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Around the world, nearly 300,000 children under 5 die each year of diseases linked to dirty water and poor sanitation

While India has made considerable progress in building toilets, only 30% of the sewage generated is actually treated – with the rest flowing into rivers, heavily polluting water sources and posing a serious health hazard. ´óÏó´«Ã½ Media Action has been addressing sanitation issues in India through creative communication since 2015. Our latest initiative seeks to tackle the vital issue of faecal sludge management and its consequences on people’s health. This is a priority for the Government of India.

A global first, a TV drama about urban sanitation

In early 2019 we launched our vibrant new TV drama series – Navrangi Re! (Nine to a shade). With the aim of building awareness and shifting attitudes and practice around faecal sludge management, it’s the first ever television drama on urban sanitation in the world.

The 26-episode series, which aired on Viacom18 network’s Hindi entertainment channel, Colors Rishtey, tells the story of a congested mohalla (neighbourhood) in Northern India full of real but quirky and endearing characters as they grapple with issues related to poor sanitation.

For instance, in one episode a fight nearly breaks out when the lead character, Vishwaas, bowls a cricket ball which bounces into a drain and inadvertently sprays sludge onto a passing (and very unfortunate!) neighbour. A debate ensues as to who is responsible for the problem, and who should take responsibility for building and maintaining a septic tank. And a nail-biting cricket match follows to decide whether the septic tank gets built or not!

#FlushKeBaad social media campaign

Alongside the TV drama, we launched a bold new social media campaign to encourage public discussion of the issues raised in the show. Flush ke Baad (After Flushing) introduces our audiences to the need for change by creatively challenging the notion that ‘out of sight is out of mind’ when it comes to poo.

The centrepiece of the campaign is a digital film (shown above) which literally makes a song and dance about what happens after you flush the toilet. The musical medley shows two types of people – those who care and those who don’t – and provocatively asks viewers whether they #GiveAShit about the issue.

By using a humorous hashtag, our creative team are highlighting the severe health hazards linked to poor faecal sludge management and inspiring people to take action. Already used by Bollywood stars (including Slumdog Millionaire star Anil Kapoor, who also makes a cameo appearance in the TV show) and sanitation experts across multiple social media platforms, the hashtag is unleashing inspired conversations on an important issue not typically discussed around the dinner table.

The film was shared by and in its first two weeks amassed over 1.5 million views and 8,000 reactions online, with many people engaging with the video by tagging their friends and asking them to comment.

Project information