Taare Zameen Par:
reflections
What an unusual name for a film- stars on earth. And what a film! Could I call it a visual treat? Yes and no. There are always words one likes to use for a film that makes you think, a screenplay which you carry home with you and one that makes your hair stand on end when you so completely identify with the theme of a movie that’s obviously close to the director’s heart, and by default becomes close to yours. In my case, it was indeed a very personal experience. I am also a mother with two distinctly different children, one from the other. One, an achiever in worldly terms, the other, pretty much like the protagonist of this special film, who lives life on his own terms, from within his mind which takes flight as and when it pleases.
Yes, all children are special, we all know that and we are repeatedly told that. How special a child can be when he is different from other ordinary, normal kids, is the central theme of this film. Most of us need to belong, wish to belong and be able to hold our head high above the rest if possible, for achievements that stand out from the norm. What happens when a child, like any other human being, wants to belong but is unable to? What ensues in his heart and mind when he is repeatedly observed and berated for being foolish, unintelligent, over the top with his pranks and of course a total non performer in the given normal parameters of our education system? He consistently struggles with himself and his environment, which in turn pushes him further and further into an abyss – his escape route is his imagination where he is at his happiest best. When the very structure in which he somehow finds succour and meaning, is rudely broken down, the meaning of his existence becomes fuddled, confused and mean. After all he is only a 9 year old child.
Aamir Khan has certainly put his money where his mouth is. It’s a film about any child that doesn’t ‘belong’ the world of “normal” children, and Aamir has surely seen this up close in his own life, is my firm belief. It’s a film straight from the heart and reaches the heart. The little child, Darsheel Safary, is so true to the role assigned to him, that one wonders if one is not watching reality itself. You see the life of a family with very distinct role models- the father is a typical middle-class man who is very clear about his ambitions for his children, and if one of his children is unmanageable, surely a boarding school education will sort him out, and of course, he is no longer responsible for the child’s misdemeanours. The elder child is near perfect, under pressure to be the topper at all times; a superb portrayal by the young lad, Darsheel’s(Ishaan Awasthi) dada. They share a wonderful rapport and the love and affection shared is palpable and moving.
The mother is played by Tisca Chopra- why a weak woman, why helpless? That she is. Her motherhood and her stance during the scenes where she appears very much the weaker sex, is convincing. She is shown as being someone who is well-educated but has sacrificed her career and become economically dependant upon her husband. I do believe that however educated a woman is, she ends up being dominated by her spouse if she is not strong enough in what she believes. She also played along in the decision to put the child ‘away’, because it also suited her to. Was she really as helpless as she is made out to be? Think.
Some of the dialogues are hard hitting, very tight and hurt where they should. Aamir, in the plum role of the art teacher, who turns the life of the child around, mouths certain dialogues which are unmistakably addressed to us, the audience. In his interactions at first with the family, he clearly speaks about what dyslexia is and also uses the moment to speak about parents who burden the child consistently with their own personal ambitions. His conversation with the Principle of the school also update us without much ado, about the rules laid out by the Indian Government which state that every child should be allowed to be integrated into the mainstream education system. There are many such moments in the film which make you sit up and truly listen. Last but not the least, which affected me considerably was a rather strong scene between the father and Aamir, when the dad, wishing to ward off any ‘misconception’ about his having cast away the son, says that his wife’s been surfing the internet in order to educate them about Dyslexia and they haven’t been sitting idle. Aamir seizes the moment to inform the parent about what care would be, in a very subtle manner- a sudden hug, a kiss and a reassurance that were the child to falter, it’s perfectly all right, the support is there at all times. Isn’t that what parental care is after all about? Just before the father, Mr Awasthi, walks away, Nikumbh(Aamir) asks him if the mother of the child had also heard about Soloman Islands. When the tribes on this island need wood, they do not cut down the trees, they simply go to the tree and scream and shout at it. In a short time the tree fells itself and dies a natural death. This sermon itself is the turning point in the film when the father sees his son outside reading out loud the Notice for an Art Mela organized by the art teacher, Ram Shankar Nikumbh(Aamir). The father hurries away with smouldering tears of remorse in his eyes.
The direction is brilliant. Never is the acting over the top by anyone. The climax is beautifully executed when Darsheel wins the art competition and is incredulous. He breaks down in disbelief, his confidence in himself reinstated. We watch with very moist eyes. Is Darsheel acting, you ask yourself.
It’s a must watch for all parents. It’s a must see for all people who are aspiring to become parents. This film sensitizes one to both oneself, and one’s environment and above all, one’s children. There is much to learn and much to ponder upon. I think we are all special, with special abilities, it’s time to bring these out and believe in oneself.
Kamalini Natesan(bangalore)