Young Guru

Lights, Camera, Vision!

Eleven-year old Ashikul Islam has already had an eventful life. Not so long ago, he used to beg on the streets for a living, labor in a leather factory, and even sleep on the streets. Today, he is an award-winning filmmaker.

Ami (I Am), his 20-minute take on life was screened at the Kids For Kids International Film Festival held in Athens this year and was recognized as the Best Picture. The young filmmaker aspires to make a statement against poverty and life on the streets through his films.

Four years ago Ashikul was rescued from a leather bag manufacturing unit and brought to the children's home at the Center for Communications and Development (CCD) in the state of West Bengal in India. Orphaned at four, he briefly lived with his grandmother, who soon abandoned him. His older brother, Afradul, who was 12 at the time, worked at a local leather belt manufacturing unit and took Ashikul under his wing. He got his little brother to help him spread adhesive on leather strips that he would later hammer together into belts. Barely five, Ashikul often spread adhesive on the wrong side of the strips and messed up his brother's work.

Soon he was soon back on the streets, begging. But the pavement had too many occupants who resisted the new entrant. Ashikul took to doing odd jobs at a tea stall in exchange for two meals a day and eventually returned to the leather belt manufacturing unit, from where he was brought to CCD, a home providing shelter to children on the streets.

It was at the shelter that Ashikul was introduced to the art of filmmaking. An accomplished Indian filmmaker, Manav Jalan, came upon this bunch of 40 children from the streets, who were brimming with hope. Jalan saw that their past misery was a part of them but that it could not rob them of their desire to learn and to dream. Jalan and his associate, Nidhi Mehrotra, organized a photography and filmmaking workshop for the children.

At the workshop, Ashikul and his friends were encouraged to sit down to paint their thoughts on paper. A few sessions later, Ashikul was ready with the script of the film he would direct. His good friend, Saiful Mandal, also 11, was ready with the camera.

In the following one-on-one with reporter Sharmishta Choudhary, Ashikul shares his experiences at the Film Festival and his hopes and aspirations for the future.

How did it feel to see your film at the Film Festival and travel to Athens?

I loved my journey to Athens — I had never been on a plane before. After we took off, the plane remained sandwiched between the clouds for a long time. Then when I looked out of the window, everything looked so tiny — like ants crawling on the ground.

Athens was lovely. I saw plenty of films at the festival, including mine. I saw some 45 films in all, but the one I liked best was on pollution and its effect on the environment.

I made several friends. As part of the festival, we were divided into groups and each group was asked to make a film. My group made a 20-minute film called The Great Juggler. I was the main actor in the film, which was also based on an idea I had suggested. We were given a general theme — children's games, which are not included in the Olympics. I told my friends that I have seen people, especially women, work in stone quarries. These women bring their children along and the kids play while the women work. One of the favorite games of these kids is juggling with pieces of stone. So we made a film out of that idea. The film showed me juggling with great dexterity and challenging grown-ups to beat me at the game. Each time a grown-up fumbled and dropped a piece, he had bread shoved into his mouth. It was great fun to work on the film.

How was your film received at the festival?

Many people had come to see the films and they appreciated my film. My film, Ami, won the overall first prize at the festival. My reward was a camera and a certificate.

When I went up to accept my prize, I said that I was actually a beggar boy turned director. Many had tears in their eyes when I spoke about my past and the past of all my friends who made the film. I said I hadn't come to the festival as a contestant keen on bagging a prize, but rather as a child with a message from other children like me.

What was your film all about? Was filmmaking tough?

Once the script was ready, I just had to get my friends do what I wanted them to. I made them climb trees, cook, make faces...I wanted to talk about all the questions we have as children that grown-ups find too funny to answer. My friends and I often wonder about so many things. Like why a duck can float in water but we cannot? Or how fireflies give light?...I strung all our questions together into this film.

I love filmmaking because it is a medium that helps children take their message to adults. Normally, adults simply do not pay any heed to what kids have to say.

What are your hopes and dreams for your life? For the world?

I want to be a good and renowned filmmaker. I want to showcase the world of children in my films. I want to make more films that will talk about children and their rights. I dream of a world where children will not have to battle it out in the streets, where every child will have shelter, every child will enjoy the security of love. I have seen so many children work in shops, pull rickshaws, vend goods, carry weights — all at an age where we should all be going to school. I want all this to end. I want to speak out against all this through my films.

How do you think society can change so young children don't have to live in the streets?

I don't know. More homes like the CCD maybe. The rich coming forward to help the poor... rich kids coming forward to help their poor brothers and sisters.

If you could give a message to all the children and adults of this world, what would it be?

Help the children who aren't as privileged as I am. Give children an ear. Give every kid shelter.