It’s not everyday that a movie takes you with itself on a journey and
lives you in a state of mind, where you don’t know whether to
appreciate the simple narration that touched your heart or to get
thinking on the questions raised in your mind. Come to express what
you felt, no words can do any justice to the experience called "Taare
Zameen Par".
No doubt it was a untold story with great potential. But, we always
have great untold stories around us, which are waiting to see the
daylight or should I say screen light. What we don’t have is people
who can venture into these projects and make sure that they build a
strong bridge or should I say screenplay, that connects the story and
the audience. Thanks to prior attempted bridges devastated by box
office cinematic conditions. Aamir not only decided to swim against
the tide with this story, but also did a great job as a first time
director. Aamir’s presence did made sure that audience makes it to the
movie hall. But, from that point on it’s Amole Gupte’s screenplay and
Darsheel Safary’s performance that holds the movie together. Darsheel
Safary plays the central character of the movie "Ishaan", who is a 8
year old boy, who lacks complete interest in studies. The movie starts
with the outside world of Ishaan, where no one seems to understand his
problem and eventually takes the audience into Ishaan’s inside world.
Once you are into his world, your ears can hear the slience on his
lips and eyes can feel the pain in his tears. But you’re not sure how
to help him. Yes, I said "help him" because now Ishaan’s journey is no
more on screen. You are into the journey along with him and that’s why
you start thinking for him, instead waiting to see what unfolds on
screen.
The screenplay holds you so tight that you are only and only with
Ishaan. Even when the songs come, they flow so smoothly in and out of
the movie that you don’t bother to tap your foot or think if the music
is good or if this song was required. Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy have
added lot of feathers to their musical cap, but "Taare Zameen Par" is
a precious stone added to their cap. That’s how beautiful their work
is. Prasoon Joshi’s lyrics feel like they are embedded into the script
of the movie. They don’t stand out as songs. Prasoon has proved his
way with words before, but this movie demanded more than writing
caliber and he does come out with flying colors.
Setu’s cinematography perfectly balanced the inner and outer world of
Ishaan. The camera work did complete justice to the screenplay, by
making sure we see the movie thru Ishaan’s eyes. The great film
captured on lens got perfect scissors on editing table. Deepa Bhatia’s
editing was so smooth that you just don’t feel the presence of her
scissors throughout the narration and that tells me she knows her job
too well. Coming to background score, sometimes they are so
overwhelming that take over the scene and sometimes they take backseat
and softly add to the feel good or feel sad mood of the scene. But
here, I seriously don’t remember getting any feel for the presence of
background score. It was neither in the background nor foreground, it
was part of the scene and that too me was quite amazing.
Coming to the performances, as I said before Darsheel Safary is a
great find and Aamir as always is Aamir. One actor who really
surprised me was "Tisca Chopra", extremely delighted with her
portrayal of Ishaan’s mom.
I think, more than kids this movie is a must see for parents. Back in India, even before the child enjoys the childhood, he is thrown into the competitive world and expected to excel only in academcis. Hopefully this movie will bring in some change in the way we look at kids who don’t come out with fkying colors in their exams. Finally, Aamir’s bridge connecting Ishaan and audience totally ROCKS.! and I hope we will walk on more bridges like this one.