Looking for Mowgli

Ravi suffers from an extreme form of dyslexia and cannot read. He lives a lonely and unhappy existence, shunned by the other children, and constantly berated by his hectoring father who is a school principle embarrassed by his son's condition.

The community at large are wary and suspicious of Ravi, believing him to be not quite right in the head. Especially after 'the incident'.

Ravi's only solace is in the company of his grandfather, a wise and learned ancient who reads to him and treats him with affection and respect. Ravi has been compensated for his illiteracy by a mental facility which allows him to remember in their entirety the books that his grandfather reads to him, word for word.

In his solitude and anguish, Ravi has invented an imaginary jungle world into which he can retreat when the real world threatens to overwhelm him. It is populated by animals who understand him and do not judge him, whether they like him or not, and which over time begins to appear to him as more real than the one in which he lives.

When, after another incident, his father threatens to have him put into care, Ravi runs away to the real jungle to seek the companionship of his imaginary friends.