Secrets of the Big Shots

Twenty three-year-old Anubhav Srivastav is only second to minister Shashi Tharoor when it comes to a fan following on Twitter. However,his 14 thousand followers follow him for completely different reasons. Srivastav is an amateur filmmaker who is making a motivational documentary called Carve Your Destiny about Indian achievers from diverse fields and has released excerpts of it online. The film,according to Srivastav is on the lines of Drew Heriot’s The Secret based on the book by Rhonda Brynes and so far,the cyber world at least,seems to be giving it a thumbs up. “The film tries to analyse achievers and their secrets for success,” says Srivastav who graduated in Finance from Western International University,Delhi and claims that India has produced many motivational books but no film on self help.

The enterprising Srivastav has managed to get interviews with former President of India APJ Abdul Kalam,corporate stars Kiran Majumdar Shaw and Som Mittal,Delhi Chief Minister Shiela Dixit and other luminaries such as retired IPS officer Kiran Bedi . “There were hundreds of rejections to face before these people agreed but I just kept going,” says Srivastav.

A novice in filmmaking,Srivastav had proposed this idea for an international filmmaking competition. But the rejection for it came on the grounds of non-feasibility. “That’s when I thought I have to make it work,” he says. Srivastav leaves for London this month for more interviews. He is in touch with industrialist Richard Branson,director Danny Boyle and scientist Stephan Hawking to complete the film. “Once I am done I will be sending the film to the various film festivals,” he adds. We are waiting.