Be it for publicity or otherwise, some Bollywood actors have been very active in spreading social awareness

If change begins with oneself, then Bollywood actors really know where to start. After all, a majority of them are seen getting associated with programmes that deal with issues in the society every now and then. It's difficult to gauge every individual's commitment to their respective crusades but it's a healthy change from the times when actors stuck to what they were good at: acting.

With Juhi Chawla voicing her concerns against harmful effects of radiation from the mobile phones and towers, it's quite evident that one doesn't have to be a rebel to have a cause. Here's taking a look at a few of the B-Town folks and their 'work' outside their work...

Shah Rukh Khan

Causes: Domestic violence, immunisation

Effects: Known for keeping his many charity initiatives under wraps, SRK has been actively involved in several projects that aimed at better outreach of polio vaccines to kids, especially in the rural areas of the country. He's also part of a campaign that sheds light on the increasing cases of assault on women.

Amitabh Bachchan

Causes: Girl education, immunisation

Effects: One of the biggest names to be associated with the ongoing successful polio eradication drive by the government, Big B has been busy not only with his ever-increasing portfolio of film projects but also several campaigns initiated by UNICEF thanks to his position as their goodwill ambassador.

Salman Khan

Causes: Education, healthcare

Effects: When Sallu is not occupied with his blockbusters and launching new faces in the industry, he's secretively contributing time and effort to his pet projects which involve a merchandise-for-charity setup. With him working behind the scene, they contribute to the underprivileged section of the society.

Aamir Khan

Causes: Health, education

Effects: Lauded for taking up humanitarian issues, his TV show Satyamev Jayate dedicatedly created a healthy buzz by questioning several disturbing aspects of our society. Alongside, the controversial (at times) actor is known for cutting out time to support causes that urgently need a renowned face.

Farhan Akhtar

Causes: Gender-based violence

Effects: A voice to reckon with on the social media, the actor-director recently launched the now popular campaign called Men Against Rape and Discrimination (Mard). With him on board, many of his peers from the industry signed up for the initiative, thus contributing to its overall spread on Internet.

Vidya Balan

Causes: Literacy, sanitation

Effects: Actresses in Bollywood are popular for endorsing commercial products. Vidya is no stranger to this trend but she recently decided to take up a stinking issue quite literally of sanitation and has been active on that front along with programs meant for female empowerment through education.

Vivek Oberoi

Causes: Cleanliness

Effects: About a decade ago, Vivek ran into political entanglements with his charity work in the tsunami-affected coastal areas of Tamil Nadu. This time around, his admirable effort at cleaning up the littered beaches of Mumbai got appreciated. Fortunately enough, it didn't attract any bad press either.

Shabana Azmi

Cause: Rehabilitation

Effects: A rare mix of acting chops and activist mettle, Azmi was the earliest filmi name to crop up in support of AIDS awareness. The outspoken actress has lend her voice to several campaigns with the latest being her demand for policy changes in order to improve the conditions of slumdwellers in the city.

Dia Mirza

Causes: Environment, education

Effects: In recent times, this gorgeous actress has turned to social activism with gusto. After turning producer for a change, Dia is often seen at events meant to spread HIV awareness among the youth, prevention of female foeticide, and seeking solutions to arrest growing pollution.

Fight against the Big C
After the loss of their dear ones to the deadly disease, Sanjay Dutt and Priyanka Chopra have been vocal about bringing awareness about cancer amongst the public.

Hollywood touch
George Clooney
>> For years now, George Clooney has been the most famous face of the present current against the human crisis in Sudan.

Angelina Jolie
>> Angelina Jolie hasn't restricted herself to adopting children from faraway lands. She's equally active in charity and social work.

Leonardo DiCaprio
>> Apart from being politically opinionated, Leonardo DiCaprio has been active in raising awareness about global warming.

Sean Penn
>> Often criticised for his socialist leanings, Sean Penn did commendable work post Haiti earthquake and Hurricane Katrina.

Brad Pitt
>> In the recent past, Brad Pitt has turned vocal about social awareness and contributed time as well as money to several major initiatives.