By Ameesha MD Nathaniel
DEHRADUN, 24 Feb: On 23 February evening, ‘Vidyaa: Sapno Ki Udaan’, a heartfelt and socially relevant film directed by Sanjeeb Dass, premiered at PVR, Centrio Mall, here. Produced under the banner of Real Caliber Productions, with producers Tejoraajj Pattwal and Vyankat Pundeer. The premiere witnessed an overwhelming response from the audience, setting the stage for an inspiring cinematic experience.
The film tells the moving story of Vidyaa, a young girl studying at a local government school in a remote village in Uttarakhand. It highlights the struggles faced by her father, Deepak, and his childhood best friend, Rekha, as they come to terms with the dilapidated condition of the village school. Their journey of determination and resilience forms the crux of the narrative, making it a deeply emotional and thought-provoking watch. The film brought together an ensemble of talented individuals as the cast, including Ekta Tiwari, Bhavna Rokade, Shahil Rajan Tiwari, Deepak Bangwal, and Sonu, delivered compelling performances that left the audience captivated. Moreover, we see Satish Sharma, a renowned journalist and celebrity, playing a significant role in the film.
The premiere witnessed the presence of State Education Minister Dr Dhan Singh Rawat as the Chief Guest, who commended the film’s strong message and its portrayal of the state’s educational landscape. He congratulated the team for capturing the beauty of the state and its spirituality and culture.
Notable filmmaker Onir, whose film ‘We Are Faheem and Karun’ recently played at the Jagran Film Festival, Dehradun, also attended and expressed his appreciation for the film’s powerful storytelling and the strong message that it conveys.
The screening hall resonated with joy and admiration as the film received immense praise for its narrative, performances, and social impact. Vidyaa: Sapno Ki Udaan is not just a film—it is a movement that emphasises the significance of education in shaping lives and communities and highlighting its significant role in development.
The film features actors Sushant Khandaya, Ekta Tiwari, Kriti, Bhavana Rokde, along with Bollywood and Uttarakhand based actors Satish Sharma, Shail Shivram, Mansi Mishra, Jayati, Rajan Tiwari, Pallavi Pathak, Deepak Bangwal, Manil Mehta, Vikas Shina, Sushil Yadav, Amitabh Ghosh, Ramesh Rawat, Kawardeep Singh, and child artists Tejaswini Gangola, Yashika, and Saransh Jaysinghani.
“Vidya – Sapno Ki Udaan!” is set in Ban village, the final stop of the Raj Jaat Yatra in Chamoli district, which remains a remote and challenging terrain. The film revolves around the theme of education and narrates the inspiring journey of establishing a school in the region. Due to harsh geographical conditions, the area lacks educational institutions, leaving the children deprived of education.
The story highlights how some children from the village leave to pursue education elsewhere. Upon realising the transformative power of education, they feel an emotional pull toward their homeland. Understanding their moral responsibility, they decide to bring the light of education to their village. They face multiple challenges in establishing a school, from engaging with the administration and public representatives to overcoming opposition from certain elements. However, their persistent efforts, along with the intellectual support of local scholars, lead to success. The film emphasises that proper implementation of government initiatives can yield remarkable results.
Director Sanjeeb Das shared that the movie was made with approval from the Uttarakhand Information and Public Relations Department and the Film Development Council, with significant support from the local community of Ban village. The breathtaking natural beauty of the village enhances the film’s visual appeal.
The film has been produced with the contributions of Associate Director Vijay Tiwari, Music Director Naveen Shivram, Cameraman Harsh Sharma, Project Controller Sheenu Kaur, Lyricist Virat Bhatt, Editor Vikas Singh, and Art Director Apoorva Banerjee.
The premiere was attended by Narendra Majumdar, Chief Publicity Officer of Konkan Province, Vishva Hindu Parishad; Swapnil Savarkar, Founder & Chief Editor of Hindustan Post Media House, Mumbai; Rajendra Varadkar, Secretary of Swatantryaveer Savarkar National Memorial, Mumbai; and Sanjeeb Das, Director, Cinematographer, and Media & Acoustic Consultant. Also present were the film’s producers from Real Caliber Productions, Tejoraj Patwal and Vyankat Pundir, along with Executive Producer Sudeep Jugran.
On the occasion, BJYM VP Neha Joshi; author and retired DGP Aloke B Lal; retired IFS officer Jairaj and his wife Sadhna; veteran journalist Upendra Sharma; actor Kunal Malla, his educationist wife Anuradha; advocate Mohd Almas; advocate Renu D Singh of Samadhan Helpline; author & actor Anjali Nauriyal; government teachers Madhu Patwal and Arti Sharma; Suresh Bhatt from Uttarakhand Film Development Council; advocate Parvinder Singh were present amongst others.
Meenakshi Juyal, a government teacher, was the MC.
Garhwal Post and Amar Ujala are the Media Partners of the film.
