Why Only Dhanush? Director Clarifies

Director Om Raut selected actor Dhanush to portray Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam in the upcoming biopic ‘Kalam: The Missile Man of India’ because he believed Dhanush could authentically reprise the role of Kalam and his achievements on the big screen.

Raut admitted that capturing Kalam’s inner journey was the most challenging aspect of the film. In a recent interview, the ‘Adipurush’ director thanked Dhanush for choosing to be the part of the biopic.

He said there could not have been a better choice than Dhanush to bring this spiritual and intellectual depth of Kalam on screen. “During my college days, I happened to read Kalam’s work ‘Wings of Fire’. I can say that whatever I am today is because of his inspiration and his teachings. His book changed my perspective towards life, that’s the reason why I am standing here today,” he added.

For Raut, portraying Abdul Kalam’s life on the screen shouldn’t just be his numerous achievements in aerospace and missile technology but also his profound spiritual and intellectual depth.

Raut felt that audiences would witness Kalam’s legacy, exploration of leadership, integrity and nation-building through the film. “Kalam was a great teacher who believed in imparting quality education.

The film’s poster was unveiled at the 78th Cannes Film Festival last week. The biopic is being bankrolled by Abhishek Agarwal and Bhushan Kumar, while Saiwyn Quadras is rendering the screenplay.

The film chronicles Kalam’s journey from his humble beginnings in Rameswaram to becoming India’s top post – President of India. The story highlights the contributions of Kalam as a scientist, teacher and a visionary leader.