Private Project

A boy who dreamt of electricity

Bheru, 21, is from a tribal community and lives in the interior Hilly village of Mavli in Western Rajasthan. Bheru is an eighth-grade dropout who works as a farm labourer with his father, Nathuram, age 45, for Village Surpanch (Village Head) Devi Singh, also known as Daddy. Bheru's mother, Anchahi, age 40 works as a maid (housekeeper) at Daddy's home.
Bheru’s parents are concerned about his marriage because early marriage is common in their community. Bheru's house is on top of the hill, where there is only one house and due to this unusual geographical location of the house, no electricity polls or infrastructure have been reached to their place. No proposal for Bheru's marriage has been accepted by any girl or her family because their house does not have electricity. Bheru's mother desires for a nice breeze from a fan after a long day of hard labour at Daddy's house, but she never gets one, which frustrates Bheru.
Bheru realises at some point that they need electricity to change their lives, and he wants to provide electricity to his parents, especially his mother, and obtaining electricity for his house has now become a primary goal of his life. He begins following up with the Surpanch and the Electricity Authority about getting a power connection, but he fails because there are legal obstacles to getting electricity because his house is on difficult terrain, and getting electrical infrastructure there will cost in lakhs, which he cannot afford due to his financial situation.
After witnessing their son's obsession with obtaining electricity, Bheru's parents become concerned; they have given up hope of having their home electrified. Bheru, on the other hand, saw the solar lantern in the city when he went there for work, and he was surprised that this type of lantern runs on sunlight. When Bheru sees this, he gains hope and inquires further. He then learns about the solar panel, which has just arrived in the Indian market and thus costs much more. Bheru realises this is out of his pocket, but he also knows this will transform his life.
How Bheru embarks on a path that will cost him his marriage and goes out of his way to have a solar panel installed in his home. The panel has been installed, and the first ray of bulb light falls on Bheru's mother's face, revealing wet eyes and a smile. The frame freezes, and the film concludes with a ray of hope in Bheru and his family's lives.

  • Jigar Madanlal Nagda
    Director
  • Jigar Madanlal Nagda
    Writer
  • Kunal Mehta
    Key Cast
    "Bheru"
  • mehender srivas
    Key Cast
    "Nathu (father)"
  • Rakhi Mansa
    Key Cast
    "Anchahi (Mother)"
  • Jigar Madanlal Nagda
    Producer
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Genres:
    Drama
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 12 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    May 10, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    1,000,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    India
  • Country of Filming:
    India
  • Language:
    Rajasthani
  • Shooting Format:
    Arri mini with mater prime lense
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Jigar Madanlal Nagda

Jigar Nagda is a postgraduate in Mass Communication from Mumbai University. At the age of 20, he attended an Asian film festival, which sparked his love and passion for filmmaking. For the past 9 years, he has been working in the film industry as an assistant and associate director, learning from some of the best talents including Anurag Kashyap, Onir, Manish Gupta, and Wilson Luis.

Jigar's passion for travel led him to embark on an India tour with just one rupee, an experience that had a profound impact on his life and way of thinking. Upon completing this journey, he decided to pursue his dream of making his own film. Anurag Kashyap, with whom he had worked as a director's assistant for Bombay Velvet, deeply influenced Jigar's perspective on filmmaking. Anurag's belief that if you don't find a producer, you should stand up for yourself and the world will support you, became Jigar's biggest motivation in making his film.

This belief turned out to be true as Jigar successfully completed his first film, "A Boy Who Dreamt with Electricity," and is now eagerly awaiting its release.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

"A Boy Who Dreamt of Electricity" is a story inspired by my personal journey through India, where I embarked without any specific mission, simply seeking the joy of exploration. During this journey, I had the opportunity to stay in numerous remote villages nestled in challenging terrains. These communities were devoid of basic necessities such as water, roads, and electricity, yet they radiated happiness and contentment, never longing for the basic comforts of life. Electricity, in particular, remained a luxurious privilege beyond their reach. It was from their lives and experiences that the idea for my film took shape, compelling me to tell their story.