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The inspiring journey of Captain G.R. Gopinath from an obscure village in Karnataka to a momentous career in the Indian Army and then to the founding of low-cost airline Air Deccan, which revolutionised air travel in India, is now a Tamil movie.
Soorarai Pottru (Hail the Warrior) is an adaptation of Capt Gopinath's 2011 bestselling book Simply Fly: A Deccan Odyssey. The film will be a Deepavali delight for movie lovers as it is set for release on Amazon Prime Video on Nov 12.
The trailer of the movie in which popular Tamil actor Suriya plays Capt Gopinath was released on Monday and has already gone viral on social media.
"Eru otravan kooda aeroplane la povaan (one who ploughs the field will also travel in an aeroplane)," thunders Suriya, who plays Nedumaran Rajangam, "a rebel with an idea", a character based on Capt Gopinath.
Suriya said Soorarai Pottru is a "very special movie for me and one that's very close to my heart".
"With this film, we want to bring out the message that nothing in this world can stop you from chasing your dreams if you are true to yourself and dedicated to the task," he said.
"We hope that the audience will continue to shower us with their unwavering support."
Capt Gopinath gave out the movie rights to his book after the late Kannada playwright Girish Karnad said that it could easily be adapted into a film as it has "huge cinematic value". "The movie may not be 100 per cent true to the book. It (Soorarai Pottru) is a dramatised version of my book but will stay to its essence," Capt Gopinath, 68, told the Deccan Herald.
"The only condition that I imposed on the producers is that the core story, which is being passionate about one's dream and achieving it against all odds, should remain the focus.
"The book was not written to talk about my journey but to inspire people from rural areas and the disadvantaged sections that big dreams are possible to achieve if one is passionate about them. That even those who do not have any connections can succeed.
"The book was not about making money but about discovering one's own dream. Like you writing your own horoscope."
Financed by Suriya's 2D Productions in association with Sikhya Entertainment, the movie, directed by Sudha Kongara who worked as an assistant director with top filmmaker Maniratnam, is also being dubbed in Kannada, Malayalam and Telugu.
Besides Suriya, the film features Malayalam actress Aparna Balamurali as the female lead and veteran Telugu actor Mohan Babu.
Care has been taken to depict Capt Gopinath's life struggles faithfully on the screen. Suriya and his team met the former Indian Army captain to get more insights into his life.
The movie covers almost every aspect of Capt Gopinath's life - from his days in his village Gorur in Hassan district, stint with the Army, his role in the 1971 India-Pakistan war that liberated Bangladesh, his return to farming and his launching of Air Deccan.
Indo-Asian News Service
