Superhero without a cape

From selling papads on the streets to giving free education to underprivileged students, the journey of well- known mathematician and founder of 'Super 30 Programme' Anand Kumar is an inspiration to many, so much so that his life has become a script for an upcoming movie, featuring Hrithik Roshan.

"The career journey is not new to the world, but struggles of my personal life and the motivation to overcome them is still an unknown aspect to many," said Anand Kumar.

It was during his Graduation days that Anand received a letter from Cambridge University, United Kingdom. But unfortunately, things didn't turn out the way they were supposed to.

"I wanted to go to Cambridge, but due to my father's demise and other financial constraints, I had to compromise with the situation."

There was a time when Anand's mother used to make papads at home and the two children (Anand and his brother) would roam around the streets of Patna to sell them.

"My father always inspired me to give my best in everything that I do. He always taught that 'if you cannot do best, at least try to do something that could bring a meaningful change'. And that's what always kept me motivated in my life," mentioned the renowned mathematician.

The idea for Anand's biopic was conceived 8.5 years back, and the proposal was initially put forward by scriptwriter Sanjeev Datta, revealed Kumar. "Sanjeev worked on the script for almost a year and Anurag Basu was to direct this movie. However, after a while, Basu's enthusiasm fell short and the idea was dropped."

2.5 years back, when Biopics started ruling the box office, Sanjeev once again approached Kumar and the project was finalised with Madhu Mantena as Producer and Vikas Bahl as Director.

Anand was overwhelmed when he came to know about it, but the most crucial aspect – selection of the lead actor – was yet to be finalised.

"The discussion took a whole lot of time and after a long search, we finally approach Hrithik Roshan. The decision, however, was doubted by many. 'How an actor who is said to resemble a Greek God will play a Bihari on screen' – they would question."

"The questions were valid, but after seeing the amount of effort he has put in to get under the skin of the character, I can say that nobody could have been a better fit for this role than Hritik," he added.

Recalling his first reactions on seeing Hrithik in the character, Anand said, "When I first saw Hrithik shooting for the film, I couldn't believe my eyes. It felt like I am standing in front of a mirror and looking at my reflection."

Concluding the interview, Anand said, "This movie will inspire young minds and fill them with motivation. To be a hero, you don't necessarily have to be powerful. Every person who is capable of making a change for the betterment of society is a 'hero' according to me." Anand's story of struggle stands as a motivation for all the youngsters who do not have resources, but an urge to fulfill their dreams.