I finally managed to watch Taare Zameen Par, and after a long time I was pleasantly surprised that the art of movie making can still touch your heart, that it can still reduce you to tears, that it can still bring out the child in you, that it can still leave you comfortably numb…
We all talk about AIDS, Cancer, World Peace and global warming, which are serious issues plaguing the world today. At the same time, these are not issues that I can relate to given that I live in my own narrow little world. At most I can listen to the news, or hear the Miss India and the Miss Universe talk about them. However, the story of a dyslexic young boy ridiculed and shunned by his classmates, teachers and at times even his parents is something even I can identify with. No it’s not because I myself suffer from the syndrome (not withstanding what my “friends” or my grades say, I am NOT dyslexic, rather I am just plain lazy or dumb) but because I have seen such children from close corners. As a 14 year old when I first came across a “special kid” who was autistic I was angry, very angry! I could never understand what that innocent child had done to deserve that and for the first time I lost faith in God and also, for the first time, I realized that the life isn’t fair, at least in the short run (and in the long run, we are all dead…) So as I watched Darsheel Safari deliver an effortlessly stellar performance as Ishaan Awasti through the haze of misty eyes, I promised myself that my kids will never go through the trauma of parental pressure nor will they sacrifice their childhood at the alter of success. I never surrendered myself to any rat-race (the CAT-race was the only competitive phase in my life) and I don’t intend to give in to this so-called dog-eat-dog world. My children will remain human beings, and more importantly, humane! As for Aamir Khan as the quintessential Nikumbh Sir, I am sure he doesn’t need any encouragement from an anonymous blogger! From QSQT, Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander to Sarfarosh, Lagaan, Dil Chahta Hai and RDB, he is versatility personified.
While I am not really in favour of commercialization of sensitive issues especially when they involve children, but TZP was a refreshingly subtle movie sans all the typical Bollywood melodrama, nor was it preachy or judgmental. It respected the cause while revering the intelligence of its audience. At the end of the day, as we came out of the theatre drenched with emotions, most of us were mesmerized by the vulnerable yet extremely gifted 10-year old who redefined the concept of a child prodigy!
We all talk about AIDS, Cancer, World Peace and global warming, which are serious issues plaguing the world today. At the same time, these are not issues that I can relate to given that I live in my own narrow little world. At most I can listen to the news, or hear the Miss India and the Miss Universe talk about them. However, the story of a dyslexic young boy ridiculed and shunned by his classmates, teachers and at times even his parents is something even I can identify with. No it’s not because I myself suffer from the syndrome (not withstanding what my “friends” or my grades say, I am NOT dyslexic, rather I am just plain lazy or dumb) but because I have seen such children from close corners. As a 14 year old when I first came across a “special kid” who was autistic I was angry, very angry! I could never understand what that innocent child had done to deserve that and for the first time I lost faith in God and also, for the first time, I realized that the life isn’t fair, at least in the short run (and in the long run, we are all dead…) So as I watched Darsheel Safari deliver an effortlessly stellar performance as Ishaan Awasti through the haze of misty eyes, I promised myself that my kids will never go through the trauma of parental pressure nor will they sacrifice their childhood at the alter of success. I never surrendered myself to any rat-race (the CAT-race was the only competitive phase in my life) and I don’t intend to give in to this so-called dog-eat-dog world. My children will remain human beings, and more importantly, humane! As for Aamir Khan as the quintessential Nikumbh Sir, I am sure he doesn’t need any encouragement from an anonymous blogger! From QSQT, Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander to Sarfarosh, Lagaan, Dil Chahta Hai and RDB, he is versatility personified.
While I am not really in favour of commercialization of sensitive issues especially when they involve children, but TZP was a refreshingly subtle movie sans all the typical Bollywood melodrama, nor was it preachy or judgmental. It respected the cause while revering the intelligence of its audience. At the end of the day, as we came out of the theatre drenched with emotions, most of us were mesmerized by the vulnerable yet extremely gifted 10-year old who redefined the concept of a child prodigy!
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