Taare Zameen Par

Its a fine Friday morning in Kolkata...the winter vacation has just commenced...we have planned a day out...gonna watch Francis Lawrence's I Am Legend...but due to last minute change of plans under unavoidable circumstances we are reluctantly drawn into the first day first show of Taare Zameen Paar...we are a bunch of movie buffs who watch a Bollywood movie once in a blue moon...within the next 2.5 hrs our opinions had changed...

After back to back hits(Rang De Basanti,Fanaa)Amir khan could well have gone for another Masala flick...but it needs guts to for debut directing such a script...and then pull it off even more brilliantly...with such maturity n sensitivity...the field is teeming with great actors making for great first time directors...(Kevin Costner,Mel Gibson,George Clooney n so many others)...but never before in Bollywood have i seen a better example of this.....

the film is about a 8 year old dyslexic child Ishann who finds it difficult to read or write correctly or for that matter perform any such activities normal to children of his age...n inevitably has to bear the brunt of his parents,teachers n other people he interacts with...but his world is filled with magical creatures n thoughts that gives him company...his parents unable to realize his disorder...sends him to a boarding school where the child retreats into a self imposed exile and has to contend with the added trauma of separation from his family...in comes Amir khan the temporary art teacher who encourages them to extend their boundaries of thought and imaginations...n shows special interest in finding out the difficulty of Ishaan...with time patience and care he helps Ishaan find himself...

but more than the script its the way minute emotions are captured...the way the audience is made to peer into a child's mind nd its own mechanisms...scenes are a film's USP...n though you may forget the film its the scenes that u keep embedded in your heart...

n TZP is laden with powerful scenes that will give you moist eyes...there's this scene where Ishan's parents had taken him home from the boarding school...n then comes to leave him there all alone again for the 2nd time...the first time Ishaan had kept staring at his parent's car leaving...this time he turned back n walked away...while his mother kept staring back...this is Ishan's own kind of protest against his parent's unjust nd cruel decision...

and to complement the film's excellent theme there's the superbly crafted n maturely executed visual effects n animation to go with it...that sketches a child's world of imagination...the camera work is brilliant...top notch performance by all the actors...Darsheel Safary steals the limelight...quite explains why Amir wanted to rush into directing this film as he was worried the child may grow up..reminds of Satyajit ray n his Apu...though emotional n dramatic everything seems utterly realistic...

nd Amir's directing needs special mentioning here...the way he captures a child's world...a child's obsession of noticing minute things nd finding beauty in it...like the little fishes that inhabit the roadside pond...the water filled pothole being run over by vehicles...a mother bird feeding her children...

nd with so many news of children succumbing to their parent's pressure these days...the film has come out at an apt time...it will change the whole way u look at the relationship between a parent and a child i bet...its one those films which entertains nd enlightens at the same time...stop reading it any further if you haven't yet seen it..just take your child n go watch it...

but everything has its share of bad sides...though it matters little i would still like to talk about the little cons...the editing work cud have been sleeker...the film tends to drag a little in the middle...although as hard as he may have tried Amir khan is unable to break away from the shackles of orthodox Bollywood treatment...nd sum scenes are just too melodramatic...like Ishan sailing a boat he has himself designed...but probably it was to draw the traditional Bollywood audience into watching this unique movie...too many songs...though good music from Shankar Ehsan Loy on all the songs...but sum were unnecessary...that's all...it would be sacrilegious to speak ill of this film any further...

u r quite adamant aren't you??i thought i told you to stop reading n go watch the movie...now go nd..enjoy the brilliant world of alphabet crabs...velvet octopuses...absurd arts...nd inverse letters...

is any member of KoЯn dyslexic??...a friend of mine joked...as far as I am Legend is concerned...never mind...i'm going to watch it tomorrow...

How many times has there been a movie you could really relate to? How many times has it happened that you've seen a character on the screen that reminds of something that you've been through in your life? As I saw Ishan (Darsheel Safary) today, I felt, somewhere deep within that that's me.

Notwithstanding the slight retard nature, dyslexia and bad academic performance, the character of Ishan really made me remember my childhood today. I remember I was something like him as a child.—creative and imaginative. And my imagination always went unappreciated. I used to curate gibberish – just like he did. I painted, I dreamed and I fantasized about different things. So I feel writer Amol Gupte and director Aamir Khan (what a wonderful debut!) have picked an incredibly moving story. Frankly, I am not easily moved by movies. Not even the greatest tearjerkers have managed to "move" me, but for a moment I was stunned. Is this really happening to me? Am I trying to cry? In fact, the scene where Ram (Aamir Khan) walks into Ishan's room and discovers a score of sketches and drawings, it made me feel like somebody had in fact, opened my closet and discovered my secret childhood fantasies (Believe me, I still have them.) This movie will surely engage all those who have had similar incidents in their lives. That's for sure. I am moved. I love this film. I don't know and I don't care how this film does in the box office but let me tell you don't watch this film if you're looking for regular boy meets girl story. Don't even skip this film thinking it's children's movie – no it isn't. In fact, Taare Zameen Par is a movie potentially targeted towards parents. But if you think you too have undergone similar childhood conflicts and lived a life where the people around you refuse to appreciate your fantasies, then definitely go for it. TZP mirrors many of those people's lives that looks just plain and simple but those who compromised their dreams for the sake of the earthly existence.

