'Imagine SRK offering you a film to direct!'

It's not everyday that Shah Rukh Khan, so impressed with a script, decides to produce the film under his Red Chillies Entertainment banner. But then, E Niwas is no ordinary director.

The man won a National Award for his very first film, Shool, and scored at the box office with his second, Love Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega. Though his later films bombed, Niwas is back with My Name Is Anthony Gonsalves, releasing this Friday.

But life has been tough for this 29-year-old director.

E Niwas hails from a small village called Ananthpur in Andhra Pradesh. When he was three, his father -- a Civil Engineer in the Public Works Department -- passed away. His sudden death brought on all the responsibility on his mother, a housewife. They survived, thanks to an agricultural income which their uncle and aunt gave them.

But despite hardships, E Niwas has always been in love with the movies. His favourite actor was Chiranjeevi. He would bunk school and watch his movies. If he had no money, he would pay for tickets with his school fees.

"Even with my economical background, I would take a chance and buy tickets with my school fees. Just imagine what a big movie buff I was!" exclaims E Niwas.

E Niwas decided to join the film profession at an early age. After completing school, he started meeting people who were connected to the film world -- from small-time actors, cinematographers and technicians.

At first, he was only interested in film shooting. But as he broadened his horizon, he realised there was much that he could do. E Niwas never wanted to become an actor. So he would only busy himself with the technical side of filmmaking. He started reading books on movie-making, and cinema. But he could not get a break in the movies.

On the other hand, his family got very upset about his career goals, given their economic status.

As he wondered about his future, E Niwas decided to meet Ram Gopal Varma. "I don't know why I decided to approach him. I just went to him and he interviewed me. He asked me questions like what an assistant director did. I was zapped. I did not answer any of his questions," E Niwas laughs.

He just told RGV that he did not have the answers, but had the ability to learn. His confidence made RGV take him in. But he had to wait for two months for RGV's new film to start.

E Niwas now had a job in hand. But he had to break the news to his family. E Niwas decided to take the easy way out, and ran away from home. He was only 16 years old.

He came to Hyderabad and worked with RGV on his film, Antam. It was later dubbed in Hindi as Drohi. Since he was new to the city, he stayed at the studio itself. E Niwas joined as the 12th assistant director. Among his many duties, was to serve tea. His pay was a mere Rs 2,000 per month then.

After nine months, his mother found him, and took him home.

But E Niwas never left movies. He returned to work with RGV, and worked for seven years before he got a break with Shool in 2000. RGV was shooting for the Telugu film, Prem Katha in 1991, the launch pad of Nagarjuna's nephew, Sumanth.

Three days before the shoot would end, Ramu had to return to Mumbai to discuss his new film, Rangeela. RGV asked his most trusted man, E Niwas, to finish the last three days of shooting. After the shoot was over, RGV shifted his base to Mumbai. He took with him a selected few, E Niwas being among them.

RGV did not even see what E Niwas had shot, and yet, offered him the chance to direct a film.

At the age of 23, E Niwas directed his first film, Shool, starring Manoj Bajpai and Raveena Tandon. The film won him a National Film Award for the Best Feature Film. After Shool, E Niwas wanted to try his hand on a romantic comedy. After a gap of two years, he made Love Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega. The young director dedicated all his success to RGV, who taught him filmmaking, and how to visualise.

After that, E Niwas made Dum, starring Vivek Oberoi. Unfortunately, it bombed. Another flop, Bardasht, with Bobby Deol, followed.

E Niwas decided that he would direct only when he was convinced with the script. Meantime, he directed commercials for  Hyundai Motors, Leher Kukure, Kenstar, Sansui and Videocon.

It was during this time that he met his wife, Priyanka, based in Bangalore. She worked as a fitness trainer with Bharat Thakur, who recently married Bhoomika Chawla.

Finally, E Niwas was ready with a full bound script of My Name Is Anthony Gonsalves. He did auditions for the male lead, and zeroed in on Nikhil Dwivedi. But he could not get a producer. Thats when E Niwas decided to produce it himself.

But his film was meant for better things. While shooting for a Videocon ad with Shah Rukh Khan, the star overheard E Niwas discussing his film with Nikhil Dwivedi. Impressed by their zest towards their work, SRK offered them the use of his offices for the film. He also helped them out during the making of the film.

"But Shah Rukh Khan was never supposed to do an item number," E Niwas clarifies. "That was all speculation."

SRK went on to offer E Niwas to direct a film under the Red Chillies banner. "That was the biggest compliment I got from King Khan. Imagine Shah Rukh Khan himself acknowledging your work and offering you a film to direct!" he exclaims.

Even at the premiere of My Name Is Anthony Gonsalves on January 9, Shah Rukh attended despite a foot injury. Unfortunately, his mentor Ram Gopal varma could not make it, as he is shooting in Bangkok.

My Name Is Anthony Gonsalves is about an ordinary man with an extraordinary dream. Seems almost autobiographical.