Our History

Breakthrough began with a bold idea: use culture to change culture—to make discrimination and violence unacceptable and build a culture of justice, dignity, and equality. In India, the U.S., and beyond, we promoted gender justice along with racial justice, immigrant rights, and more, using a potent mix of media, arts, tech, and leadership training to reach millions of people where they are and inspire them to take bold action to challenge the status quo. 

We envision a world in which everyone lives with dignity, equality, respect, and justice. We believe that promoting equality for all genders is a pathway to promoting the human rights, and the humanity, of all people. 

Today, Breakthrough in India continues this work, while Breakthrough in the U.S. supports organizations worldwide that carry the same vision forward.

Highlights from our history

1. Founding action / Mann Ke Manjeere
Breakthrough began in India in 1999 when founder Mallika Dutt launched the first-of-its-kind Mann Ke Manjeere, a chart-topping, award-winning music album and video about women’s dreams. The story of a woman leaving an abusive marriage to become a truck driver reached more than 100 million households across South Asia and millions more worldwide. This bold fusion of pop culture and human rights set the tone for Breakthrough’s strategy: use culture to change culture. Under Mallika’s leadership, Breakthrough grew from her basement into a global team of 100+ leaders and innovators.

2. Rights Advocates (India and U.S.)
From the start, Breakthrough paired media with grassroots leadership. In India, 650+ students trained as peer leaders in 2004–05, reaching 100,000 youth who continue to challenge patriarchal norms in their communities. In the U.S., productions like Waking the American Dream and Speak Up! Act Up! used theater and music to spark national dialogue on immigrant rights and civic engagement, while gatherings like Why Can’t America Have Human Rights? brought 70+ partner groups together to demand dignity and justice.

3. Games for Change: ICED, Homeland Guantanamos, America 2049
Breakthrough was a leader in games for change. ICED (I Can End Deportation) reached 28 million through global press and hundreds of thousands of downloads, putting players in the shoes of immigrants navigating detention and deportation. Homeland Guantanamos pushed players to investigate abuses in detention centers. America 2049 brought human rights into Facebook gaming, featuring stars like Margaret Cho and Victor Garber, and immersing players in a dystopian future to inspire action in the present.

4. Bell Bajao / One Million Men
Launched in 2009, Bell Bajao (“Ring the Bell”) invited men and boys to interrupt domestic violence. The campaign reached 130+ million people in India, with youth advocates traveling 80,000 km in video vans to engage 2.7 million face-to-face. It went viral worldwide, won a Cannes Silver Lion, and inspired adaptations in China, Pakistan, Peru, and beyond. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon became its first Global Champion, and by 2013, Ring the Bell: One Million Men. One Million Promises rallied men on six continents to take concrete action.

5. Nation Against Early Marriage, #Selfies4School, #AskingForIt, Mission Hazaar, and more
Breakthrough has consistently tapped the tools in people’s hands to spark change. Nation Against Early Marriage mobilized leaders and families across India to confront child marriage. #Selfies4School, backed by Vodafone, generated 4,000+ selfies in 35 days and kept 58,000 girls in school. #AskingForIt reached 700,000 people with bus ads, theater, and workshops that turned bystanders into allies against harassment. Mission Hazaar used film screenings and community dialogues to challenge gender-biased sex selection in Haryana. Together, these efforts show how everyday actions—selfies, hashtags, pledges—can push back against deep-seated norms.

6. Be That Guy
With bold placements in iconic dude-heavy spaces, Breakthrough’s Be That Guy animation challenged sports fans to call out harassment. Debuting on Jumbotrons at the Daytona 500 and Indy 500, the campaign measurably increased viewers’ willingness to intervene. A follow-up PSA series at Green Bay Packers tailgates reached millions more, proving that mainstream sporting arenas can be powerful platforms to shift public standards.

7. Taaron ki Toli
Since 2014, Taaron ki Toli youth clubs have reached more than 543,000 adolescents across four Indian states where child marriage and gender violence remain common. In these peer-led spaces, boys and girls explore identity, aspirations, and equality—building a generation equipped to challenge harmful norms in their own communities.

8. Dudes Against Violence Against Women: Because DUH
This sold-out live comedy series (2014, 2015, 2018) in New York City featured all-male lineups—from Judah Friedlander to Roy Wood Jr.—flipping the script to show that “dudes” can be allies against gender violence. These events leveraged humor and pop culture to reframe men as visible, vocal partners in challenging harmful norms.

9. #NoMayPac
In 2015, Breakthrough seized global attention around the Mayweather vs. Pacquiao “fight of the century” with the viral #NoMayPac campaign. Launched just three days before the bout, it reached more than 50 million people with the message that domestic violence is unacceptable, reframing the conversation toward accountability for athletes and the institutions that celebrate them.

10. Action Lab, Breakthrough Voices, Our Stories, Breakthrough Spotlight, We Count, and more
In the U.S., Breakthrough has built platforms where young leaders and artists drive culture change. Action Labs convened students to design media campaigns against violence. Breakthrough Voices amplified artists like Alicia Jamison, whose “Black Girl Magic” poem drew tens of thousands of views. Our Stories: In Vivid Color spotlighted the dreams and activism of girls and gender-nonconforming youth of color through film, mentorship, and media partnerships. Breakthrough Spotlight and We Count! further connected art, narrative, and civic action—mobilizing youth of color, LGBTQ+ youth, and immigrant youth to vote, create, and imagine new futures of justice.