A class X student of Utpal Shanghvi School, Mumbai, Shams Patel (14) is the winner of the 56th National Award for Best Child Actor for his lead role in his debut film, Thanks Maa. The award was presented by President Pratibha Patil on April 18 in New Delhi.
Directed by debutant director Irfan Kamal and produced by Quantum Films, Thanks Maa tells the poignant tale of a 12-year-old orphan quaintly named Municipality Ghatkopar, who finds an abandoned baby, and his efforts to re-unite it with its mother, lest the infant shares his fate. Based on the disturbing statistic that around 270 infants countrywide are abandoned every day by their parents, Irfan Kamal extensively researched this pheno-menon before shooting Thanks Maa. The 120-minute feature film has been officially selected for screening at the international film festivals of Edinburgh (UK), Pusan (Korea), Montreal (Canada), Palm Springs (California), South Asian International Film Festival (New York) and International Film Festival of India (Goa).
Grandson of ace Bollywood choreo-grapher Kamal, Shams discovered his passion for acting in primary school where he was active on stage and concerts. So no surprise that he came up trumps when he was auditioned for the lead role in Thanks Maa, together with hundreds of children from the streets of Mumbai. Shams and the other children were put through a rigorous workshop, to hone their thespian skills. “To prepare for the role I visited one of Mumbai’s biggest slums in Vikhroli and spent 24 days studying the language and lifestyles of children living courageously in miserable conditions,” recalls Shams.
Fortunately, Shams’ formal schooling didn’t suffer as most of the shoot was scheduled during vacations. “My parents have always stood by me and I am glad I could prove myself in my first feature film. But now I have to concen-trate on my studies as I will be writing a board exam in 2011,” says Shams who has put all offers from film and televi-sion producers on hold for one year.
With his new-found glory, a career in the film industry is definitely on the cards, though not in the near future. “My inspirations are Shahrukh Khan and Aamir Khan with whom I hope to work some day. I also wish to work with Vidhu Vinod Chopra,” says Shams, his face lighting up. With film offers from the likes of director Farhan Akhtar and producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra (of 3 Idiots fame) pending with him, Shams is very much the man of the moment.
Anupama Patil (Mumbai)
Aishwarya Sharma
Lucknow-based Aishwarya Sharma (9) has created sensational history by becoming the youngest citizen ever to file an application under the Central government’s Right to Information Act, 2005. A class IV student of the Rajajipuram branch of Lucknow’s renowned City Montessori School, Aishwarya’s application, filed on November 30 last year, demanded an explanation as to why she and her school mates had to wade through an overflowing garbage disposal dump to reach their school. The application filed under s.6 of the Act highlighted the danger it posed to school children and demanded action by the municipality to shift the garbage site from Lucknow’s Talkatora Road.
Guided by her mother Urvashi, an RTI activist, young Aishwarya describes the application process as a valuable learning experience. “Now my entire class and even the whole school knows about the RTI Act, 2005, and is aware that the Act can force people in government to do their work,” says Aishwarya.
Prior to filing, Aishwarya wrote to chief minister Mayawati’s office last October, with a plea for removal of the germs infested heap. When she didn’t receive a reply, her mother egged her on to file her now celebrated application under the RTI Act, dipping into her own piggy bank to pay the Rs.10 fee that is mandatory under provisions of this historic legislation. In her handwritten application, Aishwarya asked two questions of the chief minister’s public information officer: whether it was legally permissible to locate a garbage disposal site near a school, and who would be held responsible if it became a source of infection for children in her school.
In February this year, Aishwarya received a response from the Lucknow Nagar Nigam (municipal corporation), informing her that the city’s health officer and mayor had directed that the site and stench be cleared. “Although the letter from LNN doesn’t answer my questions, my entire school is delighted that the rubbish dump is gone. Instead there is a public library with books, newspapers and magazines,” says Aishwarya whose initiative has attracted a steady stream of photographers and media persons to her home and school in the city’s suburban Rajajipuram area.
Vidya Pandit (Lucknow)