Sunny Pawar, 8, who essays the role of Saroo in the Nicole Kidman starrer Lion was selected after around 8,000 children throughout India were auditioned.

With no acting background and no English-speaking skills, Sunny was only five when he auditioned for the role of Saroo, read a statement.

When asked about his selection, Sunny said: “We received a brochure in our school about the audition happening for the film in Andheri and a lot of my classmates were going to the place. So even I went there with my father for the audition and after reaching the venue they made me play and run and that’s how I got selected for this role.” 

Nominated in four categories of the Golden Globe Awards, Lion also features Rooney Mara and British actor of Indian descent Dev Patel, Indian actors Deepti Naval, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Priyanka Bose and Nawazuddin Siddiqui.

The Garth Davis directorial revolves around a five-year-old Indian boy who gets lost on the streets of Kolkata, thousands of kilometres from home. He survives many challenges before being adopted by a couple in Australia.