EXCLUSIVE: I had cried twice at least during the film’s narration, says Gulshan Grover about the film 'I Am Kalam'

Today is the birthday of everyonersquos beloved Dr A P J Abdul Kalam who is also popularly known as lsquoMissile Man of Indiarsquo for his immense contribution in the field of missile developments Bollywoodrsquos very own Gulshan Grover played an allimportant role in the film which went onto get him the lsquoBest Actorrsquo award at many prestigious festivalsMidDay Online met up with Gulshan Grover for an exclusive interview on the occasion of Dr A P J Abdul Kalamrsquos birthdayThe film lsquoI Am Kalam celebrated the survival of the human spirit against odds and highlighted the need for education of the underprivileged children What was the first reaction when you were offered the filmOne of my friends had called me and told me to meet a director who had made a few documentaries and was wanting to make a feature film which was going to be produced by a foundation called lsquoSmile Foundationrsquo My initial thought was lsquoOh God How can they make a filmrsquo But since my friend had forced me to meet this person I thought I will say yes to meet them and then smartly avoid meeting them They the filmrsquos director Nila Madhab Pandaa and lsquoSmile Foundationrsquos Director and others had come home to meet me By the time they started narrating the filmrsquos story I got so engrossed with the script that I just did not want to leave the place The meeting eventually went on for two full hours I had cried twice at least during the filmrsquos narrationThe filmrsquos narration moved you to tearsYes Because a few incidents which were narrated by them made me recall my childhood days when I studied despite facing difficult financial circumstances Those were the days when I used to sell detergent powder phenyl soaps at the places where wealthy people used to stay After that I used to change my uniform at some bus stop or any other place and then go to school It was my fatherrsquos faith in education which has been imbibed in meDid you see yourself in the filmrsquos central characterYes I didAlso Read Bigg Boss 16rsquos Nimrit Kaur Ahluwalia is a true fashion inspiration Herersquos proofIs it true that you had initially turned down the film because you felt that its budget was equal to your fees and later you decided to do the film for freeYes But that was during the initial round of conversation When they told me about the filmrsquos budget I said lsquoItna toh main hi le loonga as my acting feesrsquo But as I said earlier when the talks got advanced I just could not hold onto my tears post the entire narration Immediately I told them that I will be doing the film for freeDid you get a chance to meet the respected Abdul Kalam saabI had just missed the chance When the filmrsquos members were called to meet him unfortunately I was shooting that day and my producers did not let me go But they the filmrsquos makers made me talk to Kalam saab on the phoneWow Thatrsquos awesome What did Kalam saaab sayHe said that he enjoyed the film thoroughly He added that the film was so enjoyable and had been made with utmost sincerityAfter so many years of being in the industry this film got you your first ever award for the lsquoBest Actorrsquo How did it feelI was on top of the world I got the lsquoBest Actorrsquo award from Stardust Los Angeles Film Festival Houston Film Festival New York Film Festival Plus I had also got our National AwardSpeaking of during the National Awards I think film maker J P Dutta who was also a part of the jury that time had told you something about your winhellipYes He said ldquoGulshan it was so hard for us not to give you the awardrdquoAre you in touch with the actors of the filmWe all do meet on and off Nila Madhab Pandaa and the actor who had played the role of the young boy are very much in touch with me and vice versaAlso Read Akshay Kumar starrer Ram Setu gets an official game