A book by Maple Ridge author Biju Mathew that tells a positive story about hard work and hope has now been turned into a big screen movie that carries the same message.
The book, titled Super 30: Changing The World 30 Students At A Time, is about a teacher named Anand Kumar, in Bihar, one of the poorest states in northeastern India.
Super 30 is so named because the program prepares 30 students every year for the India Institutes of Technology, which has one of the toughest entry exams in the world.
The book came out in 2016 and quickly became a top seller.
Now the movie, Super 30, has been finished and puts to the big screen the inspiring story of Kumar.
Mathew explained earlier that Kumar had excelled in school and his marks were good enough to land him entrance to Cambridge University.
But the death of his father meant there would be no dream of higher education. He spent his days selling papad, a seasoned flat bread, so the family could keep the wolf from the door. But his love of math never died. It inspired him and drove him to work harder. Mathew said he feels Kumar’s trials only made him that much more intent on succeeding.
The movie is due to be released July 12, said Mathew, a Maple Ridge psychiatrist.
“It is the most anticipated movie in India right now,” said Mathew, Wednesday.
“It is an amazing story about education, hard work and commitment.”
The film is produced by Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment, Phantom Films and Reliance Entertainment and is directed by Vikas Bahl and stars Hrithik Roshan as Kumar.
Mathew said the trailer is currently ranked the second-most popular movie in India.
“We need to break this story to the local people. I’m a Maple Ridge guy,” Mathew said.
“It’s an amazing story right?”
After writing the book, others in India approached movie producers with the goal of putting the story into film. “I want people to go and watch it,” Mathew said.
Mathew added that he wrote the book to raise money for the Super 30 program. “Who knew that it was going to be a blockbuster like this?”
He wants to show the movie in Maple Ridge as a fundraiser for local youth but no details have been confirmed yet.
pmelnychuk@mapleridgenews.com
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