I was really disheartened when I
learned that the multiplexes would be
staying away for the premier of
Taare Zameen Par and Welcome.
And true enough, there were no online
bookings for this, even on the day of
the release. So, I decided to
sacrifice the expensive popcorn and
coke, and go to the local cinema
theatre to get my Friday morning fix.
And I was really surprised to see long
queues, and tickets being sold in
black to see this particular movie.
At the start of the movie itself, I
could say it was worth it. Ishaan
Awasthy (Darsheel Safary, extremely
natural with a disarming bucktoothed
smile) is an eight-year-old boy, who
lives in his own world of colors,
dogs, fishes, mud puddles, kites, and
such important things. He seemingly
does not give two hoots about studies
in school, much to the exasperation of
his teachers and parents alike, and
spends most of his time in school
looking out of the window, or standing
outside the classroom. His teachers
think he is stupid, and his father
thinks he is just lazy. His mother and
his prodigal brother dote on him, but
are constantly worried about him. The
boy is constantly punished at school,
ridiculed by his father, and his only
escape from all this is splashing some
colors to make his imagination come
alive, every now and then.
Finally, an infuriated father decides
to send Ishaan to a boarding school
(to discipline him, and hammer some
sense in him) in Panchgani, against
everyone’s wishes in the house. Ishaan
is heartbroken and scared, and pleads
with his father, but the father has
made up his mind. So the family drops
him off at the boarding school,
leaving him all alone and sad.
Things are no different here either.
The boy is constantly punished,
ridiculed, and almost written off as a
kid with a bad attitude and a failure.
The boy who comes first in class is
his only friend, and feels for him,
but doesn’t know what to do. Soon, the
boy goes into a shell, and stops
talking altogether, often looking out
at nothing in particular, with tear
tracks on his cheeks.
The school appoints a new temporary
art teacher Ram Shankar Nikumbh (Aamir
Khan, very understated) and he is an
instant hit with the kids. He
encourages the children to be
children, and doesn’t believe in the
conventional methods of teaching.
Ishaan is unimpressed by all this, and
sinks deeper into his shell. Nikumbh
gets really intrigued, probes a
little, and discovers that the child
is dyslexic. This troubles, and
saddens the teacher; since he was a
dyslexic himself, a long time ago, and
understands the agony the child is
going through. He argues with the
school authorities, and takes the kid
under his wing, determined to turn him
around.
Taare Zameen Par is one of the
few sensitive movies I have seen in a
long time. Yes, the promos failed to
impress me (but I would have watched
in anyway), since most of the movies
involving kids have extremely
obnoxious, over-confident, and
self-important children who just want
to make me kill, or maim them. Last
week, on a long-distance call, my
reviewer argued with me that Aamir
Khan is a perfectionist (a cliché’
which I have often winced at), and
this movie being his production should
be a well-thought-out, well-made
movie. I had scoffed at her at then,
and reminded her of the epic disaster
called Mela (starring Khan, and
his now estranged brother Faizal
Khan). But now I am eating my words –
no, gulping them down by the mouthful.
Taare Zameen Par is indeed, a
wonderful movie.
It's quite a surprise to see a movie
on a subject that has never been
broached before. There have been many
movies made on ‘sensitive’ subjects,
but most of them either make a mockery
of the subject or are not well
researched enough (Black being
a fine example), or go down the
extreme-emotional way, often
ridiculing the subject matter (Mein
Aisa Hi Hoon with Ajay Devgan and
Sushmita Sen; a VERY badly enacted
copy of the sensitive I am Sam
with Sean Penn and Michelle Pfeiffer).
Taare Zameen Par, on the other
hand, is not only refreshingly
original, but is even funny in parts,
at the same time being very sensitive.
And yes, they have researched the
topic very well indeed.
The lead actor (since he is so
natural, there is no point calling him
a child-artiste) Darsheel has done
such a wonderful job, that you
sometimes forget that he really is a
child! You smile with him, you laugh
at his follies, and you do feel for
him, when he is sitting with a lost
expression in his eyes. Most of all,
this boy was extremely natural during
the entire movie, and did not look
ONCE at the camera over his shoulder,
or acted obnoxious. The boy has a long
way to go – maybe not in the movies,
but otherwise, yes.
Tisca Chopra as his mother impresses
in every frame. She is torn between
her other child (who does
exceptionally well everywhere) her
husband (who is self-important, has no
time for anything, and thinks boys
should be treated as boys, often with
an iron hand). The expressions come
naturally to her, and you wonder if
this is the same woman who came in
such disastrous movies as Baali
Umaar ko Salaam and Platform.
She is an under-rated actress, who
should be seen more on screen.
Tanay Chheda may not have the looks to
become a lead actor, but the guy can
act. As the strict and unmoving
father, he reminds you of your many
such preached-on moments (if you had a
troubled childhood like yours truly).
His transformation flows with the
movie, and is not jarring, or
shocking, just natural.
Aamir Khan impressed me, after a long
time again. The last good movie I saw
of him was Gulaam, (Laagan
being a joint effort) and after that
he mostly disappointed me with movies
like Fanaa. He is often accused
of interfering in the making of most
of his movies, but since the movie is
MADE by him, it is very apparent, and
delightfully so. When he is teary
eyed, you know it may not be glycerin.
And his smile reaches his eyes,
without a hint of fake, or malice.
Though his introduction song made me
wince a little (it looks out of place
– sort of), you can feel the pain, the
angst, the affection, and the sarcasm
when he delivers his dialogues. The
fact that he is also the director of
the movie, helps.
The attention to detail can be seen in
every frame of the movie. From the
tattered walls of the school, to the
overworked but diligent mommy, Ishaan
taking out a booger out of his nose,
and aiming it before flinging it, the
strict but often unintentionally funny
teachers – its everywhere. The
cinematography of the movie is
breathtaking, and so is the
photography, and the set designs
(which are almost non-existent, since
most of the movie is shot at actual
locations). The music by
Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy is very hummable,
and they have compiled an impressive
soundtrack. The lyrics of most of the
songs remind you of Gulzar, though
they are written by Prasoon Joshi
(very, very good, since I was totally
unimpressed by Rang De Basanti).
Though I should point out that
inclusion and filming of all the songs
could have been avoidable, since it
just lengthens the movie (three full
hours!)
Overall, Taare Zameen Par is a
triumph, a winner. And no, it’s not a
children’s movie. In all fairness, it
is an adult movie, and I suggest
everyone with a heart go watch it.
Mister Aamir Khan, I salute you.
“nuff said.
