The story of Dr. Pradyumna Kumar Mahanandia inspires us to believe that no matter how much trouble we face at last love makes everything possible.
Born in 1949 into a poor weaver family of Odisha, Dhenkanal who were considered untouchables, Mahanandia was a gifted artist. In 1971, he joined College of Art in New Delhi and gained popularity for making portraits.
In 1975, 19-year-old Charlotte Von Sledvin, a student in London heard about him and came down all the way to India to get her portrait made by him. Love had to bloom when Mahananda was touched by Charlotte’s beauty and Charlotte’s heart was won by his simplicity.
When it was time for Charlotte to leave, she asked her love to come along but Mahanandia had to stay back in India to complete his education and send his beloved with a promise to meet her again. He denied air ticket to Europe from Charlotte and decided to reach on his own expenses.
After she left, the two kept in touch through letters. Mahanandia then sold all his belongings and bought a second-hand bicycle. Carrying all his paints and brushes along, he did the unthinkable to make the promise come true.
He set out on a voyage to the Far West with a hope to reunite with his love. This was back in 1978. He reached Amritsar from New Delhi before entering Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Germany, Austria and Denmark. After 4 months and 3 weeks of back-breaking journey, he finally reached Gothenburg, Sweden. Upon reaching, he was questioned by Swedish immigration officers who were amazed to see a man who had come from India riding a bicycle. Authorities were surprised and did not believe that someone of royal blood from Europe would marry a poor Indian.
When Charlotte learned about the man from India who cycled all the way for around 5 months, she drove to Gothenburg and received her love with unbridled happiness. Her parents accepted Pradyumna as a part of their family by breaking a royal tradition that prohibited non-white people from residing with the nobles. After 40 years of marriage, Dr PK Mahanandia serves as the Odiya Cultural Ambassador of India to Sweden and lives with his wife Charlotte and 2 children in Sweden.
Today Pk’s paintings have been exhibited in major cities of the world and have found places in the prestigious UNICEF greeting cards. He is well known in Sweden as an artist and is working as an Adviser, Art and Culture, under the Swedish Government.
Hi! Thanks a lot for joining Thoughts of SheryL!
Great blog! 🙂
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You’re welcome and thanks.
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Wow! Loved this story! Soooo beautiful. Thank you for sharing it. 🙂
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Yes it..so rare in this world.
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A journey dictated by fate, fueled by love, and accomplished by the indomitable spirit of a true artist.
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Yes it is.. thank you for commenting.
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What true love does to two true lovers has to learned from them. Especially in this era of fast paced love.
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Their story is a real treat..
is par abi thak film kyun nahi bani
Oye I think you ll be covering my posts this weekend itself…
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Haha…no….no.. .i have put a break. It’s paranormal activity time now. Haha… 😁
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I thought u slept already.. yar ithna late so rahe ho toh jaagna toh dupahar se pehle nahi hoga
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Haha….nahi …nahi i am up one hour before itself. ..Good Morning.. .
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Good morning in fact good noon.. I woke up just 2 hours back
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Good Night . Haha☺….chalo theenom hogaya…my morning wish, ur afternoon wish and my night ka wish… Ab aap bhi sojavo…
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Mujhe laga aaj aap WordPress aayi nahi..
Kal bi chutti hai aise kaise so jawo abi toh aur dho film baki hai vadachennai n sandakozhi 2
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Haha…tho..dekhliya kya? Vada and kozhi 2.haha..☺… Good Morning ji….onnu confirm vada yum kozhiyum ellam pathu thoonga late aayirupinge ….so kandippa innakku ungalukku Good afternoon thaan nu. Enjoy ur Sunday jaisa Saturday … C U once u r up..
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Crrt good afternoon apple.. yup Sunday like Saturday… Have a great day
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So how was vada and sandakozhi 2? Good.. .average ya once watchable for the sake of watching?
