WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
Finding a way to fulfill that which we have in our minds can be a highly challenging thing. Is the pursuit of aspirations something to be filled with a steadfast resolve to accomplish goals without question for our own gain? Is it to see the benefit of it impact all those around us in order to share the achievement and watch it benefit a greater good? Or, is it simply to seek out something that we can relate to and appreciate the inspiration it represents for us? For one young paper boy, Dilip (Dilip Selvaraj) this latter notion is what he finds dominating his mind as his school’s annual day event soon arrives, and he’s desiring to make a splash.
How precisely has he managed to do this? Through a series of events and the encouragement of the school librarian (Pradeep Lalji) he has managed to successfully contact and invite to his school Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, the former President of India! A hugely affirming accomplishment that he receives plenty of recognition for, he also has a more personal stake in the invitation being accepted by Dr. Kalam, who was also a paper boy in his youth. With this shared past experience and the influential nature of Dr. Kalam’s former presidency and connection with students over the years, he feels more than elated that his friends and school will have the honor of hosting the esteemed figure. The only question that remains, though, is what happens when dreams can be shattered?
Next, my Mind:
Included among the multitude of indie short film projects and Texas premiers screened at the 2019 Dallas Fort Worth South Asian Film Festival sponsored by Toyota USA, this 10-minute narrative from writer/director Athithya Kanagarajan tries its best to be the intended wave of inspirational sentiment and encouragement to pursue what you wish for with everything you have, because you will never know the outcome unless you try, while also presented what can be the straight up hard realities life can throw at us when we’re on the mountaintop and suddenly fall. On certain levels, the film succeeds in presenting this amidst its tale of a young paperboy striving to have the former President of India, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, come to speak to his school on their annual day, thanks to the push he gets to achieve his goal from the school’s librarian. While initially he gets the joy of the invitation being accepted, it seems the sky’s the limit, becoming a hero to his classmates and the town in which they all reside. When further events transpire to drastically affect Dilip’s plan, it becomes a life lesson that is hard to swallow.
I think what fell short for me personally is that by the time all of this has come about, it felt almost too anticlimactic, even with the intended message and direction the story takes being realized. There seemed a lack of real conviction behind it, that total sense of emotional investment I like to feel, even when things don’t work out the way you think they will. Yes, there is a moral to the story about the ups and downs in our path and how we face those times of both elation and disappointment, but so much of it here seemed more on the surface rather than possessing a deeper connection for me and the characters, story, and overall purpose. I always love a message about having dreams, but the ultimate way this film worked out ended up static for me. Now, as far as striving to reach out to those we find we can relate to, as is the case here with both individuals in question sharing a common background as paperboys, that facet I can get behind, as I think we so often get stars in our eyes when it comes to high profile figures we understandably respect and admire, but still lose perspective that, at one time, they weren’t that at all.
Therefore the tie to Dilip and Dr. Kalam as both having been paperboys, work I think gets unnecessarily maligned and slighted, was an endearing plot point to include, especially being that it’s a true fact about Dr. Kalam’s childhood. Perhaps it made me wish the story had a different finale, though with events based on true happenings, that might not have been possible. Selvaraj is admittedly charming and engaging as the paperboy Dilip, a dreamer who wants to be able to say he made an impact in the world and on those around him, I felt, he simply wants respect from. Thanks to the warm and challenging encouragement of his school’s librarian, Dilip make a move to do just that by managing to send out an invite to India’s former President to come and speak at his school on the special annual day. Upon receiving word Dr. Kalam is willing to do the arrangement, it becomes a point of joy and pride for Dilip to finally experience the admiration and due acknowledgement he sought. Yet, life has a way, and as the rest of the events unfold, it is that lesson Dilip must accept, with Selvaraj believably executing the role in decent fashion.
The main supporting role comes from Lalji as Dilip’s main source of inspiration to seek out Dr. Kalam’s visit, and it is a reminder that we all need people like this in our lives to bring that voice of reason, motivation, and constructive provocation to make us realize we CAN do things we might doubt we could. Lalji does a solid job portraying this in the film through his character. In total, “Dreams” is not at all a bad film. It’s simply one that could, this critic felt, have been just a touch more impactful in its delivery and tone in order to induce the kind of emotional resonance I felt Kanagarajan was aiming for. Still, it’s a cultural reminder of the “People’s President”, his impact on the institution of education, his concern and care for his country and those residing in it, and certainly at least a nudge forward for the rest of us who have that seemingly unattainable dream to shoot for. Stop doubting, and just try.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
