Indian actress Neha Dhupia had to be persuaded to throw a goody bag full of condoms and contraceptive pills at a college crowd, but did so after realising that it was not only a great way to promote her new film (Raat Gayi Baat Gayi) but that it also conveyed a positive message.

The Economic Times quoted Dhupia as saying: “We had gone to the Mood Indigo festival at IIT [Indian Institute of Technology] in Mumbai and I was asked to throw this goody bag. I said ‘No! I’m not throwing it.’ But my producer insisted that ‘You must because it’s got everything to do with the film.’”

The actress gave in, realising that the efforts conveyed an important message. The film’s producers were attempting to market the movie about a one night stand by giving away the proper tools for such an activity, the most essential of which were the free condom samples.
“There was a message in all this,” continued Dhupia, “- that if you have a hangover or if you are having a very drunk night – you must have contraceptives, protection, or antacid pills like Disprin. Everything was there in the bag. The message was – take it and go party. The bags had everything except cash to buy the alcohol.”

The 29-year-old joined the experience, saying that the students’ reception of her was a pleasant surprise: “The way the students reacted to me was so beautiful. It was the first time I ever went up to the stage and sang. I sang like a rock star or at least I thought I was. They just grabbed the bags. If I had thrown the wire of the mike, they would have grabbed it. Actually, initially I was hesitant about throwing it, but I learnt how to laugh with it.”

NB: No method of contraception guarantees 100% protection