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If vadachennai wasn’t released then ppl would have watched sandakozhi 2 more often… sandakozhi was not bad but the story is nothing new so one time watch..
while vada Chennai is simply vetrimaran epic work n dhanush acting like we saw in puthupettai..
vetrimaran should be applauded for showing the reality of what happens in real life…
if you have been in north chennai then u ll feel the film’s depth… An local gangster movie… padam pathi than mudinjirku second part la midhi kadhai irukum…
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Oh Ok …ok..appo poyi padam parunge appuram pesikkalam…
Thanks for the tip.
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Pathuten rendume atha solren..
now searching for a Kannada movie a villain.. inum kedaikala..
if u r watching vada Chennai one thing north Chennai bad words naraya varum athula pathukonga..
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Ok …thanks for the warning.. ..
Try whether you can get to see ‘Angrerzi mein kehte hein’
And John Travoltas ” Look who is talking ” part 1… again a good movie but a 80’s movie i think…
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Angrezi me kehthe hain not yet.. will watch it
I m not into so much of 80’s movies but will check for sure..
12 angry man ek bahut purani movie hai
That was seriously awesome.. try watching it
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This.is 1989 movie… watch the trailer, if you like it then watch otherwise leave…
Uhmm…i have heard about ’12 angry man’, will try watching it.
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Ok kandipa next week…. You will like it…
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Ok will do it.
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A very good morning Chiru….Have a nice start tdy for a wonderful week ahead…Have a Fab day ahead…. Try to enjoy your Monday like Sunday….
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Happy Morning apple… Have a relaxing Sunday…
Hahaaa like Sunday.. will try..
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Haha…i knw it’s a bit difficult but try tho karo…..hum manic Monday lightly in your mind to relax urself when u get Monday jaise Sunday a bit too much for u….and keep March in your mind too…haha..
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Keeping march in mind is the only thing that boost me to work on… lol..
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Haha.. .then let March towards March be the mantra for you till March to make you go on in the registan there. … Have a nice day Chiru…
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😄 thanks yar .. marching towards it.. agle 4 mahine toh pura winter hoga will be slow…
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Uhmm…don’t worry winter will pass soon, just like that…now you have all of us in WordPress giving u company till March….so Buck up and face the winter as in GOT…
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Oh yes WordPress is helping me a lot not to get bored and its really interesting to read the posts of fellow bloggers..
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See ….bass yun hi time nikal jaayga phir…dekh lena…
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Sunne me toh acha lag raha hai…. hope jaldhi ye winter katham ho jaye..
Mujhe nahi laga kabi aisa din aayega jab main winter ko jaldhi beethne ki bath karun…
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Haha…is winter that bad there?
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Too bad yar.. I actually wait for the breezing winter.. But here its not of our kind..
It goes below 8 degrees and we don’t feel anything good abt it…
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Below 8 degree is tough…that is literally freezing…
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Yes and its not good.. it becomes too difficult when fog hits…
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Yehaan ki tand mein hi fog nikalthe hein tho problem ho jaathi hein…tho wahan ka aur bhura hoga.. hope you keep urself warm enough and be careful during your venturing out.. .is religious policing still strict as before??
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I don’t have a license here.. that saves me from driving.. or else drive karne se apne aap ko hi rokh nahi saktha… As long as i don’d drive its safe here.. hahhahhaaa.
Well winter late nov se jyadha hoga.. abi toh its still hot..
Religious policy of course yar.. Its the birth country of Islam… It is still the same.. Only good thing the new prince did is allowing women’s to drive…
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Oh ok…good then you don’t have a license there. ..if you and saudi people are both saved from you not driving there 😁
Chalo then 1 more month of bearable weather still prevails.
Ya…..Saudi women allowed to drive was news here too… good that guy must be a little liberated in thinking waise they are all qualified in America or some Europe university..
Kaam khatam? How did Monday jaisa Sunday go?
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Comedy ya… I drive safe.. po..
Monday went well.. headache k saath..
logging off now..
kal se aaapka monday shuru..
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Han yar…kal se humara headache shuru….headache metaphorically ya literally?.. ☺
So back to room and ur space… are u on sharing base with other employees or alone?
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Yar literally… dimaag kharab ho gaya aaj..
when it’s headache it’s chaos with my whole head…
sharing with two other colleague… When I came here I was given a single room. Out of loneliness had to join with d group..
