He picked up his phone and told his executive assistant to organize whatever I needed and then said to me to find a travelling cinema that we could use in the film and to go and write the screenplay. I was stunned at the speed that everything was moving. In London it had taken weeks to get meetings organized and then even longer for an ever-increasing chain of executives to make a decision. Thus began a yearlong adventure in India.

I holed up in an apartment in Mumbai and spent three weeks writing the screenplay. I hooked up with an Indian writer Anisa Muckerjea who wrote a series of village scenes and dialogues that I then incorporated into a story of magical realism and wonder.

A motley crew of characters were put together to complete the 12-week shoot and then what became a marathon 6 months of post in Mumbai. We had all kinds of problems on the shoot with faulty equipment, lack of any kind of production planning and support as well as a super slow crew. Consequently on the last day of shooting I had an inordinate amount scheduled and at 5am I gave an impassioned speech to the crew imploring them to give me just one last day of efficiency. That and a gift for each of the 50 people there ensured that I shot everything I needed.

Post-production was a marathon shambles and at times I thought the film would never be finished. But finished it was and I returned to London. I was refused a copy of the film for ‘security’ reasons that astounded me. It quickly became apparent that neither Sahara nor Percept knew how to market this film, as it was very different from the average Bollywood film.

With great difficulty and after a huge argument I persuaded Chitra Subramaniam the Head of Production at Percept to send the print over to Washington where it had been accepted for screening in the International Film Festival and then also to London for the East End Film Festival. These were both sell out events and in Washington the film was awarded the World Cinema Award for Best Feature Film. After that Percept refused to let the film be screened anywhere without payment. They also made no money available for marketing saying it was down to Claire Lewis to sell the film. Claire Lewis, ostensibly a television producer, was completely out of her depth and simply turned around to me and said there was nothing she could do.

My calls and emails to Percept and Sahara requesting a copy of the movie went unanswered. Then Percept said to me that they had severed their relationship with Sahara and that the film and all rights had reverted to them. It was now nothing to do with Percept Pictures.

I met with the new head of production at Sahara Motion Pictures, Gayatri Singh at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival and she promised to investigate what was happening with the film. She said she knew all about it. However when she returned to India she disappeared.

This film will open with me at immigration in Mumbai International Airport. This will be the first time I have returned to India since I completed the film 8 years ago. My reason for visiting India again will be to find my film.

Starting with the line producers Nijoo Mawani and Smitha Baliga I will piece together the story of what could possibly have happened to the film. Why a company would spend so much money on the production and then not follow through on its investment. Other interviewees will include Shailendra Singh now joint CEO of the whole Percept Group, Chitra Subramaniam, Claire Lewis and the postproduction supervisor Brynley Cadman.

Dreams of Mumbai's economic opportunity continue to draw countless migrants to the city and I will encounter some of them during my search. In the movie The Truck of Dreams our heroine Meera played by Peeya Rai-Choudrey is one of these migrants and the movie is in fact the story of how she came to be in the city.

The Truck of Dreams opens with her at Mumbai Central station lost, confused and bewildered. However, at the end of the film this is revealed to be a dream along with her child-hood memories of village life that was transformed by a magical cinema truck. My journey to find my film will take the viewer into the heart of the largest cinema industry in the world that operates in a very different way to its western counterpart. This film will reveal the cultural differences in the business between East and West that lead to extremely funny situations.

Ultimately we will reach the HQ of Sahara Motion Pictures where we will interview the current CEO and the whereabouts of the film will be revealed.

“Truck of Dreams allowed me to enter a world where dreams do become reality. Congratulations Arun Kumar. Brilliant!” Robert Watts (Producer -‘Indiana Jones & Temple of Doom/ Indiana Jones & the Last Crusade/ Who Framed Roger Rabbit/ Return of the Jedi etc.)

“Having seen Truck of Dreams, I can confidently say that Sahara One Motion Pictures, who financed the film, have backed a winner”. Amit Roy (Newspaper Columnist – The Daily Telegraph (UK) / Mumbai Midday / Calcutta Telegraph)

“India’s answer to Cinema Paradiso. The story of the last travelling cinema evoking a bygone era. Centering on a real family who battle each day to bring this magical world to India’s population. This inspiration sparks off the dreams of a young village girl, whose ambition is becoming an actress. Sensitively shot and directed. A finely crafted film from a well constructed script. A film that involves social realism -contrasted with dreams sequences; creating a new kind of magical docudrama. Gabriel Murray (Writer/Producer – Olympia Films)

Very powerful images which are still with me in vivid detail. A brilliant performance by the lead actress with inspired direction of village people supporting her. A powerful sound track and music that gives so much atmosphere you could almost smell the soil and toil. I rarely remember the details of a film but with Truck of Dreams I can visualize almost every scene to the point I could paint it if I was any good at painting! Very moving but also joyful story line – this should be seen by a wide audience' Janie Rayne (Photographer)

"One of the most sensitively constructed films I've ever seen; A great story line made with incredible skill to show the 'genuine emotions' of real people; this is a very welcome relief and fantastic achievement on its own. The only single actor, the lead lady, was superb and brought the true 'village life' to life wonderfully well. A total triumph for the director, producer, crew and local participants. A must see cultural experience into a world we just can't imagine still now exists." Richard Bentall (RE Investment Group)

“Simply Beautiful – a real gem of a movie” Abigail Lewis (Journalist BBC Radio London 94.9FM)

“The Truck of Dreams is a warm enchanting film with a scintillating soundtrack. Director Arun Kumar has created an intriguing mix of documentary and fantasy blending the real life adventures of the crew of a mobile cinema still doing the rounds in Maharashtra, India with the imaginary Bollywood aspirations of a young village girl eagerly awaiting their arrival. The film manages to successfully juxtapose the stark simplicity and poverty of rural life with the glamourous appeal of the film world while also exemplifying the core values of work and family that keep the mobile cinema and the whole of India turning over. The Truck of Dreams breaks down at one point, an event that almost brought filming to a halt. But the calamity is instead contained on screen further illuminating the clever blend of reality and fantasy that makes this colourful movie such a delight”. Anand Meru (Screenwriter & Music composer).