Amdavadi girl's 'Good Road' to fame

Amdavadi girl’s ‘Good Road’ to fame
For Poonam Kesarsingh, 14, who plays the role of an 11-year-old lost girl that accidentally ends up in a brothel on the highway, the importance of Oscars or the dark underbelly of a lusty world are things she is still far, far away from.

While ‘The Good Road’ makes its way into the Mecca of good movies as India’s official entry, the child is still blissfully ignorant what the role, she had actually played in the movie, meant.

Life has begun its journey in the good road indeed for the little girl, who danced to the tune of “Left leg aage aage” in the auditions for the film, from where she was picked up. Poonam has never placed the wrong foot first ever since...

“I was told that I am playing an ordinary girl, who is lost in the desert. I was also explained how to act for every scene before-hand. Then there was a scene in which I was put up with some other girls, and we have to run because some men are going to catch us!”— if this is how she explains it all, Poonam is clearly the rough diamond in the desert.

When dna asked her about the award, we also had to correct her pronunciation of the word from ‘Ascor’ to Oscar! Palpably excited about the whole thing of earning fame and being pushed to the limelight, she gushed: “Jitu bhai (Jitendra Chauhan, unit production manager) told me that our film has been selected to go for Ascor award. I don’t know what it really means, but my friends tell me that after you get that award, you will become world famous. (Looks a little puzzled...) He also said that chief minister Narendra Modi will give me an award for my performance in the film!”

She went on...“For two days, my home is flooded with reporters.

People come with cameras to take my picture and interview me. I am also going to be appreciated by the principal of my school in front of all the students and teachers! Now, my dream is to become a famous heroine when I grow up and make my parents proud,” the sparkle unmistakable in her brilliant eyes.

And what she will do with all the fame being a heroine: “When I get lot of money from my work, I will buy a flat for my family, an activa for myself and get my younger sister enrolled in an English medium school!” Ground reality hits hard!

A student of Class 9, Poonam lives with her father, Kesarsingh, mom Kanku and siblings in a one-bedroom flat on the third (top) floor in Gota housing colony, life is not fun, not easy. Her father works in a restaurant and mother is a household maid and their total monthly income is Rs4,500. However, ambitions soar high above difficulties and though she was offered another movie, Poonam chose to decline for her approaching exams. “Studies come first, so I decided to let go of the offer. I am sure I will get some good ones later,” confidence oozing from the 14-year-old’s voice.

Talking about the remuneration she was promised for the role, she said, “My father was told that he will get paid for whatever amount he asks, so the deal is yet to be done as we have not demanded any money yet.”

Equipped with her own mobile phone, gifted by her father on her birthday in 2011, the heroine of her small locality pranced about, talking animatedly how the role came her way. “When some people came to my colony to ask if anyone wants to act in the film, my friend, Anjali, and I decided to go... I think, Gyan Correa sir liked my expressions and dance, and that is how I got selected.” And as they said, rest is history.