The Teen Stars of 'Rammat Gammat' Hope Film Acting Helps Their Football Careers

“Ronaldo, Messi, and two boys from my society are all professionals,” Shivam Math, 13, told me over the phone from Vapi in rural Gujarat. “I want to make a career in football.”

Math, along with another 13-year-old Yash Patel, are stars of Rammat Gammat ( My Best Friend’s Shoes), a short feature film about best friends trying to make it in the sport. Over the course of the 18-minute film, the economic disparity between their families creates fissures in their friendship—which is tested by differences in class and caste, as well as ordinary envy.

Produced by Drishyam Films and directed by Ajitpal Singh, the little film will be available on YouTube or a streaming platform next year, after doing the rounds of International Film festivals this year. It earned a Special Mention at the 2018 Oberhausen International Short Film Festival and was selected among the 10 short films for "Bridging the Borders Award" at the 24th Palm Springs Short Fest in the USA.

“The most difficult shot was the first shot,” said Patel, a native of Valsad. “In it, me and Shivam are doing masti and walking with a ball, but it rolls away from us. It was my first time so I was nervous. I was scared of the camera, wondering if I would get screamed at for making a mistake.”

The production team cast local young athletes rather than actors for the film, auditioning nearly 150 kids from schools around Surat, Vapi, Valsad and Dharampur. Math, who is from Vapi, played two Under-14 District and State tournaments last year and, according to producer Mauli Singh, “Was restless, passionate and aggressive,” fitting the role of the of the aspirational lower-class upstart perfectly.

“I wanted to act in the movie to show my skills,” said Math. “If so many people watch me, there’s a chance I can selected to a club.”

Both the kids’ families were supportive, though the shoot was a month before their exams. Patel’s father, a chartered accountant, and his mother, a homemaker, were instantly onboard. Now, “everyone in school asks me when will the film release, when can we watch it,” Math said. “I told them when it does release, I’ll call everyone over and have a screening.” He wants to play professionally and even asked me if I might know someone who’d give him a trial at Real Madrid.

GIF courtesy Mauli Singh.

Patel, meanwhile, is more pragmatic. “There’s not much scope in India,” he said. “It’s all cricket on tv. First I’ll get an engineering degree, and then try acting.” He hopes the film release translates to a better console, so he can upgrade from FIFA 15 on his PlayStation Portable to the new edition that only works on the PS4 and XBox One.