Iqbal

Me and my thoughts on Iqbal::

’’When the heart begins to think like the head... that’s when real success is achieved, ’’ says coach Naseeruddin Shah to his special student, a deaf-and-mute boy who strives to become a national cricket player.’’

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Its a movie of fulfilling wishes, chasing the dreams, struggling against all difficulties. Once again it shows that, things might be difficult but never impossible. Life is not a bed of petals, nor is it a smooth journey, yet people who dream, never get defeated. The willpower and wish to win can make a lot of differences in our life. Life is not a mere dream, and there are people who dare to dream thinking that it might not get fulfilled. These people force themselves not to keep wishes as the fear of being lost. But again there are people who try every possible way to make the dreams as reality and thus can take any risk in life.

Iqbal is the story of a boy, who, in spite of being deaf and dumb, is able to fulfill his long cherished dream to play for the Indian cricket team. The story is simple yet so touchy. People are very simple yet they have strong beliefs in their life. Iqbal has a very supportive family where his parents and younger sister have always been with him. They have given Iqbal all the opportunities to live a normal life. He studied as others, though later on his father had to stop because of their financial condition, yet that can never stop him dreaming.

Nagesh Kukunnoor has always come up with movies of different shades; those can always stand out of the crowd. ’’Rockford’’, ’’Hydrabad Blues’’ (Part 1 and 2 both) and now ’’Iqbal’’. The story starts taking shape in a small Muslim village where most of the people are very simple yet they dream, they dream to reach the sky and they help others to fulfill their dreams, too. Nagesh Kukunnoor has great control over showing various emotions, thus each scene of his film has uniquness. Some critics say that Nagesh has taken inspiration from ’’Black’’ and ’’Lagaan’’ while doing this movie. Showing a deaf and dumb village boy, who can do anything to chase his dream to play for Indian Cricket team is not such a big deal. But why the movie is so appealing, because of Nagesh’s style of presenting it. The way of storytelling and the excellence of his skills has really made it superb! Nagesh plays with various shades of characters together and in each case he has shown the difference. Never ever I felt that characters are getting mixed. Each emotion is different than the other. The characteristics of Iqbal’s doting mother (Prateeksha Londkar) is much more different than his father (Yatin Karyekar). It’s one of those rare incidents, where a deaf and dumb son is also treated like a normal child. Iqbal’s parents were very supportive and his mother really understood him well. Though his father was against his dreams initially, but off late he realizes the dreams of his son Iqbal and was with him. Naseeruddin is of course a big part of the movie and he has done splendid as expected from a great actor like him.

I must put my thoughts on the sweet little sister of Iqbal (Shweta Prasad). She has done fantastically well and her acting skills are really fabulous. Her supportive character, love for her brother and understanding the situations, all are equally important for this movie. Nagesh has shown various shades of this little girl. At times she jumps like a small kid (when her ’’Aunty’’ gives her a new dress), she is serious as an elder sis (her interaction with ’’Guruji’’) and a concerned guardian for her brother (her behavior with Naseeruddin Shah). In everything she has done brilliantly well. I’d love to mention the scene where she wanted to take the dress from her Aunty but as her brother Iqbal doesn’t, she also refuses after explaining why to her Aunty. Her dilemma has been shown very nicely there.

Of course I can not forget Shreyas Talpade - The IQBAL of the movie. He is surely uncomparable. Everyone is talking about his acting skills undoubtedly. I would love to mention a couple of touchy scenes where he has really done very well. I should mention one particular incident, which was shown in two different situations. It is about him, getting any ’’Sportstar’’ magazine from his sis. One, when he was chasing his dreams and the other when his dreams seem to be shattered for the time being. I’d love to mention the scene when he was burning his dreams into ashes, suddenly, as the phynix bird raises from the ashes..his dreams started taking shapes once more. He saw one line ’’ ..difficult but not impossible..’’. That sentence made changes in his life once more. He started collecting the pieces of his dreams and be ready for the struggle again.

I believe this line has a great significance in everyone’s life....

Some small yet very significant details were the add-ons for this movie which made it more realistic I believe.

Like, ’’Guruji’’ treated Iqbal because of his another student, whose father is rich and powerful....

Like, The cute chic coming to Iqbal for autograph, making him astonished...

Along with,

The sweet relationship between a brother and a sister...

The unique attachments between a mother and a son...

And of course,

The value of Self respect, honesty, hard work, trust, faith, understanding and HOPES....

After all...

Ashayy...ashayy....Ashayy...ashayy.........

Ashayy zindegi banati hai..

(If there is hope, there is life; If there is hope, death also dares: Hopes are our lucks: Hopes make lives)

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