Mumbai: Global football icon Lionel Messi recently met Ashish, who headlines ‘52 BLUE’—alongside director Ali El Arabi, and signed the official poster of the film, marking a powerful moment of recognition for a story rooted in ambition, resilience, and the pursuit of dreams. Messi’s gesture of signing the film’s official poster reflects his support for the creative team and the story’s message, championing dreamers like Ashish who dare to pursue what once felt out of reach.
After years of being sheltered by his father, Ashish–a young man from an island in Kerala, India–leaves his isolated home in pursuit of achieving his goal in memory of his late brother. As his mother empowers him to take the step forward, Ashish goes through his own journey, to the World Cup in Qatar, with the hopes of meeting his childhood idol Lionel Messi. A journey that leads him to self-discovery, new relationships, and an adventure greater than he could have imagined.
The film features a formidable ensemble, with Yadav Shashidhar as Ashish, alongside Neha Dhupia as his mother Lakshmi, and Adil Hussain as his father Vijayan.
Directed by Ali El Arabi (Captains of Zaatari, Producer of Goodbye Julia) the film’s creative team includes Director of Photography Mahmoud Beshir and editor Marion,
Produced by Ali El Arabi for Ambient Light Films, Executive Produced by Tariq Al-Naama, Co-Produced by Khaled Al Arabi, Krysanne Katsoolis and Joe Matthews. The film also features an original song “It’s Your Turn” by Badshah.
Director Ali El Arabi said in a statement, "In a world similar to mine as a child, there exists a child deprived of the right to be a part of the world, under the pretext of love and his parents’ fear of losing him. This child begins to construct his own realm within his imagination, befriending a figure absent from his world. However, when this companion becomes the cause of his departure, the clash between the possessive love of the father and the young one’s need to be a part of the world—with his own experiences and trials ensues. Does love grant us our freedom, as the mother did, or does it coerce us into remaining still, as the father attempted? In this film, the villain is love itself, alongside the absence of experience and the feeling of loss."
He added, "‘52 BLUE’ is a story of finding joy, freedom, and purpose amidst adversity, and it shows that each individual has the right to choose their path in life and have their own lived experiences. The story is told through the languages of movement, using football and dance, making it accessible and relatable to everyone around the world. I invite you to live my life, one that commenced as an experience without the grant to live it, and the quest for a friend who is not truly a friend. It is an endeavor to liberate oneself from inherited generational trauma
