Documentary on Indian Girl (Pinki) at Oscars...
Even as the spotlight is on ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ for being nominated for 10 Oscar awards, including three to Indian music maestro Allah Rakha Rehman for his inspiring score in the movie based on the life on three Mumbai slum children, Pinky, an eight-year-old girl from India’s Mirzapur district in Uttar Pradesh, has made a quiet entry for the Oscars and is silently preparing for the big night on February 22.
Pinky is the protagonist of a 39-minute documentary film titled ‘Smile Pinky’ that has been nominated for the 81st Oscars this year. The film is based on an enchanted account of curing Pinky who was born with lips malformation. The Academy of Motion Picture and Arts had selected the short film for the prestigious Oscars in October 2008. This is certainly another major feat for India, following A. R. Rehman’s nominations for three Oscar nominations this year.
The documentary has been directed by Megan Mylan, who called up the girl’s surgeon to share the news on Thursday and also enquire about her little lucky mascot. Although Megan has earlier been nominated for Emmys, this is her maiden Oscar nomination. Hence, Megan too is excited over ‘Smile Pinky’ being nominated for the Oscars.
While the incident has propelled Dr. Subodh Kumar Singh, the plastic surgeon from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh who performed the operations on Pinky, to big league, little Pinky is visibly ecstatic over the developments and is now making her preparations to visit Los Angles for the grand event. She, along with her family members, Dr. Singh and neighbors, are presently waiting for the invitation from the Academy of Motion Picture and Arts to attend the gala to reach her doorsteps.
Soon after receiving the news, Pinky’s elated father Rajendra Sonkar, a local peasant from Rampur Dahaba in remote Mirzapur district of Uttar Pradesh, rushed to the market to fetch some good clothes for his daughter in anticipation that she would be invited to the Oscars. Even as little Pinky is overjoyed at the turn of events and thrilled over the pair of jeans and a sparkling top bought by her father, the fact remains that the underprivileged family is in a quandary on how to fly to Los Angles on their own.
According to Rajendra Sonkar, who lives in a one-roomed dwelling with his family, although he is happy with the honor brought by his daughter, he is unsure if they would finally be able to make it to the Oscars gala. “I have only traveled up to Varanasi and America for me is too far,” he rues. Nevertheless, Dr. Singh, who has transformed Pinky’s life, is now endeavoring to arrange for her flight to Los Angles. The doctor has approached his contacts and others for help to arrange for the girl’s passport, visa and tickets. “I am trying my best, but, given the brief period, arranging so many things may be very difficult,” Dr. Singh says, adding, “I am just keeping my fingers crossed.”