I was always a sick child. I have been close to death thrice. When I was two years old, I had polio meningitis. My right side was paralysed for three moths. I recovered slowly.

When I was nine years old, I got jaundice that affected my brain. Once I got violent and had to be injected with morphine. That knocked me out, and I did not come out of it. I was declared dead. When my aunt tried to put some milk in my mouth, I came out of my deep sleep. Everyone started screaming and I was rushed to the medical college. I was in the hospital for a month.

The third time, I met with a bus accident, where the bus slammed against an electric pole. So I have gone past all this to pick up an Oscar for our country!

How did you become a sound technician?

After I finished my graduation in Physics, I wanted to do a Masters in Science. But I did not get admission. Meanwhile, I joined a law course when a friend told me there was a seat in the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, for sound. Among the five who applied, I was selected. I went for a week-long orientation programme and that's when I realised that I want to direct a film someday. I would attend workshops for direction, and even got thrown out of class. I lost my scholarship for an entire semester. I cried a lot then because it was big money. I would get Rs 500 scholarship from the Central government and Rs 300 from the State government.

When my scholarship was stopped, my older sister helped me out. I was the youngest of eight children, so my sisters would always help me out.

Later, however, I returned to sound.

Did your family support you when you took up this profession?

When I told my family that I wanted to take up films, my father was not happy. He thought I would take up IAS after law.

He was worried, like any other parent, because I kept changing my stream. That's why I told him not to fund my education, and took up a scholarship.

In the picture: Resul (left) with the cast and crew of Slumdog Millionaire at the Oscars. Photograph: Gary Hershorn/ REUTERS

Also Read: Is Slumdog Millionaire worth the praise?

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