Source: The Sangai Express
New Delhi, April 10 2010:
Mr India, a film directed by Swarna Kamal Awardee Haobam Paban Kumar will be screened at the Kos International Health Film Festival Ippokratis, Greece.
The five day festival to be held from 1-6 September 2010 is a competitive film festival which will screen films on health issues, on human beings and on similar theme films from all over the world.
Haobam's 47 minute documentary chronicles around the life of Khundrakpam Pradip Kumar Singh who after knowing his HIV status joined a gymnasium defying doctors who had warned him against the rigors of body building.
Nine years down the line, Kh Pradip Kumar has several achievements to his credit, including the Mr Manipur title
in 2007 .
This is a film about a man who is an inspiration for thousands of people living with HIV/AIDS in his home State of Manipur.
"I was too young when I committed the mistake of taking drugs and sharing a syringe.
But should you let one mistake spoil your entire life? I didn't want to," says Pradip.
For many HIV positive persons, life crawls towards a slow end after knowing about the disease.
But for Manipur born Khundrakpam Pradip Kumar Singh, his 'actual life' started in March 2000 when he came to know that he was infected with the deadly virus.
"If you have a strong will, nothing is impossible in this world.
Death is inevitable, but until it comes, I have decided to live my live positively, no matter what," says Pradip.
The film is an independent experimental venture by Cameraman Irom Maipak, Avijit Nandy, Edited by Sankha, Production Manager Deva Laishram, Assistant Director T Helendro and Producer/Director Haobam Paban Kumar.
"We wanted to experiment if it is possible to market locally produced films internationally.
And this is definitely a positive step towards our goal", says Paban.