Brad Cohen: I was outcast, but I never gave up

Rani Mukerji

Motivational speaker Brad Cohen whose story has inspired Bollywood film 'Hichki' says though he was outcast as a child but he never gave up and faced it all with courage. Sharing his story with the media on Monday from Atlanta, Brad said: "I was 10 years old when the medical condition started and I knew that I am different. But my mother never made me feel like one because she said if you have a positive attitude you can win the battle. Growing up with Tourette syndrome was not easy. I was always pushed into a corner."

He went on adding that his teachers gave up on him, "nobody trusted my potential. But I knew that I will be a teacher when I grow up". "I wanted to tell everyone whether you are dealing with Tourette syndrome or any other challenges in life there is a way to face them and not to give up." Asked about what made him write the book "Front of the Class: How Tourette Syndrome Made Me the Teacher I Never Had", he said: "In my childhood, nobody understood me in school. My teachers had no confidence in me and that used to affect my confidence. Now that I learnt to overcome my challenges in life, I want to stand by my every student and other people who are facing any kind of disorder that is creating an obstacle in their lives."

As in the film, Rani Mukherji is playing the role of the teacher suffering from Tourette syndrome according to him, he was quite surprised to know that, asked about if he watched any of Rani's film, he said: "Yes I watched one film where she played a role of a disabled girl (referring to her film 'Black'), and the way she performed I realized she is very empathetic towards others."

The film 'Hichki' is the adaptation of 'Front of the Class: How Tourette Syndrome Made Me the Teacher I Never Had'. Brad had a candid chat with Rani and the director of the film Siddharth P. Malhotra who has been working on it for last five years. Produced by Yash Raj Films 'Hichki' will be released on March 23.

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