Water scarcity is one of the biggest problems in today’s time, especially in India, where severe droughts have made livelihood difficult for many impoverished families. In fact, walking long miles in the search of water is a daily occurrence for many women and young children in rural India.
And, as part of the Network18 initiative Mission Paani Waterthon, actor Akshay Kumar decided to walk 21 km on a treadmill to understand the plight of women and throw light on the problem of water scarcity.
Akshay Kumar walked 21 kilometers on the treadmill to feel the pain of women who walk 21 kms and more everyday to get safe drinking water. Join him at #MissionPaani Waterthon, a @CNNnews18 and @harpic_india initiative towards water conservation and hygiene. pic.twitter.com/fqxiUKQ5tg
— Mission Paani (@MissionPaani) January 26, 2021
Twitterati, like always, had a lot to say about Akshay Kumar’s ‘stunt’:
Akshay Kumar walked 21km on treadmill to understand the plight of women who go to fetch water walking long distances
— Anayra Sharma (@AnayraSharma2) January 26, 2021
Koi sense hai is baat ki😂🥴 pic.twitter.com/Q9aGwb0UAs
For #MissionPaani , Akshay Kumar walked on a treadmill for 21kms to understand the plight of women who travel long distances to fetch water.
— Khader Pathan (@KhaderPathan1) January 26, 2021
I think it’s the greatest stunt he has ever pulled off because I’ve never seen a spineless man walk that far 🤣
akshay kumar walking on treadmill to understand the plight of village women carrying water long distance
— 🥰 (@sadelokeshi) January 26, 2021
🤝
chetan bhagat waxing his legs to understand women
AC mein, sports shoes pehen ke, khaali haath treadmill par chal ke @akshaykumar is trying to empathise with barefooted women who walk on broken rural terrain with pots of water on their head in 40 degrees Celsius.#KuchBhi #Canadian https://t.co/HSTvK5RPGr
— Mango Man (@__MangoMan__) January 26, 2021
I can do that too on a treadmill. Just to understand what @akshaykumar went through doing that. It’s a sham to say that he did it to understand what these women go through fetching water. It’s a bloody joke on them by Akshay KUMAR.
— Sumon Kar 🇬🇧🇮🇳🇪🇺 (@5K4R) January 26, 2021
Get married off to a man with existing wives ONLY to fetch water. Because the other wives are getting older and can’t carry enough water.
— Neeraj Ghaywan (@ghaywan) January 26, 2021
Yes, your dreams, your youth, your entire life is now worth a pot of water. Much like being on a treadmill.https://t.co/nJioBtlop0
Put aside the treadmill, come out of the ac room. Walk for hours barefoot on uneven roads & desert areas with more than one water container, only then u will understand @akshaykumar https://t.co/S9Ypr2mv0d
— мєєиαкѕнι (@Meenakshiiik) January 27, 2021
@akshaykumar ji why this drama? You can’t imagine pain of those women who walk so many kilometers in distress just to get some bucket of water, merely by walking on treadmill.🙄
— Dr.Deepa Sharma (@deepadoc) January 27, 2021
Go to such places personally, help those women/families to get a solution on ground with help of govt. https://t.co/BtPOWz7sYR
Walking on a electricity powered treadmill inside an air-conditioned studio wearing sneakers and talking about the plight of women who have to walk kilometres to fetch water. 🤦🏽♂️
— JayJay (@JamProlio) January 26, 2021
Hypocrisy thy name is Akshay Kumar. pic.twitter.com/TUznZmFx9R
This truly happened.
— Yogesh Londhe (@yogi_Londhe) January 26, 2021
Not a #FakeNews.
Content just keeps coming, pay attention #StandUpComedy people.
Mission Paani Waterthon: Akshay Kumar Walks on Treadmill for 21km to Shift Focus to Water Scarcity Problem.https://t.co/DRjyZuzj94
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/IF2pqbaMuN
— Tabula Rasagolla (@BucketheadCase) January 26, 2021
Im still pissed at this.. So let me get this straight, he's gonna walk on a treadmill, in the comfort of his home, with comfy shoes, and he thinks thats equivalent to Women fetching water barefoot from long distances, in the scorching heat?? @akshaykumar Get the fuck out of here! https://t.co/rxwhKBsupK
— Amyy80 (@Amyy_80) January 26, 2021
We are surrounded by a bunch of jokers, who identify themselves actors/politicians/activists/heroes.
— Subhakeerthana (@bhakisundar) January 26, 2021
https://t.co/SoZhX4obmP
While it may come from a noble intention, walking on the treadmill, while wearing comfortable shoes, in a temperature-controlled environment, isn’t exactly the same as walking barefoot, in the scorching heat, while carrying empty and laden pots of water. “Armchair activism”, even if done on a treadmill, isn’t exactly the solution to water scarcity.
