

Oh and if you haven't yet, and you're a Slumdog fan, you really should check out the Fox Searchlight website, http://www.foxsearchlight.com/slumdogmillionaire. There are interviews wtih Danny Boyle and Dev Patel, and even videos of Anil Kapoor charming his way through the talk show circuit, dancing with Hoda Kotb on the Today Show. Is it just me, or is Mr. Kapoor doing Amitabh Bachchan's signature move?

Shout outs

DMV ABCD would like to extend a huge thanks to all the organizations who have partnered with us to promote the pre-Oscar Slumdog Millionaire benefit party. Hopefully with your help, we'll be able to raise a good amount for Hamara.

So in alphabetical order by acronym, we would like to acknowledge :

Network of Single Professionals (NESP) is a social networking/fundraisin

g group that was created to help raise awareness for nonprofit organization

s and charities around the country. NESP is dedicated to providing business and social networking opportunities, while connecting and engaging contemporary single professionals with nonprofit organizations and charitable causes. NESP's D.C.'s website is http://www.nespusa.com or check out the Facebook group is available at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=88295380083.

Network of South Asian Profession

als (NetSAP-DC) is a non-pr

ofit, non-partisan, volunteer-based 501(c)(3) organization committed to identifying and celebrating the diversity of South Asians in America by promoting professional development; encouraging community service activities; raising awareness of the South Asian culture; and providing forums for the discussion of important societal issues. As one of the largest local and national South Asian organizations, we represent over 5,500 individuals in the DC metro area with over 400 members. For more inforamation, visit http://www.netsap.org or visit their Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?sid=67a60ddcd769e7cf31af22d211d5b387&gid=6730485654.

South Asian Bar As

sociation of Washington, D.C. (SABA-DC) is a voluntary bar association dedicated to the needs, concerns, and interests of the South Asian American legal community in the Washington, DC area. For mo

re information on SABA-DC, visit http://www.sabadc.org or check

out their Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?sid=c0263c90759aacbfeabb3cc487e717e4&gid=12667787270.

South Asian Journalists Association (SAJA) serves as a networking and resource forum for journalists of South Asian origin and journalists interested in South Asia or the South Asian Diaspora. Its mission includes acting as a resource to facilitate and promote thorough, accurate coverage of South Asia and the South Asian diaspora, including South Asians in North America. This includes coverage of media freedom and censorship issues affecting South Asian communities. For more information, check out http://www.saja.org. Their Facebook page is http://www.facebook.com/group.php?sid=54d378b61004ec3746da56be811645ae&gid=2205192872.

Slumdog party updates

Here are more details of the Slumdog pre-Oscar party:

Saturday February 21
Doors open at 10:00 p.m.

Panache Restaurant and Lounge
1725 DeSales St. NW
Washington D.C. 20036

Tickets are $15 with an RSVP to rsvp@dmvabcd.com

Proceeds to benefit the Hamara Foundation, an outreach organziation that helps street children in Mumbai, India.

Oh and to get your moves ready, here's a fantastic remix of the finale number "Jai Ho." Practice that double basketball!

Pre-Oscar Slumdog Millionaire benefit

Please mark your calendars....
Saturday, February 21 is a pre-Oscar party in support of Slumdog Millionaire.

Fans of the movie in the Washington D.C. area can gather the night before the Academy Awards and cheer "Jai Ho" for the 10-time Oscar nominee.

Proceeds will benefit a charity that helps street children in Mumbai.

Details are forthcoming but mark your calendars and start practicing the double basketball!

Benefit Feb 5 for survivors of sex trafficking

Hi all,
Just got wind of a lovely event that's tonight. If you like music, art, and poetry, come down to Dupont's east side and help benefit an excellent cause.

This is from the invite:

Join us for an evening of Indian classical dance, music and poetry to benefit survivors of sex-trafficking in India. All donations will support the work of Odanadi, a therapeutic home, community and outreach program for rescued women and their children in Mysore, India.

Please contact Christina Lagdameo for more information.

The event is sponsored by the Washington D.C. chapter of the
Sponsored by the National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum, DC Chapter and the Southeast Asian Resource Action Center

Happy hour to benefit ASHA

A group called "Sanskrit Thursdays" is hosting a charity happy hour Thursday, February 5 at 7:00 p.m. at Indebleu to benefit Asha for Women.

Asha for Women's mission statement is to "provide the support that enables South Asian to become self-reliant and live in an abuse free future."

A blackberry mojito for a good cause? Sounds like a good time to me!

You can find more info at http://www.ashaforwomen.org and clicking on events.