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Oh my God, that means it was not one of your best days . Sad to hear that. Chalo you Are done with the worst, tmrrw might be.bearable …i hope for you.
Good you are sharing with some one, at least you will have company …loneliness can be maddening…
Are they Indians too? Sone ka time nahi hua. Usually u wind up early on working days right ?
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Day started as usual..like normal mondays but bich me ye headache patha nahi kaha se aagaya….. Haan Indians hi hain ek Blr se ek north se..
yes I do but due to headache couldn’t sleep..
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Why don’t you have a paracetamol… and close your eyes and lie down Chatt se it will go off. Only sleep can wear out the headache .. may be a slight migrane. Have a crocin…it has pain kilker in low dose.
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Amrutanjan lagaya abi aur kuch hai nahi.. I think it should work.. Apple really thanks a lot for ur concern yar…
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U don’t have a crocin with you? Or any paracetamol for that matter…ok wind up everything now that you have applied the balm..straining your eyes will give you more headache….sleep it off….tell me in the morning how u feel…Good Night..now close everything and lie down.. .sleep will automatically come.
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I hate tablets yar..
Yup I should…good night sleep well
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Hope u slept well…how do you feel now Chiru? Better? …Good Morning… Have a good and healthy day….
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Happy morning apple and have a great week ahead.. Yup better now… Last night sleep went for a trip waiting for it to return.. haha..
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Sorry yar…thoda busy tha aaj pura din…didn’t get time to come to WordPress …..
How was your aaj ka din? Better than strday? Good you are feeling better..
Sleep went for a trip maane you didn’t sleep at all? ….why was the headache that bad ..meine kaha tha aapse ek crocin le lo…aap bhi bache ki tharah…ok….I agree u don’t like medicines….but in case of emergency you have to take na…unnecessarily you suffered the pain and the irritation of having a headache and lost ur sleep too . Hope u have logged out of ur work… .Go home ….have something to eat and wind up early tdy….get some proper rest….
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It’s okay yar.. I understood you are not online..
headache is my biggest enemy.. waise toh bahut rare aatha hai but when it cums it ll be like hell….
tablets se kuch nahi hotha hai yar.. they r just vitamins aur mujhe acha bi nahi lagtha.
Now it’s better.. I just thought ki aapka comment hoga and came here before sleeping..
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Ok! You take rest…..prbly what you get is something like migraine that’s why you feel the severity. ..by the way I am yet to like your new post and comment. I will do it tdy b4 sleeping. Khanna khaya? …sleep well ..take care Good Night….
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Just sleeping.. haan had..
yup share your views..
Have dinner and sleep early..
Good night and sleep well.
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BTW….aapke ..When small things create meaningful moments post mein bhi ek typo error hein shayad… in this sentence….. All the furniture was covered with streets.. . Isn’t it sheets: instead of streets.
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Yes.. Thanks for pointing it out.. it should be sheets..
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No yar it is a word given to old age home.. or kind of…
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Oh ok…then a new word for me to learn…
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Yup.. There are lot of synonyms we are unaware of…
While reading your comment I remembered a word “flabbergasted” used in a stand up comedy.. synonym for word surprise..
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I knw ..so many new words.. ..flabbergasted tho i have heard and i use..
But here is a new.word for you ……
floccinaucinihilipilification – means – The act or habit of describing or regarding something as unimportant, of having no value or being worthless.
Hame tho ye pronounce karne mein ek dhin lag jaayenge☺.I heard this first being used by one of our ex minister… Shashi Tharoor….I admire that man for his vocabulary… if you get a chance in the evening listen to any one of his speech…chance ille…ukkandhu poyiduvom avarodu vocabulary and pronunciation leyume..
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floccinaucinihilipilification?? kastam..jisne iski khoz ki hai na wo agar mujhe mil gaya na ithna maarunga ki bhul jayega ki aisa koi word hai…..
Shashi tharoor is a genius in using synonyms….Right his pronunciation is way too better than native english speakers..
