A young boy's dream of meeting football legend Lionel Messi is the subject of an upcoming live-action movie titled 52 Blue.
Adil Hussain and Neha Dhupia are on board as lead cast members in the role of the boy's parents, while Yadav Shashidhar plays the boy, Ashish.
Archana Borhade, who worked on the camera department of Hindi-language biggies such as Ghajini, My Name is Khan, and Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, is the writer.
Indian rap musician, songwriter, and producer Badshah has been roped in to work on the soundtrack of the cross-cultural project helmed by Egyptian filmmaker Ali El Arabi.
The album's centerpiece and the thematic heartbeat for the protagonist's journey is said to be a Badshah composition titled ‘It’s Your Turn’.
According to the official logline, 52 Blue follows "a sheltered young man living on a remote island in Kerala, who defies the confines imposed by his father to chase a singular dream: meeting his idol, Lionel Messi, at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. With quiet encouragement from his mother, played by Neha Dhupia, and inspiration drawn from the memory of his late brother, Ashish steps into the wider world for the first time."
On his contribution to the project, which will feature a combination of fictional storytelling and real footage, Badshah said: "Ashish's journey reminded me of the dreams many of us grow up with — big, impossible, sometimes lonely. Composing 'It's Your Turn' was my way of giving voice to that moment when you stop waiting and start moving. I'm grateful to be part of a film that will connect with the audiences worldwide. Working with El Arabi and his incredible team reminded me how powerful storytelling becomes when cultures collaborate."
Backed by Ambient Light, the company that earlier co-produced Goodbye Julia (Sudan's second Oscar submission), 52 Blue has Egyptian cinematographer Mahmoud Basher behind the camera.
Ali El Arabi is known for the acclaimed coming-of-age drama Captains of Zaatari. He also directed the official FIFA World Cup Qatar music video (2022) and co-produced Goodbye Julia.
