Today is Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s birthday, and every year on this day, I feel very emotional. For me, he is not just a great scientist — he is like a teacher who touched every Indian heart. When I see his photo, I think of kindness, honesty, and simple living.

When I was young, I used to watch his interviews and speeches on TV. He always spoke so softly, but his words had so much power. He never used big English words or acted like a great man. He spoke in a way even a small child from a village could understand. That’s why people loved him so much — he never made anyone feel small.

We all know about his rockets and missiles, but very few people know that Dr. Kalam also respected cinema. Not for entertainment or glamour, but for its ability to inspire. He once said that films can make people think, change minds, and bring light to young hearts. And one small movie actually touched him deeply.

When Dr. Kalam Watched I Am Kalam

In 2011, a Hindi movie called I Am Kalam was made. It was about a poor boy from Rajasthan who sees Dr. Kalam on TV and becomes inspired by him. The boy decides to study hard and names himself “Kalam.” It’s a simple story about dreams, hope, and education.

Before the movie released, the team showed it to Dr. Kalam at his house in Delhi. He watched it quietly. After the film ended, he smiled and said,

“This movie made me remember the children I have met. Every person can change another person’s life. Education must reach every village.”

He didn’t talk about himself. He didn’t say, “This movie is about me.” Instead, he spoke about how it can help poor children dream big. That was his greatness.

He even told the director to take the movie to village schools so that children in rural areas could watch it and get inspired. He wanted them to see that nothing is impossible if you believe in yourself.

This small gesture shows how much Kalam sir loved and respected the power of cinema. He knew that one story can sometimes do more than a thousand speeches.

Later, a short documentary called A Little Dream was made about his life — from Rameswaram to Rashtrapati Bhavan. It showed his journey, his family, his students, and his love for teaching. Kalam sir supported that film too, because he believed that stories can motivate people to do good things.

Even in movies like Swades and Rocketry, we can see Kalam sir’s spirit — science with heart, success with humility, and progress with purpose. When I watched Kantara recently, I also thought of him. That same feeling — of faith, nature, and spirit — was what Kalam sir always spoke about: “Science and spirituality can go together.”

When I think of Kalam sir and cinema, I realise both have one big thing in common — they give hope. He used rockets to make India believe in itself; filmmakers use stories to do the same. Both make us dream. Both make us feel proud.

Today, as we remember him, I feel that his life itself was like a beautiful movie — full of struggle, kindness, and victory. But unlike other movies, this one never ends. His story keeps running in our hearts every single day.

Happy Birthday, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.
Thank you for teaching us to dream, to stay humble, and to believe that even one person can change the world.

– Deepan Boopathy