We grow up hearing that every child is special but are made to follow the same path leading to a secured job, a safeguarded future. The dreams and the in-born talent dies hidden between Excel sheets and desktop folders. Something similar had begun to happen with a girl who was a perfect example for children while growing, a kind of girl who made her parents proud, something who was always the perfect ‘good girl’.
She did everything that her parents told her to but soon started feeling trapped and suffocated. It was clear to her that she couldn’t spend all her life doing this.
Nidhi Anand was in STD 9 when her parents encouraged her to study well and set a goal for her life. This goal was not chosen by her but her parents. They wanted her to become a chartered accountant and she did not argue. They told her that qualifying as a CA will get her a good life partner and her life will be perfect thereafter.
The good girl that she was Nidhi focused all her attention on clearing the various levels of CA examinations and made it to the top 30 scorers. Her parents couldn’t be happier at their daughter’s achievement. Soon, Nidhi got a job with a reputed company and was offered a package nobody could refuse. She took it but within just six months she started becoming sick of it. It felt like this wasn’t something she liked to do.
Nidhi spoke to her parents and told them she didn’t want to continue with her corporate job. Her parents were not convinced and asked her to continue. She obeyed them with a heavy heart but couldn’t drag it for long. A few weeks later she resigned from work and told her parents. They were baffled and worried as they did not know how would their daughter do in the future.
Her parents spent many afternoons looking for clues and one day found her school notebook where she had written about her dreams. They were shocked to know that their daughter’s interest were not in finance or accounting but rather she wanted to write stories for children. They felt guilty and wanted to support Nidhi in fulfilling her dreams. They asked her to approach a few places where she could try selling her stories for kids. The first place that she tried at rejected her work. The same happened with the second and third firm.
In the next company the manager asked Nidhi to sit in a corner with a copy and a pen and write something good. So she started writing and wrote the story of Chhota Bheem. The company quite liked her stories and decided to turn it into a cartoon series. Chhota Bheem went on to become the most popular children’s TV shows and became a brand worth hundreds of crores. Not just the series but its merchandise too became a rage among children.
The show is also aired in Sri Lanka, Pakistan and even Afghanistan and Iran. It is a highly popular shows in these countries and is watched more than any other cartoon show in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran. Nidhi carved out a character which is very relatable to the kids and became an instant hit.
Nidhi wasn’t chasing fame or money but just her dreams. It is tough to follow your passion but it is absolute tragedy not to.
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