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Haha.ek bandha nahi coined this word..a group of people did
Yes his flair in the language is remarkable….
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Group ko hi ek saath bich nadhi me dubayenge
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Haha….but u learned a new word na….
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As u said itha pronounce panradhuke oru naal aagum.. This word is not common and will not be used regularly…But in case of learning a new word its fine…
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Naalakku yaaravidhu theriyuma nu ketta sollu….oh nalla.theriyume. .Apple solli kodutha nu sollu ok va…😁
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Ok madam.. sure but kekuravangalum indha word yen ivlo perusa complicated ah iruku nu keta enna solrardhu
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Tell them life is a bit complicated so just to balance with the complicated life Apple taught you this…for you to stand firm in this complicated life….isze zyaada kuch puchega nahi lekin pucha tho mere paas bech dena…i will teach them a more complicated word…haha ..😁
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Hahahaha that’s an fair explanation.. balance with complications….haaan ok isse jyadha puchega toh state k border me chod kar aajawunga dhek lena..
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Haha….nahi..nahi aap ithna thakleef kyun uttathe hon? Unko mera blog address de dhena….No personal appointments are entertained bhi bhol dena… I can clarify their doubts in blog itself.
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Hahahaa Ok appointment liye bina kaise..
I will fix an appointment don’t worry.. Blog hi kaafi hai…
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Aree aapki recommendation woh lekhe aaye tho blog mein consultation fix hi samjo….but they shld bring your handwritten note.. ☺
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Hahaha handwritten of course.. Without my approval don’t allow anyone ok va…
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Na…na…nakko…aapke approval ke bhina tho bilkul hi nahi!!! Tussi na dariyo…haha…😁
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Hahaha kyun ki koi bi chiru ka naam lekar agaya toh halla mach jayega….
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Haha…i knw that . ..that is why i told those coming with your handwritten note. . Why shld i entertain aise yere ghere ko? ..
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hahha good apple..
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Got it.. yes that’s typo.. I have just corrected it..
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Innum thoongalaya? By the way, there is a typo error; in the title of your post on Heath Ledger….in the title it’s typed as Health instead of Heath…
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This headache 🤕 yar..
I thought u slept..
Acha I ll correct it..
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I had winded up when i heard the buzz, saw it was you, thought will let u knw here instead of there . At least people wouldn’t relate it here.
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Oh yes thanks apple..
it’s late for you now.. U should go to sleep….
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Pehle aap ye thanks kehna chod dho….phhir aap jaake ek crocin le lo.. aur so jao…everything will be alright….
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Wo flow me aajatha hai kya karun…
ok next time se nahi😝
Aap bi so jawo ab it’s late already..
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Yes me too closing everything off…Good might
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Ye story ka kayal acha hein. If taken aesthetically, by some good director under a good banner or production house can churn out a beautiful love story with all the scope of a wide pan cover of different locations too.. ..can be even tagged as peddling .journey from rags to royal life.
What a profound love ….I was blown away….
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Yes I trust Bollywood will consider this in future..
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Let’s assume they are ….whom would you want to play the lesd roles…huin hi batadho…
BTW…how abt the 2nd movie in the weekend list.. .dekha ya dekhne ka hein? ???
How did your post afternoon session go tdy? After noon thak tho muje patha hein…😁
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Haan dhekh liya.. I would say anyone who watch this dog’s purpose would love it..
The film just showed that dog’s are something more than what we humans think of them…
loved the last scene quote ‘don’t get sad face abt wat happened and crunchy face abt wat could….. just be here now’
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Haha….glad you enjoyed …only one question what was the dogs name in his 1st ever life of his which in his last Ethan recognise and rechristen him and engrave on his badge….
U still didn’t say whom would u want to see in the Bollywood version of this pan 8 countries cycling lovers biopic….chodungi nahi…bathado…😁
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Bailey bailey bailey bailey 😍😍
Kaise bhul saktha hun I travelled through the film…
Us film ka biopic🤔🤔 agar mujhe chance mila yoh main khud kar saktha hun😂😂
Sharukh will be best to do this role… but seeing the original character he cannot justify it in real.. or sushant Singh will also do well…
aap bathawo na aapka choice kon hoga
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Haha….Bailey kind of stuck with me too…and the way he says it is more sweet…. .i am glad u enjoyed this movie as i had some doubt abt you liking it as you are not a dog lover…i have seen this movie 3 times.