Okay, enough of fantasies. Technically, writer Amol Gupte delivers an A Grade script. Aamir Khan shows his talent not just as an actor but a very versatile and intelligent. Oscar Wilde, Leonardo da Vinci and Sally Gardner were hardly ever heard of in Hindi cinema before this. The writer just does not deliver a well written script but also his knowledge of research (which other filmmakers hardly ever do!) Musically, it's two-thumbs up for Shanker Ehsaan Loy. The title song is fascinating. Maa and Jame Raho combine talents in all respects- music, words and voice. The production design is superb. Not for a moment you feel anything is fake. They even managed to squeeze in some quick visual effects and animated scenes. They're there to add another dimension to great story telling. The casting is good and well justified. Little Darsheel steals the show. Tisca Chopra grabs attention.

Aamir Khan, however stuns the audience by appearing at almost near half of the film. That's the surprise but you don't miss Aamir in the first half because Darsheel will definitely grab your attention and Aamir gets to show some good directorial talent.

All in all, I'd say go and watch the film. I wouldn't recommend if you're addicted to Yashraj stuffs but if you really want to see some intelligent film-making, then Taare Zameen Par is a treat.

I'm not always a fan of the Bollywood style of filmmaking: overrun with musical montages and exaggerated dialogue and acting. But 'Like Stars on Earth' is a magical film about the magnificent abilities that children have, even when all the odds are against them. With a story as powerful as this one, it doesn't matter where or how the story is told.

Luckily, most of the Bollywood clichés actually enhance the film experience. Being such an integral part of the story, the soundtrack and score complement the film wonderfully. Each song aligning nicely with the film's dramatic but hopeful tone. Admittedly, having a rap song play over Ishaan's family getting dressed and ready for the day is a bit jarring, but the songs that play after Aamir Khan appear are nothing short of enchanting.

This film is about a dyslexic child who has basically given up on school as no one seems to think he's worth anything. His father beats him for goofing off and all of his teachers scold him for not being able to do the simplest of tasks. So, Ishaan finds his way to a boarding school where he meets Ram Shankar Nikumbh (Aamir Khan) who may change his life forever. Everybody had that teacher who changed the way you approached school and perhaps even life itself, which is why I thought this movie was so effective. There's nothing more gratifying than watching someone struggling to find their way, only to have one uniquely suited person put them back on track.

It seems so simple but coming from a teaching background, I'll be the first person to say that it can be nearly impossible to connect with someone who doesn't want any help. However, when and if that connection is made, it's possibly the most fulfilling thing a person can do. Aamir Khan captures these emotions perfectly near the end of Like Stars on Earth. I don't think I'll ever get the image of Ishaan's father breaking down into tears out of my head. There's some really powerful stuff here.

8.6/10

The film brings to light what it is truly like to be dyslexic. Aamir Khan succeeded in creating the awareness about dyslexia thru this film. Sometimes we really need to step into the shoes of kids and see the world thru their point of view. The irony is that we all were kids, we all went thru the pressure of performing in sports n studies but yet we push our kids, especially in India n China.

The child actor is amazing, Aamir stole the show, the music is great, the pacing is very good n the film's script is one of the best to come out from Bollywood.

A good film on children has always been much needed for Indian film-goers. And when in this moment of dearth one gets treated to a movie that simply touches the soul - needless to say - Taare Zameen Par - does just that.

Aamir Khan proves his mettle as a director. As an actor he is fabulous. The story captures a look at a middle class family who feel the younger kid (Darsheel Safary) is not a patch on the elder one who is a topper at class. The younger one is always struggling with his ABCs and spends more time out of his class rather than inside.

Its only when he is sent to boarding school with the hope that an iron fist will help him improve that he comes across art teacher (Aamir Khan) who correctly identities his problem of suffering from dyslexia and decides to unleash his creativity and make him an achiever.

To know more one should watch this movie since it has elements that everyone could relate towards while at school or boarding, and brings into focus the need for underprivileged and slow learning children to be given the chance to prove themselves with patience and love that would help them merge with mainstream education and become worthwhile contributors.

Brilliant job Aamir and your team for treating the subject with respect, honesty and flair. Darsheel Safary as the struggling kid has done total justice to his role and puts in a performance that will always be remembered.

The movie will make you cry, make you laugh, make you rejoice and come out feeling that there are some people out there who take Indian cinema several notches higher.