January 11, 2008

Taare Zameen Par

Taare Zameen Par - 9/10

Outstanding movie !!! This is surely the best film of 2007.

Whats its all about?

A child's story. The child with a problem, is treated badly by his teachers, parents. When he goes down into deep depression itz a teacher who gets to know about him, and how he solves this kid's problems is rest of the story.

Highlights:

– Title: 'Taare Zamee Par' and the caption 'Every Child Is Special'. Comparing children with stars, and giving importance to every children's life is itself a very touching point.

– Story: Brilliant work !!! Kudos to the writer Amol Gupte. He took the problem DYSLEXIA, owing to which a person can identify only concrete things and can't get connected to abstract ones. He used this point to depict a tender kid's situation in current society. He used this weapon to throw great remarks on current education pattern, the pressure on kids, the parent's, teacher's selfishness and their priorities. There has been 8 years of research of Amol on this script. It took 2 years for him to get an appointment to narrate it to Aamir and after that 4 years to commence this project. It shows the patience and confidence that Amol carried forward with his script.

– Direction: Aamir Khan in his maiden trial as a director has taken himself to a great level as director. This story is very good on the paper and on the screen itz tremendous. Itz certain that majority of these people who watch this simple yet terrific flick will have tears rolling at many instances. Isn't it a stupendous feat of a debutant director ? Mind blowing direction from Aamir. Itz said that Amol the writer was initially the director but after 6 days of shoot, on seeing the output Aamir was disappointed and gave Amol two options:
1. To choose another actor and direct himself
2. To give direction to him.

Amol opted for the latter and Aamir as he doesn't take too much credit for his direction says that he gave just life to the script on the screen. Anywayz itz wonderful direction on the whole.

– Performances:

1) Darsheel who played the kid's character is beyond excellence. This 11 year boy is really whizz kid. He was selected from 6000 children. Itz interesting to see that the whole first half concentrates on him and he doesn't bore us even a minute. He is the hero of the film in the first half. A director can't expect more than this from any actor. Darsheel has given life to the role.

2) Aamir Khan: Here comes yet another cameo from him. He has lived in the role. The audience get so much involved into his character that we can sense what the character feels at the moment. His conviction is extra ordinary. Aaamir khan excelled as an actor in the film. No words to explain his potential especially when he suffers heavy emotional disturbance on seeing Darsheel's situation.

– Scenes:
Movie has many highlight scenes.

1) The way Darsheel reacts after his teacher orders him to read out a sentence. The way the teacher shouts and Darsheel's reaction to it is very good. It brings down the house.

2) The actions that he does after he is sent out of the class on punishment are real funny. People laugh at even slightest reactions of this boy.

3) The way the boy reacts when he thinks that his father is leaving house becoz of him and pleads him not to go and when he finds that his Dad was just kidding, Darsheel's histrionics in this scene are too good.

4) The dialogue delivery of Darsheel when he requests his brother to write ABSENT NOTE is note worthy.

5) The scene in which he writes 3*9 = 3 after viewing numbers as planets is too good.

6) The scenes following the decision of Darsheel's father to shift him to boarding school are all heart touching. Till that time Darsheel is shown to be having fun inspite of getting classes in and out of classes. But when his parents decide firmly to shift him, the boy's situation is truly heart-melting. From then the kid gets into deep depression. Throught out the second half till climax, he loses life in his life. The book that he prepares depicting the situation of separation from the whole family touches deeply. The lyrics of the song "tujkho pata hai naa maa" are very good and the song is canned very well.

7) The way Aamir identifies the problem in the kid is interesting.

8. The confrontation scenes with Darsheel's father are a big highlight in the movie. Aamir used these scenes to show the loop holes in current education system, thought overriding of parents on childs, kid's emotions, their problems. These scenes are a must watch.

When Aamir says about Dyslexia, Darsheel's father denies it and says that itz the kid's drama to avoid studying. Aamir's reaction to it by giving him some chinese words on a video game and asking him to read out is an excellent idea.

Therez superb clarity in the scene by which everyone gets connected to the kid's problem in coping with studies. They have shown neatly by citing the examples of writing three different spelling mistakes of a single word in a page…etc

When Darsheel's father meets Aamir in school and boasts that they too care for the child and tell him the efforts that they have taken, Aamir's reaction to it and after this the father viewing the child in the school and the way he weeps and leaves the school without meeting his son as he is unable to face him is a great scene.

9) The way Aamir solves the kid's problems is very good. He first boosts the confidence in Darsheel by citing examples of Albert Einstein, Agatha Christie, Thomas Elva Edison, Leonardo Da Vinci, Picasso, Abhishek Bachchan that they too had similar problem of Dyslexia is very good.

