Mumbai: Imagine making a film when you are 11 years old, and then actually getting complimented by the man who made Life is Beautiful. That dream turned into reality for Bangalore boy Kishan Shrikanth, who took his directorial debut project Care of Footpath to the Gifoni International Children's Film Festival.

Kishan, whose directorial debut at age 11 made headlines in India was determined to meet his idol, filmmaker Roberto Benigni. So while in Italy at the festival, he announced on European television channels that he wanted to meet Benigni to make his life beautiful and his tactic worked.

“Benigni got in touch with the Gifoni people. And then he decided on a secret location where we would meet. Then we got into the vehicle and drove and for me to see him was unbelievable. Then we kept saying to each other that it's an honour to meet up with you,” Kishan said.

Kishan's Italian trip turned even more dreamlike when Benigni actually offered him a film. He is to be cast in Benigni's version of Rudyard Kipling's classic Kim. Though, no dates have been fixed yet, the child prodigy is still hopeful.

“Last I spoke to him over e-mail and he said that wait a while, we will soon start the project,” Kishan said.

While taking part at Gifoni, Kishan also ran into Hollywood actor Danny DeVito.

“He pointed to the photo on the brochure that is towards Jackie Shroff and said, ‘why did you cast him in the film? Why didn't you give the role to me?’” Kishan said.

Looking ahead after his Italian holiday, Kishan is now learning sound engineering. His film Care of Footpath will soon be dubbed in Hindi.