Chasing dreams with 'I Am Kalam'

Having done the rounds of several international film festivals and bringing home an array of accolades, 'I Am Kalam' is now all set to release in India this Friday.

By Sujata Chakrabarti

In spite of being born into abject poverty, Chhotu, (played by National Award winner Harsh Mayar) an inventive child with a cheerful disposition does not let his grim circumstances defeat him.

Set in the outskirts of Bikaner, Rajasthan is a fairy tale narrative of a poverty-stricken mother (Mina Meer) who leaves her young child (played by Harsh Mayar) with her brother Bhatti(Gulshan Grover), who runs a dhaba, so that he can earn some money for the family.

Though Chhotu is poor but he has a will to study and make a big name for himself. He is a quick learner and with this ability, he wins over the heart of Bhati and foreign tourists who come to the dhaba for snacks and tea.

The plot thickens when Chhotu goes to a heritage hotel to deliver tea, where he meets Prince Ranvijay (Husaan Saad, son of erstwhile king (Sanjay Chauhan) of the princely state, who owns this ancestral palace-cum-hotel across the street. Due to their similarity in age and both being lonely kids, they immediately bond with each other. Thus, an unlikely friendship is struck between the two, which dares to defy the stringent class barriers of the village.

But Chhotu's life takes an unexpected turn, when he listens for the first time to a speech by Dr APJ Abdul Kalam on television and realises that one can change his life just by actions and defy destiny. He dreams to get educated and make a name for himself. The enterprising boy drops the name Chhotu - a tag used to identity countless young labourers across India, and adopts an alias - Kalam, as a symbol of aspiration and dreams.

Chhotu also befriends Lucie (Beatrice Ordeix), a French tourist who comes to Rajasthan to work on her music.

The film, directed by Nila Madhab Panda, premiered at the 63rd Cannes Film Festival on 12th May.

'I am Kalam' was specially screened for the former Indian President, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, at his Delhi residence on 29th July.

Harsh also recently met Amitabh Bachchan who presented him a copy of his biography titled 'To Be or not to Be - Amitabh Bachchan' and the veteran actor wished the young actor the very best for his future.

The film that was made on a limited budget naturally did not have big bucks to spend on publicity and marketing campaigns. But based on the awards it has won and the attention it has received from distinguished people like Kalam and Bachchan, 'I Am Kalam' might just spring a surprise at the box office.