In Pics: Big B, Rajinikanth, Akshay, Deepika, Anushka Take Part in Modi's #9pm9minutes Initiative

Prominent personalities from the Indian film industry including Amitabh Bachchan, Rajinikanth, Akshay Kumar, Deepika Padukone, Anushka Sharma and Ranveer Singh on Sunday lit candles and lamps responding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal to show solidarity in the country's fight against the coronavirus.

The prime minister on Friday urged people to switch off lights at their homes and light lamps, candles or turn on mobile phone torches for nine minutes at 9 pm on April 5 as a gesture to "challenge the darkness spread by the corona crisis".

Bachchan posted a series of pictures of him flashing a torch, alongside his father Harivansh Rai Bachchan's poem's title "Hai Andheri Raat Par Diva Jalana Kab Mana Hai."

"How visionary it has proven tonight.. for the #9PM9minute call," Bachchan added.

Uploading a picture of him holding a candle on Twitter, Akshay captioned, "Together we stand and together we will come out of this dark phase. Till then stay strong, stay safe #9Baje9Minute."

Sharing a picture with his wife Latha, superstar Rajinikanth tweeted, "#StayHomeStaySafe #Solidarity #Unity #IndiaFightsCoronavirus."

Actor couple Deepika-Ranveer shared a picture, where the "Gully Boy" star is holding a candle. "9pm9Minutes" the duo captioned the picture.

Actor Alia Bhatt said light holds more depth than just "illuminating our lives" and in the current times, it signifies hope.

"Light means so much. It’s hope, beauty, strength. Today it was unity. But no matter where we are and what we are going through we must always try and keep the light within us alive," she wrote on instagram.

Actor Anushka Sharma shared a picture of her lighting a lamp, along with cricketer-husband Virat Kohli, and wrote how she has prayed every day since "the turn of the recent events across the world."

"I have prayed to God to end the suffering of so many who are losing their lives without their families beside them, for the less-fortunate and the needy whose lives have turned upside down completely, for all the healthcare professionals who are working tirelessly and bravely to protect the lives of other beings.

"For those who are uncertain about their jobs and future. So tonight, I prayed extra for everyone and I lit diyas with the whole of India and we all prayed for each other. Prayers never go in vain," she wrote.

Take a look at all the pictures here: