An uphill task

Poonam Bindra

Starting his career with modelling, this Ludhiana lad, Karan Soni, is all set to carve a niche for himself in Bollywood.

After producing Punjabi film What the Jatt and working with Raghavan in Badlapur, he is planning to make a meaningful and inspirational movie as he was influenced with films like Bhaag Milkha Bhaag and Mary Kom.

Once while going through news items, he came across a very inspiring story of Nagpur-based boy Ashok Munne. He wanted to make a film on this boy as it was a story worth telling. So, with the help of director Shivam Nair and other team-mates he contacted Ashok and took details of his journey.

Following it up with research, he has now announced this movie titled, Challang. This movie will showcase the extra-ordinary journey of this common village boy, who after losing his leg in a train accident, set out to climb the Mount Everest with one leg and do paragliding from it. How he achieved his goal would be the highlight of the plot.

“It will show how he achieved such feats despite the handicap. I hope to get the message across to physically challenged people to draw upon his or her strength and achieve what he or she wants to. Also, if somebody with some shortcomings can dream and achieve so much, why cant any able bodied person do so?” says Karan.

Shooting of this film will begin in first half of 2016. It will be the first Bollywood film to be shot on Mount Everest and Meera peak. The shooting was postponed due to the earthquake in Nepal which destroyed the locations where it was to be shot.

The film will be directed by Shivam Nair and will be produced by his company NS Productions in association with others.

“For my future projects I am already looking for different subjects like supernatural and looking to tie up for sequels of hit films. By 2017, I am planning to release at least three films in collaboration with some big Bollywood directors and actors,” says this Ludhiana lad.