Bhumika Chawla, who won hearts with her graceful performances in Bollywood films such as Tere Naam, Run, Dil Ne Jise Apna Kaha, Family, MS Dhoni: The Untold Story, continues to balance cinema with causes close to her heart. The actress, who will next be seen in Kesar alongside Arbaaz Khan, believes that responsibility doesn’t come only with fame — it begins with everyday choices.
Speaking about the issues she feels strongly about, Bhumika shares that her concerns span child education, environmental destruction, the loneliness of the elderly, lack of equal opportunities for women, rising mental-health struggles, and the unchecked availability of substances like tobacco and alcohol. “We all know it’s banned and bad, then why is it sold? Why doesn’t the government take major action to totally do away with it?” she asks, calling it a question that has stayed with her for years.
For her, change doesn’t always require a grand gesture. “We can do something meaningful daily, however small it may be — feeding birds, animals, planting trees, taking time out to have a small conversation with a child or an old person or someone who is alone, keeping our environment clean,” she says. With growing population and pollution, she feels citizens must rethink celebrations too. She suggests limiting firecrackers per family and urges people to prioritise environmental responsibility over excess. “Just because someone can buy lots of crackers should not mean one can go and do that,” she adds, highlighting how concerns vanish once the festive season ends.
Bhumika also believes the size of a festival idol or decoration shouldn’t become a race of extravagance. “Ultimately we do this every year — what are we doing to our earth?” she asks.
The actress emphasises that social causes must be spoken about regularly, not only on marked calendar days. “It has to be done regularly and popular faces who are highly followed should now shoulder the responsibility… whether it’s health, regular check-ups, education, minimalism — famous people need to do this more often,” she says.
Reflecting on social media, Bhumika feels its impact depends on intention. “I don’t know if social media is helping or harming — it depends on who is using it in what capacity. Sometimes talking more about social causes and not doing much may be diluting the energy. Sometimes we just have to do what it takes,” she concludes.