Rahul Koli (centre) in a still from Chhello Show

The entire cast and crew of the film Chhello Show (The Last Show) was on cloud nine when it was selected as India’s official entry to the Oscars. However, life had its own cruel plans in store as Rahul Koli, one of the seven child artistes in the film, succumbed to leukemia just days before the film’s nationwide theatrical release.

The film’s director Pan Nalin, who worked closely with Rahul, said that the child actor was an “absolute livewire” on the sets with an inquisitive mind who wanted to learn everything about cinematic lighting. Son of an autorickshaw driver, Rahul wanted to travel to Mumbai to learn about filmmaking. A devastated Pan talks to us about “the boy with immense talent,” how his sparkling eyes made Rahul the most loved actor on the sets and more. Excerpts:

Almost 3,000 kids auditioned for different roles in the film and the moment we saw Rahul, we knew he was the one. He had these amazing sparkling eyes that caught our attention, and he turned out to be an amazing find. Everyone loved him as he was very inquisitive about the process of filmmaking, especially cinematic lighting. He wanted to pursue it and even expressed his desire to go to Mumbai and learn more about it. We told him that once he grows up, he could come and fulfil his desires. But destiny had other plans. It is a devastating blow to the entire cast and crew. Rahul had developed such a strong bond with each one of us that we are yet to come to terms with the fact that he is no more with us.

During the shooting of the film, we all became like one big family. So, when we came to know about Rahul’s condition, it came as a natural response from all of us to extend our support in whichever way possible. His father is an autorickshaw driver, who had to mortgage his rickshaw for his treatment. So, we put together some money and first got his rickshaw back so that he could at least continue earning his livelihood.

That apart, we all pitched in financially whenever we could for the treatment, medicines, and blood tests. Our producer and I helped Rahul and his family to shift to Ahmedabad from his village Hapa, so that he could get the best treatment. We constantly kept in touch with the doctors in Ahmedabad so that we knew how Rahul was responding to treatment. We did everything that we could to help him.

Rahul has done amazing work in the film and we want his family and friends to see what a brilliant actor he was. We are planning to organize a special screening for them. Since Rahul’s family has requested us not to organize any such event till the 13-day mourning period is over, we want to respect their feelings and go ahead only when they give us their consent. We understand that they must be going through an emotionally tough time right now. We are with them in this moment of grief.

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A pall of gloom has engulfed the team of the Gujarati film Chhello Show (2021), as news about child actor Rahul Koli losing his battle against blood cancer surfaced recently. Koli was one of the six child actors in the film. The 15-year-old passed away on October 2.

Now, the makers of the film, which is India’s official entry for the best international feature film category at the 95th Academy Awards, are planning to set up a trust in his honour. It will help his family as well as children battling blood cancer.

“There are no words to express the grief that the team is feeling right now. We were like a family. I had several scenes with Rahul, with a lot of running sequences. There were no symptoms of blood cancer. We got to know about it some months ago, and we were all disturbed,” actor Dipen Raval tells us.

He adds, “Aaj humari ek aankh mein khushi ke aansu hain ki Oscar buzz hai aur doosri aankh mein Rahul ko khone ke gham ke aansu hain. The film will be a tribute to him.”

A source shares that ever since the film’s director, Pan Nalin, found out about Koli’s condition, he took “care of all the financial expenses during the treatment in Jamnagar (Gujarat)”. The source adds, “Rahul’s doctors called Nalin every day to share his health updates. It is heartbreaking that the film’s release date, October 14, coincides with the 13th day after Rahul’s death.”