Ok my choice is Aamirkhan as he can more easily adapt to this character because of his dedication to the character he plays…and i think he can play a local Orissa guy with ease…and if the movie doesn’t require a star studded cast for a hero or is doing a lower budget one then I think i would rather go with Rajkumar Rao for his raw and native look he can easily adapt to this Orissa character… and to play the sweden Royal girl i think Amy Jackson will suit as she is a foreigner and has a princess like face….but if not much glamorous girl is needed then Kalki koechan would suit the role i think.
What do you say?
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I liked this movie yar.. I said u na I have watched 101 Dalmatians.. that was one of my favorite.. yes I m not a dog lover but I always amaze when they show their love which is more than any human close to us…
Yes Aamir khan do his best to suit the character.. and Amy Jackson the foreigner look… U have a good taste..
Rahkumar rao is good but I don’t think he might do justice to the character
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Don’t underestimate that guy Rajkumar…keep out an eye on him. He is a class apart from the newbies. Waise I forgot Nawazuddin Siddique….for a local guy’s character he might suit too..or Irfhaan Khan for that matter…
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Irfaan n Nawazuddin will always be the best yes I agree Raj kumar rao is on line in the likes of irfan nawazuddin n Nana patekar..
rajkumar has made his name after a lot of struggle now..
I ll go with Irfan for this role..
Have u seen gangs of wasseypur 2.. after watching tat film I become nawazuddin’s fan
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Yes i have…. yes…he is really nice.; I liked him after bajrangi baijaan’s reporter role
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Us film ka biopic🤔🤔 agar mujhe chance mila yoh main khud kar saktha hun😂😂………if this is true your fear of dogs have gone? ?😁. .Now do you agree they are the most adorable and loveable pets 😁
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Fear toh kabi jayega nahi yar.. but the fact that dogs are the most precious creature in this planet.. this makes me feel good..
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Haha….chalo kuch kayal tho aapka badhla…
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Haan haan but fear toh kabi jayega nahi..
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Reblogged this on Indians Abroad Desi Videsh Me and commented:
New Delhi to Sweden on a Bycycle
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Wow.. after a long time…
Thank you so much.. glad it made your interest…
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Thank you
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Tomorrow is untouched by human hand. It is from here a new and special land.
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Thanks for stopping by..
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Wow.. this is wonderfully romantic. True love knows no boundaries.
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Yes this is one of the purest known love story ever..
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good morning Produman.Great to learn about your story. cycling down sweeden to meet your love is exemplary.
great.
rad my posts very interesting poetry and glad if i happen to visit Sweeden ,will see you. read my posts
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Thanks for commenting.. Sorry to say that this is not my story… this is an epic story of produman years before..
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but thanks for bringing up this for us.
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What a heart warming story.
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Thanks for stopping by..
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I just got a chance ro read thia blog.
Wonderful story👍💐
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Glad you liked it..Thanks..
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This is the kind of love story I treasure!
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Glad to know you liked it.. Yes this real story is so pure and epic….
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Reblogged this on DaZ Journal and commented:
I was teary with this story😢, a proof of true love- it’s really amazing. This should inspire us all.
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Glad it made an interest and u liked it..
yes sharing to all the pure love. Thank you so much..
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I kust reblogged this story. Thanks for sharing. Love it.
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Glad you did😊😊
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These are the kind of stories I wanted to hear, something I have never heard of and then all of a sudden you realize there is something that touches your heart and you could not help but wipe away the tears☺️ Great story.
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That’s an encouraging comment to write more of this kind…
Yes right.. Something when suddenly hits us and when reaches our heart it gives a great feeling.
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Wonderful blog bro !!
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Thank you bro 😊
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😀
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Old post, but squeal! This is so romantic ❤
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Yes, but the worthy one… Thanks for stopping by..
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