/> National award winning director Nila Madhab Panda whose debut film I Am Kalam last year advocating child literacy caught the attention of the former president Abdul Kalam and won its young protagonist Harsh Mayar a National award, is desperately looking for Aamir Khan.

Panda is on the verge of releasing Jalpari: The Desert Mermaid, his film on female foeticide. And feels Aamir's attention would substantially aggravate the eyeball quotient for his message-oriented film.

Says Panda wrily, `I realize my film is not Joker in terms of star value. And though we're coming on the same Friday I'm not even trying to pitch Jalpari against Joker. But at least we expected some decent shows in the multiplexes. We haven't even been able to get that. It's a pity because those who have seen it in previews say it's better than my earlier film I Am Kalam. `

Anxious to get an audience Panda has been urgently trying to reach Aamir Khan. `He champions meaningful cinema. And when he asks audiences to see a film they go. Also, Aamir cares about the female child.

He has done a very moving segment of his television show Satyamev Jayate on female foeticide. If we go by this segment of his show and by his general empathy for social issues then Aamir is the right person to take Jalpari to a wider audience, ` opines Panda.


Ever since Panda saw Aamir addressing the issue of female foeticide on Satyamev Jayate he has been trying to contact the conscientious actor. `But unfortunately I have not been able to accesss Aamir. I've tried every route possible. But to no avail. Now my film is just hours away from release. I still want Aamir to just give the film a little thought. `

The director has already taken the film's message to the gram panchayat level. `DVDs of the film will be distributed at the panchayat level. The message of my film is more likely to reach the villages than the cities, ` says Panda sadly.

The urban audience needs Aamir Khan to tell them about Jalpari. Would he oblige?