Aamir Khan a very thoughtful, perfectionist actor. When he decides to direct a movie, its a must see for me. I saw it today. And It was awesome. This is a story of a 9 year old Ishan Nandkumar Awasthi.
A cute little boy who loves collecting fish from gutter into his water bottle and then into his collection.
He loves playing with dogs and collecting unusual small things from ground and storing it.
He feels bindaas going on the road in the traffic, traveling in the double Decker bus, watching someone climbing up and painting a building from outside, watching street kids playing.
He is so innocent, so like kid, I mean one minute he is crying as he was bullied and someone had hurt him and next moment when he sees a kite falling near him, just grabs and plays… That’s how the innocence, childhood is…. Somehow we lose it when we grow up. To show his anger by throwing plants of neighbors so child like.
He has one medium in which he is completely self-expressive and that’s the medium of colors, the paintings and drawings. He paints his bedroom, his books in different colors. But he has one problem, the words, letters, alphabets just dance in front of his eyes. He can’t distinguish between b and d. Also sometime he writes ulta. This though he tries to tell but no one listens or understands.
He still covers his problem brilliantly by playing pranks and being mischievous.
Finally he just can’t cope up with studies and sent to a boarding school by parents over there he shuts himself further, he stops painting. He stops talking to his mother also on phone. He just lives and stares at the nature sometimes from the top of the mountain and sometimes near the water.
Finally one temporary drawing teacher Ram recognizes the problem and helps him learn things fresh and in his way.
The story is in a way very simple but its heart warming. Scenes when Ram meets Ishan’s parents and he sees story of a boy going away from family in the paintings, when he tell the meaning of care = “being their for the kid, giving occasional hug, telling kid so what if you slipped, I am there” were simply too good.
I know kids are not born with the how-to-grow/do manual but still its parents who have to show their love and care for the children.
Though lots of characters are shown in black shades except for Aamir and Darsheel, but its okay. I mean such strict teachers, casual parents etc do exist in society.
The treatment of movie is simple but highly heart touching.
Aamir khan as director is simply superb. He is good as usual as actor he can be nominated for best supporting actor.
Darsheel Safary as Ishan is a very cute thing to watch with very good acting. He should be given best actor award mind you not child actor award. Watch his expression when he thought his dad is leaving them for good and then his mom explains that dad is just going for office work…. Cool work.
Tisca Chopra as mother is good. Vipin Sharma as father is able to generate anger for being the way role requires. Sachet Engineer as Yohan is adequate.
Maa song was touching, