"A long time ago," he said, "Arya Movies was a palace. The owner, Mr. Arya, had a daughter who dreamed of flying. So he built this theatre. 'Here,' he told her, 'you can fly every night.'"

But as he touches the rusted door, the wind hums. And for just a second, the electric pink letters flicker back to life.

Twenty years later, Rohan stands on a different stage, accepting an award for his first feature film. In his speech, he thanks his parents, his teachers, and "the broken projector at Arya Movies that taught me the real magic isn't on the screen. It's in the seat that chooses to dream."