10) The climax is a major highlight of the movie. Painting competition is chosen as the climax point and executed very well. Itz interestingly canned on what Darsheel paints and what Aamir paints. Dragging teachers into this and converting it into Teachers Vs Students competition is also interesting. Aamir does this to teach lesson to some teachers. On seeing what these teachers paint, the students faint and that results in laughter. Towards the end of the film emotions have reached the zenith and is surely tear jerker.

11) Darsheel creating a boat that goes on it own and Aamir painting Darsheel's face in the competition in the climax are interesting ideas.

12) Songs are canned very well. The first song in which the busyness of his Dad, Mom, Brother are shown with a racy tune but when they show Darsheel the tune becomes soft and it shows the kid's beautiful world. Title song is very good as they show, "Differently abled children" (Ya there are Differently Abled and not Physically Disabled). The song 'tujkho pataa hai naa maa" is canned excellently.

13) The way Darsheel's parents react when his brother fails in the final match in a tennis competition is excellent. This shows the way parents should not behave. When our people are in down itz we who shud lift their spirits but here the father curses him like anything resulting in the boy getting in much pressure and losing the match finally.

14) Aamir's reaction to child labours, differently abled children are all heart touching.

— Music:

Again outstaning. Excellent work from Shankar Ehsaan Loy. More than songs, itz the background score that needs special mention. The music moves you so much that even if you control not to give out your tears and hold them tight, itz the music that opens the doors of the reservoir. What more speaks of the output given by the music director trio ?

– Dialogues:
Some dialogues are very good.

1) In the verbal battle with Darsheel's father, Aamir explains him that this kid is below average only in normal studies but has some outstanding talent, he is very different from usual kids..etc. To this Darsheel's father responds by asking 'isme faayidaa kyaa hai? bade ho ke kyaa karegaa?" Aamir's response to this - "aap isme faaayidaa kyon dekh rahe hai" is excellent.

2) Once in the class, Aamir asks Darsheel to switch on the light. After bringing in Edison's point when the kid asks whether to switch off the light, Aamir responds by saying that 'let Edison's light shower on us' is too good.

3) Aamir's counter with the example of Aadivaasees in return to Darsheel's words that his wife has done good research on internet about Dyslexia is very good.

4) In the scene in which Aamir requests Principal regarding Darsheel, he says that he can cope with studies and he just needs to PASS in regular subjects and his ambitions, aspirations are in different world, is interesting.

5) Aamir's fire on the current hype for Engineering/Medicine/MBA as they are not the only career paths available is very good.

Lowlights:

This film has very low, Low lights (almost nil). Even then if we have to point out here are some.

– Itz becoming too common now a days to put some game kinda conflict to elevate the leading characters in the film. Eg: In 'Chak De' it was Men's team vs Women's team hockey match. In 'Happy Day's itz juniors vs seniors cricket match. And here in TPZ itz Teacher's vs Student's art competition. This creates some sort of disturbance in our minds.

– Itz pretty unconvincing, on the way the teachers react to the continuous mocking at them in the climax.

Hmmmm apart from these minute minus points, I dont see anything below standards.

What cud have been added?
Though this film shows the school environment of children keeping in mind the schools in whole India but still if these points were added they would have enhanced itz glamour.

– Showing the weight of school bags in a funny way. Like:

1) Aamir asking a small kid to stand on a weighing machine and measuring itz weight and later measuring his school bag and lunch box carrier and gettting surprised over the results.

2) The kids selling out their rough books for waste paper collectors for pocket money.

3) False ABSENT NOTE for Darsheel's brother by his father himself. In the movie itz shown that the father scolds, beats Darsheel when he finds that the kid produced a false absent note. Darsheel's brother is a topper. So imagine a scene in which,

Darsheel's brother wastes some time on something, thinks of burning midnight oil and finishing the syllabus for the next day's exam but can't control his sleep and when wakens next day morning he realizes that he can't complete the syllabus in the short time available. So he goes to his father and explains him the same. He says that he will surely miss first rank if he goes and writes the exam. Now itz the father himself who advises the boy to bunk the school for the day, and says that he will give ABSENT NOTE to him as he was suffering from fever so that he can have a special test and get maximum marks. This scene wud have been nice to depict good remarks on some parent's flair for marks.

4) Enjoying all through the holidays postponing the summer holidays home work and attempting it to write all at once.

5) The busy schedule of kids. In many areas kids are very busy. They go to morning tuitions, later to school and after that to evening tuitions and later come home by getting too much tired and go to bed immediately and the routine repeats. Itz often found that we cannot speak to a kid on his working days as his schedule is as busy as a CEO.

6) A mocking idea of conducting campus placements for LKG students, so that this new company does a different selection. Pays the children right from LKG so that their parents would be happy and gives them enormous freedom to choose their interests and help them in excelling in those areas.

