ON A day which saw the Orissa Government banning marathon kid Budhia Singh from running long distances as his medical report said he should not be subjected to it, there was something to cheer about for the child prodigy and his coach.
Reason: Budhia, who created a world record by running 65 km in seven hours and two minutes in the state last week, may soon be seen in a Hollywood film.
US film production company Foster Entertainment has evinced interest in making a film on Budhia's life, local newspaper Dharitri reported on Monday, quoting the boy’s coach Biranchi Das.
A company official reportedly contacted Das with the proposal on Sunday. Four-and-a-half-years-old Budhia has been shown on almost all TV channels in India and a French channel has also shot a documentary on him.
Touch Productions Ltd, a UK-based documentary film unit, had planned a documentary on Budhia and even invited him to London next week. However, Budhia's trip was put off, Das told the daily.
On Monday, the Orissa government took this decision of not allowing Budhia to run a marathon in Orissa till he reaches ‘proper age’ after the medical report on the five-year-old was submitted to Women and Child Development Minister Pramila Mallick.
{{/usCountry}}On Monday, the Orissa government took this decision of not allowing Budhia to run a marathon in Orissa till he reaches ‘proper age’ after the medical report on the five-year-old was submitted to Women and Child Development Minister Pramila Mallick.
{{/usCountry}}The medical report said Budhia was anemic, under cardiological stress and suffered from high blood pressure. If Budhia continued to run long distance races, it might aggravate the condition and result in renal failure. The HT was the first to reveal the contents of the medical report on Sunday.
The government does not officially call it a "ban" on Budhia, but has asked the district authorities to stop him from participating in any future marathons.
Mallick, after going through the medical report, said: "The government is not imposing a complete ban on Budhia's running. He can still practice."
"Budhia will be allowed to participate in a marathon after he reaches the proper age. The government has viewed the medical report with utmost seriousness and will do whatever is good for the child's health," Mallick said.
Soon after the medical report was submitted, Mallick convened a meeting of the home, law and health secretaries to decide the future course of action. It was decided to send directives to all district collectors and SPs, asking them not to allow any organisation to hold a marathon featuring Budhia.