Taare Zameen Par - A movie that was long due...

A refreshing difference:

Rarely do movies touch the innermost layers of our soul and evoke in us emotions that cry out bringing the child hiding within each of us. By doing so, they elevate the art of movie-making and set the standards so high that it becomes difficult to reproduce for a long time.

Amidst the multitude of movies that get released in our country, most cater to the commercial market save for few that make a faint attempt to either mirror societal current or fewer still which serve as phenomenon driving social change. In this context, it would be futile to use any adjective whatsoever to describe the movie – Taare Zameen Par.

Learning disability:

To say that the movie's sole focus is on dyslexia would be akin to mistake the forest for a tree. Nevertheless, the perspective the movie brings, by showing the symptoms of Dyslexia and more importantly, how it can be cured, if only proper attention is bestowed, needs to be appreciated. In our struggle to produce toppers and high rankers all the time as Aamir himself says in the movie, we forget to let this generation of children enjoy their childhood.

I seriously doubt how many of us ever knew that learning disability may also be a reason for a child to perform poorly in academics. What would have required an enormous awareness campaign targeting a huge population has been made simple since the movie takes upon itself an almost insurmountable task of educating the public as well as goading them to redefine parenthood.

Sensitive approach:

To give children the liberty to explore things and being sensitive to their demands and moods is one thing that parents in their increasingly changing lifestyles forget. I am sure that every parent who sees the movie would come out feeling thankful for reminding them of a task that they compromise on only to regret later. Darsheel Safary playing Ishaan in the movie has done a great service to the nation by emoting with near perfection to reflect his feelings be they loneliness, anguish, helplessness or intense happiness. In him, we slowly begin to realize the child in us.

Never going overboard or melodramatic, the movie makes every watcher relate to the characters seen on screen. The song in which the boy doubts in vain whether his pain and inability remained invisible even to his mother is so beautifully written and sung that it makes one teary-eyed.


More of this type:

We need more movies of this type and urgently too so that we know how to treat children at a very tender age. If schools arrange for the students to see this gem of a movie, it would be the best lesson they ever impart. The Government can make 'Taare Zameen Par' compulsory viewing in all Government schools and that would be the best educational reform it ever implements.