A National Award is in his kitty and he sits down with journalists giving interviews, child actor Harsh Mayar is learning to deal with his transformation from a regular teenager to another 'Slum Dog' success
A National Award is in his kitty and he sits down with journalists giving interviews, child actor Harsh Mayar is learning to deal with his transformation from a regular teenager to another 'Slum Dog' success
They say be careful what you wear to bed at night, you never know who you'll meet in your dreams. Harsh Mayar keeps the one lone black suit he possesses ready; Priyanka Chopra -- the woman of his dreams -- might request an audience any day. After all, this 13- year-old boy has won the National Award for Best Child Actor for his film I am Kalam; and fame is only a matter of time.
Unstoppable
Harsh looks a little under-nourished for a 13-year-old teenager. But then again he comes from that side of the town where mothers can't afford to run after their kids with a Bournvita mug in hand. Even then, this little tall guy has made his preliminary walk from the shanties of Dakshinpuri to the Buckingham Palace (Prince Charles has expressed his desire to watch the film). And the buck doesn't stop there. He wants a little more than the whole sky. "I'm not going to stop here. I am about to star in a Hollywood film next," he says, fidgeting with my pen, peering over the pad I'm jotting down on. What he lack in size he makes up with his energy.
Inspired
I am Kalam, directed by Nila Madhab Panda and produced by the Smile Foundation, revolves around Chhotu (Harsh), an ambitious dhaba help in Rajasthan who decides to change his life after watching former President of India APJ Abdul Kalam's success story on television. Nowadays Harsh's onscreen story has seeped into his real life, the two stories walk parallel before blurring and merging into one. "Like my character I am a kid from Dakshinpuri who now owns a Rs 5,000-wala PS2," he says with pride about the new gaming console he bought with the Rs 22,000 advance he received as part of his fee. "The rest was spent on my grandfather's death anniversary pujas," he says matter-of-factly.
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Shades of an actor
But much water has flown under the bridge since those 46 days of film shooting during his summer holidays. The film has 12 awards (both national and international) and counting, under its belt. Harsh has made a trip to Amsterdam in October for the Cinekid Film Festival where he had seafood for the first time and didn't quite develop a taste. Post numerous interviews, the teenager is more confident today than before. "It was my mamajee who pushed me to attend theatre workshops. I played a monkey in my first play, it was fun," he says with a wide smile. Suddenly he changes track and he is the one questioning me, "Where are you from? Do you like wrestling? You should put down in your article that I like watching wrestling and John Cena is my favourite because he gives away free caps and T-shirts to kids and he doesn't cheat," he informs. "And also that I like Aamir and Salman and Rajpal Yadav. Can you write down that Priyanka Chopra is my favourite? I'm hoping to work with her one day," he declares with confidence. Taking the young man's devotion seriously, I jot down his request in bold letters.
Dreaming on
And then suddenly for a moment he lets his guards down. I get to finally peep into the life of Harsh Mayar, the 13-year-old and not the child awardee who is just another 'Slum Dog' success story. "You know, I don't have many friends. My film is yet to be released so some people have no idea what I'm doing. But once it is released, things will dramatically change," he says hopefully. At 13, like allu00a0 child stars in an interview which will hopefully be one in the hundreds he will give in the coming years, the boy has revealed that mild pang of losing the ordinariness one has to sacrifice. We are almost wrapping up the interview and I ask him the question I saved for the last. About the man who changed his life forever -- Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. "Mujhe unka hairstyle bahut accha laga(I really Liked his hairstyle) and I told him sou00a0 and he was very glad and yes he also said keep on dreaming. I do that all the time," he says, bringing the smile back.
Help them Smile
Smile Foundation is an NGO that promotes universal education among underprivileged children. To support, log on to www.smilefoundationindia.org or follow I am Kalam on Facebook/KforKalam
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