Exploring Dreams in 'Love You Messi': A Karbi-Language Film

A Unique Cinematic Journey

Guwahati, May 25: Khanjan Kishore Nath, who was never particularly passionate about football, grew up in rural Assam observing his friends' deep devotion to the sport.

They played on school fields, in gardens, and along dusty village roads, idolizing heroes they would never meet, with dreams that faded into the mundane. These memories have stayed with him.

Now, those memories have transformed into a film. Love You Messi, produced by Rura Rura Entertainment, tells the story of Rang, an eight-year-old boy from a secluded hill village in Northeast India, who idolizes Lionel Messi. He eagerly watches matches on a neighbor's television.

Rang collects every photo of Messi he can find. After adopting a stray puppy named Tung Tung, the dog becomes his steadfast companion. When he discovers that Messi will be in India for a friendly match in Mumbai, it alters his life dramatically.

However, Khanjan emphasizes that the film is not solely about football or Messi. "If you believe Love You Messi is just a football film, you are mistaken," he clarifies.

"At its core, the film explores a disabled child's passion and his desire to explore a world beyond his small village."

The film has recently gained substantial international support. Following co-production discussions at the Indian Pavilion during the Cannes Film Market, UK-based Hiu Man Chan has joined as the executive producer.

Chan will oversee sales, festival strategies, distribution, and marketing outside India from the UK. The partnership developed quickly, as Chan is also a Messi enthusiast and saw deeper meaning in the film beyond its subject matter.

"Hong Kong, my hometown, has a large number of Messi fans," she notes. "This film will resonate with the city, where there is a concentrated audience. As a Messi fan, I am thrilled to be part of this project. I hope my European connections and proactive approach can help it reach a wider audience," she adds.

For Khanjan, this collaboration is significant. "She understood the essence of what I wanted to convey through this film. As a filmmaker, I aspire for my work to be appreciated globally. Anyone who loves football, regardless of where they are from, can connect with it," he states.

Love You Messi marks the second Karbi-language feature from Khanjan and producer Ranjit Teron, following their earlier release, Lost Path, this year.

The film is currently in production, with some scenes filmed during Messi's visit to India last December. The shooting is expected to conclude by the end of the year.

Set in Karbi Anglong, the hilly district of Assam where Khanjan was raised, he describes it as a place where "life flows at its own pace," with the landscape playing a crucial role in the film's emotional narrative.

"I aim to tell this story against that stunning backdrop," he expresses.

Khanjan elaborates, "Through Rang's innocence, his aspirations and setbacks, his bond with Tung Tung and an elderly man, and their journey to an unfamiliar city, the film delves into themes of hope, loss, and human connection."

As Khanjan articulates, the journey is less about meeting Messi and more about the significance of the pursuit.

"For me, Love You Messi is ultimately a tribute to dreams, even the delicate ones that may never fully materialize, yet continue to provide meaning to life."

Khanjan received the Rajat Kamal at the National Film Awards in 2020 for his short film Kachichinithu (The Boy with a Gun). He holds an M Phil in Mass Communication from Rajiv Gandhi University and has trained in filmmaking at the Zee Institute of Media Arts in Mumbai.