TARE ZAMEEN PAR- A Lesson for Parents and Teachers

How can one not love a movie about children crafted with utmost compassion - children with special needs at that? But, is that the only reason I liked Tare Zameen Par? Maybe - maybe not. What I know for sure is that a strong one-line story is narrated extremely charmingly. It is truly uplifting when spirit wins and yet, it is not all about the spirit of winning.

Tare Zameer Par is about a child who suffers because no one around him recognizes that he is a slow learner. The beauty of the narration is that the message applies to all children - learning disability or not. How can creativity not deserve a place in academics? It also points a very subtle finger at how we build conformation in our system right at the roots.

The pace of the first half gives you time to think of normal children who are just not academically inclined. The resolution in the second half, however, comes by too quickly compared to the trauma shown earlier. But, I guess, if the point is to show that difficulties can be overcome, you don't necessarily want to show how difficult it is to overcome them.

About 45 minutes post-interval, Darsheel Safary (Ishaan) said a line which made me realize that he hadn't said a line in the last hour or so. There I was feeling sorry for Ishaan, feeling like yelling at someone to give him a big hug while I fought this lump in my throat that had been there for the longest time. All this based solely on Darsheel's expressions and body language!

Aamir Khan's entry into the movie seemed over-the-top and forced, mainly because it was in absolute contrast with the tone of the movie thus far. But after a little while you realize that you can't distinguish between the actor/director Aamir Khan and his character Nikhumb. They are both fighting the same cause. Passionately. The other characters serve their purpose as caricatures - stereotypical father, loving mother, understanding sibling, ruthless teacher, and jeering peers.

No matter who or what the focus of the camera is, the love it feels towards its subjects shows in each frame. And, in turn, you fall in love with what you see on screen. Compositions, lighting, angles, colors all work successfully together to engross you and very often to enchant you. The lingering camera might have added a good 10-15 minutes to the run-time. But you will be hard-pressed to point out exact scenes which the movie could have done without. Everything is building character or atmosphere or both.

Yes, that dash of seemingly inevitable melodrama exists. The side-characters transform for no apparent reason. The climax is exaggerated and is as unrealistic as it could get. However, the aim is to show not reality of life but reality of the condition that this child suffers from.

-TARE ZAMEEN PAR- A Lesson for Parents and Teachers

Embarrassing Moments: Oooopsss!!!

Your face is turning bright red. You want to hide yourself in shame. You've just done something totally embarrassing, and it feels like everyone is staring at you and giggling. Maybe everyone is staring at you and giggling. Hey, it happens to everybody.

            We've all found ourselves in humiliating moments where people point fingers, laugh, and make jokes. Take a peek at MINE.

LOOK! It's a Bird...It's a Plane...Noo..It's Superman. 

            This is the famous line for my super hero – Superman! It was like a mantra for me when I was five years old. At that age, I loved to imitate superman. I wear like him, pretend to help others like him and even cut my hair almost similar to him. I was crazy about him at that moment.

            We all got used to seeing red underwear over Superman's largely blue uniform. At that time blue and red were my favourite colours too. I used to bug my mother for a superman suit. My parents tried to find for the suit for me. Unfortunately, it never happen. I always cry whenever they say ‘NO’ to buy me a superman suit.

            That is the moment, where I decided to make my own suit! I searched for ble colour shirt and pants in wardrobe. I sneaked into my parents room and took their red towel. But, the red underwear was missing. I will be never complete without the red underwear. I don’t have red underwear. My wardrobe was full with the superhero undies. I was confused and disappointed because I couldn’t find the red underwear. I went and sat at the veranda in front of my house. My mother was hanging clothes to dry and I saw my father’s red underwear hanging and waiting for me to wear it. Once my mother went into my house, I quickly ran and took my father’s red underwear. I tied the towel on my neck and wore my father’s red underwear. I was complete suit!

            I ran around my neighbourhood wearing my own designed superman suit. My friends were amazed with my idea. They ran with me. But, once we ran across the girls, they laughed at me! My neighbor aunty complained to my mother about my superman suit. She scolded me in front of the others.

            I was the laughing stock for the rest of the week. That day was no doubt one of the most embarrassing days of my life.