Freida Pinto to host prestigious pre-Oscar party

A party with a purpose

In the run-up to the 2013 Academy Awards, Freida Pinto played host to Hollywood's glitterati at one of Oscar week's most sought-after parties — and put girls' education on the guest list.

On February 19, the Slumdog Millionaire star joined Vanity Fair and L'Oréal Paris to host DJ Night at Teddy's, the newly reopened nightclub in the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. The evening featured sets from DJ AcE and Ms. Nix, with guests including Will Smith, Dev Patel, Chloë Grace Moretz, Paul Haggis, and Debby Ryan — all gathered in support of 10x10, the global campaign for girls' education. NDTV reported that Pinto would be the first Indian actress to host the Vanity Fair pre-Oscar party.

Girl Rising

DJ Night was part of the 14th installment of "Campaign Hollywood," Vanity Fair's annual week-long series of events leading up to the Oscars. The 2013 edition doubled as a launchpad for Girl Rising, the feature documentary at the heart of 10x10's campaign — directed by Academy Award nominee Richard E. Robbins, telling the stories of nine girls from nine countries, written by nine celebrated writers and narrated by actresses including Meryl Streep, Kerry Washington, Alicia Keys, Selena Gomez, and Pinto herself. She had introduced the film's trailer weeks earlier at the Sundance Film Festival.

Proceeds from the evening went toward 10x10's work promoting girls' education through film and advocacy. Pinto's spokesperson said the actress was "more than happy to align with Vanity Fair and bring attention to the 10X10 Girl Rising initiative. She has always felt committed to this cause."

The ambassador

The cause was a long-standing one for Pinto, who was also the global ambassador for Plan International's "Because I Am a Girl" campaign. She would return to host the Vanity Fair pre-Oscar party again in later years as the Girl Rising movement grew — including its India chapter.

Archive summary, February 2013, of NDTV's original report. (NDTV's original URL no longer resolves.)