APJ Abdul Kalam, who is popularly known as ‘The Missile Man of India, is the inspiration for many throughout the world. On his birth anniversary, let’s look at the top 4 movies based on his life and legacy.
1. I Am Kalam
‘I am Kalam’ starring Harsh Mayer and Gulshan Grover is the story of a poor boy, who is so inspired by former President A P J Abdul Kalam. Harsh Mayer portrayed Chhotu was sent to work on a dhabba to make his ends meet. He has a desire to study but is not able to due to his financial crisis.
He then chanced upon the Republic Day Parade and Dr. Kalam’s salutation march. This inspires Chhotu to find more about the President and decides to become like him. This is when he begins to call himself Kalam. The plot of the story shows how education is still a problem for children whose financial condition is not sound.
2. A Little Dream
A little dream is the visual presentation of a poem named, A Song of Youth, written by the former President. This documentary shows the journey of former President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam from Rameswaram to Rashtrapati Bhavan. Dancer and Actress Shobana played the lead role in this documentary. The theme of the film revolves around the importance of education. The film also contains anecdotes by the people close to the President.
3. Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran
John Abraham’s film ‘Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran’ is based on Pokhran-II nuclear tests, which is conducted at the Pokhran Test Range of Jaisalmer. Captain Ashwat Raina's (John Abraham) efforts to turn India into a leading nuclear-able state are at first met with a lot of fuss. After a few years, with the help of Himanshu Shukla (Boman Irani), the Prime Minister's principal secretary, he leads a team to accomplish a second nuclear test series.
The major danger is the American Lacrosse satellite, which noticed the first test preparations, further causing America to warn India about such future tests. With their patriotic hearts and unbreakable spirits, Ashwat and his team race against time to perform the tests under America’s nose successfully.
Amidst the country's worsening political scenario as well as the presence of spies from the US and Pakistan, it sets them into both mental as well as physical challenges.
4. My Hero Kalam
The 2018 Kannada-language film My Hero Kalam is an inspiring story aimed at introducing younger audiences to the life and ideals of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, India’s renowned aerospace scientist and former President. Rather than being a direct biographical film on Kalam's life, My Hero Kalam creatively blends elements of fiction with Kalam's real-life achievements and values, focusing primarily on the impact he has on the lives of ordinary people, especially children.The movie revolves around the life of a young schoolboy, Arun, who is highly inspired by Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. Arun comes from an underprivileged background but has a strong passion for education, science, and space exploration, much like Kalam himself did in his youth. Dr. Kalam's life story is interwoven into the film through Arun’s admiration and how Kalam's philosophy of hard work, perseverance, and dreaming big influences the boy.
