BookASmile, the charity initiative of BookMyShow, India’s leading entertainment destination, has always empowered the underprivileged with entertainment led experiences that they can enjoy and learn from. The year 2020 will always be remembered as an eventful one, with the pandemic followed by a long drawn lockdown that was a life-altering experience. During the outbreak of the pandemic, BookASmile had focussed a large part of its efforts to work with NGOs and emergency services to help carry out COVID-19 relief operations.

In line with this, the second edition of BookASmile’s annual charity showcase YESS - Year End Success Stories was dedicated to the Magnificent 7 – selected beneficiaries who put their personal challenges aside and worked tirelessly beyond their call of duty to pay it forward to society in these extraordinary times. From artists supporting other artists, to the lead clown from a popular Mumbai based circus ensuring that his community is taken care of, the event featured several such stories from different pockets of India. 

YESS honoured the work of beneficiaries pan India including Mumbai and Airoli in Maharashtra, Mundgod in Karnataka, Kishanganj and Thakurganj in Bihar Ranchi in Jharkhand as also Delhi and Bangalore. 

In 2020, BookASmile contributed and lent support to the much-needed essentials drive through this pandemic-induced lockdown while also continuing and strengthening its efforts to support special causes and enrich the lives of the less fortunate across India through the medium of ‘experiences & enjoyment’. Bringing smiles on the faces of over 2,36,000 people in need of support across India, BookASmile collaborated with over 40 NGOs and social organizations to support the underprivileged through the following initiatives:

“The pandemic and subsequent lockdown absolutely hit us all very hard, but some of us had to gather the courage to stand up in the face of adversity and provide help to the less fortunate. I used to train children in athletics in a small village in Karnataka and these children would stay at the residential centre. During this period of crisis, they had to return home. Belonging to families that survived on daily wages, the children were deprived of nutritious meals. Hence, I took it upon myself to personally deliver essential items, groceries and medicines to my students and their families across villages. Importantly, we also supported them in starting kitchen gardens to enable these families to access sustainable nutrition. I am thankful to BookASmile for hosting a very special event – YESS that recognised the efforts of those like us who tried to do a bit and extend some of our assistance to those less fortunate than us across villages.” – says Rizwan Bendigere, a beneficiary

“Compassionate instinct exists in each human; the desire to reach out and share joy and struggle with other humans. It ends up as our least nurtured trait thanks to our hustling modern lifestyle where the busier we are; the better thereof we are.

Artists for Artists was birthed by kindling the same fire of compassion towards fellow artists when the uncertain and crucial pandemic phase led an artist in Mumbai to attempt suicide due to financial stress causing extreme case of hunger and more so absence of any hope. I was fortunate enough to be a part of a journey that helped thousands of artists get food during one of the toughest times in recent history. We, at A4A, have always highly valued the partnership with BookASmile and the opportunity that they gave us to share our thoughts and insights during the YESS event. The event highlighted the true spirit towards the work we do and showcased the collaborative effort in bringing about a difference in people's lives.” – Prince Mulla

Commenting on the event, Farzana Cama Balpande, Head – BookASmile said, “When we launched YESS in 2019, our aim was to create a platform that recognises path-breaking, inspiring stories of people who have defeated hardships to achieve their dreams. This year, with the pandemic disrupting every walk of life, we saw the emergence of many real-life heroes who stepped up to make a significant difference in and around their community. YESS 2020 is celebration of this inherent goodness of people, with the hope that many others will get inspired and make this world a better place to live in.”