At that time, he was the President. Although Pattampoochi was a small magazine -- it was for children -- he agreed to give an interview without any hesitation," says the documentary maker.
"As an introduction to the interview, I went to Rameswaram, interviewed Kalam's brother, his teachers and neighbours. That was also to motivate children on the importance of education."
The interview and the visit to Rameswaram had such an impact on Dhanapal that he made a 50-minute documentary on Kalam in Tamil and titled it Kuruthu, which meant a budding leaf.
He went to Rashtrapati Bhavan and gave a copy to Kalam.
"He took me personally to the Mughal Gardens and showed me the Gnana Kudil (knowledge kiosk) and told me, if you sit there, you will get gnanam. It was 8.30 pm on a full moon night and that memory will remain with me all my life!"
Image: A scene from the documentary A Little Dream showing the Rameswaram railway station. The former President’s family is from a village in Rameswaram
Also read:
Rameswaram on India's first citizen
'Relentless work is his religion'
Advertisement
