New Delhi: A Bollywood-style music video on gay rights featuring Indian actress Celina Jaitly has got over one million views online and become one of the United Nations' most watched videos ever.
The video was launched by the U.N. in April as part of a global fight against homophobia.
Charles Radcliff of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) tweeted on Tuesday that the video had become one of the "U.N.'s most watched ever".
Ms. Jaitly expressed her gratitude on Twitter saying the video has crossed one million views on YouTube.
The two-and-a-half-minute clip was part of the U.N.'s 'Free and Equal' campaign championing equality for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people and an end to homophobia.
Ms. Jaitly, who made her musical debut in the clip, was last year nominated by the High Commissioner for Human Rights as a U.N. Equality Champion in recognition of her support for LGBT rights.
Ms. Jaitly had expressed the hope that the video would spread the broader message of the need to change not just laws but also attitudes and to challenge stereotypes about the LGBT community in light of the threats and discrimination the community faced in India and across the world.
The video, titled 'The Welcome', is about a young man who brings his boyfriend home to meet his family for the first time.
Ms. Jaitly, a mother of two-year old twins, has said that she has received threats for supporting gays and lesbians but will continue to work towards achieving equality for the community.
In a message during the launch of the video, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had applauded India's human rights activists and film fraternity for standing up for the rights of lesbians and gays as he called for the immediate repeal of all laws criminalizing consensual same-sex relationships.
Mr. Ban said he hoped the video would carry a message of equality to millions of people.
He had expressed his support for the campaign and his solidarity with India's LGBT community, reaffirming his staunch advocacy to end prejudice and intolerance against LGBT persons.
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