Side Lights:

– This movie is an eye-opener for parents, teachers and kids too. All the kids now a days study for marks/ranks and none cares for knowledge/wisdom. Its not marks alone which leave mark in one's life. Marks have a mark only on certificates,which certify that they are fit for nothing except to get into its trap/crap. There are many finer elements in the world. As the caption of the movie says, "EVERY CHILD IS SPECIAL". Why doesn't parent's realize this ? Many parent's torture their kids by comparing them with their classmates and everyone wants the FIRST RANK. ee rojullo 'kaaki pilla kaakiki muddu' only when pilla kaaki excels in exams. Recollect the boy who committed suicide as he found it extremely difficult for him to get into IIT and his father being a very famous professor in IIT cud not tolerate his son's inefficiency. Is this life all about ???

– The pressure on students is too much especially in states like Andhra. Engineering/Medicine/MBA/BITS Pilani/EAMCET/Software jobs are not alone the world in this world.

– This film teaches a good lesson to parents, teachers and to TOLLYWOOD. Yes itz the time Tollywood shud open their eyes. All the top heroes have earned so much that even their grand grand children can also survive. Thanx to the real estate boom they have become ultra rich. Now itz the time they stop craving for record number of theatres, high budgets, foreign locations, costly sets, dozens of heroines/ villains, thousands and thousands of junior artists, heavy action episodes, ITEM songs, special cameras….etc All that is needed is a purposeful script with a touching concept. A hero with a known face when he does a purposeful film like TPZ it reaches wider audience. Itz the time to break the jinx in the industry. How long will the industry stick to 1 hero introduction song, 3 duets, one ITEM song, one mass song at the end, 5 fights, rotten comedy, heavy climax ??? This year bollywood has given superb flicks: TPZ, Chak De India without heroine, duets !!!! What has tollywood done? HAPPY DAYS is ok to some extent but in that too the tagline - "Where ever you go our LOVE towards LOVE follows" has been followed.

Final Touch:
Here comes yet another purposeful film in this year after CHAK DE. In the first half Darsheel walks away with honors and in second half itz Aamir's show. Itz too fascinating to find that this film seems to have been shot with ultra low budget. Even CHAK DE needed some foreign locations and some complexity in canning but this film runs over the feel/heal wheel. For the one's who are already inclined towards children's problems this film is a master piece. The same film could have been canned like a documentary but itz the brilliance of the director/writer that they could bring such a tremendous feel and made it look like a commercial film. On paper it might not seem to be tear jerker but by watching it on screen itz very difficult to stay away from tears. Surely an honest attempt from Aamir Khan. My respect for him has grown enormously. Itz a must watch to kids, parents, teachers. Hats off to Amol, Darsheel, Aamir, Shankar Ehsaan Loy.

'Re'-'view' is the case with many. yeda vaalani mood vachchina prati saari choodadagga cinema :P "Maatrudevohava" tarvaata aa range senti film. WATCHina vaallaku kallu WATCHadam khaayam

Ashok Varma
[email protected]

More My Movie experiences:
Taare Zameen Par by Raja Simha
Happy Days by Krishna Sastry
Chirutha by Phani Kumar
Chak De India by Ravi
Yamadonga by Lalitha
Chak De India by Shyam
AMAV by Darsakudu
5 in March by Sashidhar
Okkadunnadu by Anand
Black Friday by Ratnakar
Desamuduru by Krishna Prasad
Guru by It's opinion
Dhoom 2 by Lalitha Spoorthi
Dhoom 2 by ASK
Don - Syam
Boss - Anand
Boss - Hrithik
Stalin - Bala
Bommarillu - Nandini
Bommarillu - Darsakudu
Bommarillu - Vasu
Bommarillu - Harsha Prakash
Bommarillu - Lalitha Spoorthi
LRMB - Shravan
Bommarillu - Anirudh
LRMB - Srinivas
LRMB - Darsakudu
LRMB - S Sridhar
Bommarillu - Shridevi
Bommarillu - Vasudev
Bommarillu - Roopa
Sriram - Godavari
Sarath - Bangaram
Bala - Pokiri
Srinadh - Allari Pidugu
Sudheer Allari Pidugu
Anu - Athadu
Shyam Krishna - Iqbal
Purnesh - Grahanam
Sudhindra - Super
Vijay - Aparichitudu
Madhav - Aparichitudu
Hazaraon Kwaishein Aisi
Swades
Shyam - Black
Sai - Anand
Rohit - Anand & Veer Zaara
Jaya Prakash - 7GBC
Raj - Anand
Purnesh - Anand
Purnesh - The Village
Sriram - Gudumba Shankar
Purnesh - Gharshana
Purnesh - Lakshya
Purnesh - Yuva
Leenesh - Yuva
Kis - Lakshmi Narasimha
Indian Pride - Tagore
Raj - Boys
Phani - Gangotri
Phani - Khadgam
Vikram - CKR
BKR - Indra (Singapore)
Ram - Indra (Dubai)
Ranjeet - Idiot
Rahul - Indra
King Koduri - Indra
Srilakshmi Katragadda - Mitr: My Friend