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�Mr India� invited to Almaty film fest

By Sobhapati Samom

IMPHAL, Jan 31 � �Mr India�, a documentary film depicting the struggles and triumphs of HIV positive body builder Pradeep Kumar of Manipur, which has won several international and national awards, has been selected to be screened at the three day Asiada Film Festival in Kazakhstan in February.

Producer and Director of the 47 minute film Haobam Pabankumar of Imphal will be leaving here tomorrow to attend the Festival beginning at Almaty on February 1.

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 learnt that he was infected with the deadly virus. He decided to go public with his disease in 2007 after winning a medal in the Mr India competition.

Defying doctors who had warned him against the rigours of body building, Pradip joined a gymnasium. Nine years down the line, Pradip Kumar has several achievements to his credit, including the �Mr Manipur� title in 2007. This is a story about a man who is an inspiration for thousands of people living with HIV/AIDS in Manipur.

�In the course of shooting this film my dad expired, he was an alcoholic. What started as an important subject for a film became a reality for me as I myself started feeling the importance of people like Pradip in our society�, says Paban Kumar, in his director�s note.

Pabankumar is a product of Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute Kolkata and directed AFSPA 1958. It is the first Manipuri film to win the Golden Lotus at the National Film Awards.

His films Kangla, AFSPA 1958 and A cry in the dark have won numerous awards including the FIPRESCI prize at MIFF 2006.

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