#9Baje9Minutes: South stars light candles to support PM Modi's initiative.

On April 5 (Sunday), India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged citizens to dispel the darkness spread by the novel coronavirus outbreak by lighting candles or diyas at their balconies or doorsteps at 9 pm for nine minutes. Cities across the country participated in the initiative and showed solidarity in the fight against the deadly disease.

Many South stars including Rajinikanth, Chiranjeevi, Nayanthara, Tamannaah Bhatia, Nagarjuna and Allu Arjun were seen holding candles and diyas from their balconies. They posted the pictures on social media saying that the initiative has brought a lot of positivity and hope in people at the time of the crisis. 

Superstar Rajinikanth was one of the first celebrities to post a picture of himself holding a candle outside his Poes Garden residence in Chennai. He also urged people to stay at home.

#StayHomeStaySafe #Solidarity #Unity #IndiaFightsCoronavirus 🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/4LSSsfpVFa

— Rajinikanth (@rajinikanth) April 5, 2020

Actress Nayanthara lit candles and diyas at her residence. Her boyfriend Vignesh Shivan took to his Instagram page to post her pictures with the candles and wrote, "Dear corona ... ! We only do this for God during our prayers! Now we are doing it for u! Jus requesting and praying that you would let us get back to normal! #GoCorona #corona please show come karunai Go away please. (sic)." 

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A post shared by Vignesh Shivan (@wikkiofficial) on Apr 5, 2020 at 9:24am PDT

Chiranjeevi, Nagarjuna and Allu Arjun also joined the bandwagon along with their families by sharing pictures of themselves with candles and diyas outside their residences. 

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#9PMfor9Minutes #UnitedAgainstCorona #StayHomeStaySafe

A post shared by Chiranjeevi Konidela (@chiranjeevikonidela) on Apr 5, 2020 at 11:01am PDT

Driving the darkness away!!#IndiaFightsCorona #IndiaComeTogether pic.twitter.com/kNmtQgIuTH

— Nagarjuna Akkineni (@iamnagarjuna) April 5, 2020

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A post shared by Allu Arjun (@alluarjunonline) on Apr 5, 2020 at 9:31am PDT

Actress Tamannaah Bhatia shared pictures of herself with her family and said lighting candles brings in a lot of positivity and hope. She wrote, "The wound is the place where the light enters you -Rumi Lighting the feeling of hope, positivity and strength with my family. We are all in this together! (sic)." 

The wound is the place where the light enters you 🌏
-Rumi

Lighting the feeling of hope, positivity and strength with my family. We are all in this together!
#IndiaFightsCorona #9pm9minutes #StayHomeStaySafe #Heal pic.twitter.com/xaJMIFBn2B

— Tamannaah Bhatia (@tamannaahspeaks) April 5, 2020

Mohanlal said that 9pm 9 minute initiative is a symbol of courage to face the dark days ahead. He wrote, "Lets light a ray of hope into the hearts of every Indian. Let this gesture be a symbol of courage to face the dark days. Thank you Narendra Modi ji for uniting us during these testing times. We shall overcome! (sic)." 

Lets light a ray of hope into the hearts of every Indian. Let this gesture be a symbol of courage to face the dark days. Thank you @narendramodi ji for uniting us during these testing times. We shall overcome! @PMOIndia#Covid19 #9बजे9मिनट #9PM9minute pic.twitter.com/dEZI73fAxe

— Mohanlal (@Mohanlal) April 5, 2020

Shriya Saran supported the initiative and wrote, "Light and love to all the brave hearts, doctors, nurses who are working nonstop so you can be safe at home .We are all in this together." 

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A post shared by Shriya Saran (@shriya_saran1109) on Apr 5, 2020 at 11:23am PDT

The novel coronavirus outbreak has brought the entire world to a standstill. The pandemic has claimed more than 40,000 lives across the globe. Film bodies have postponed shooting schedules in order to curb the further spread of the infection.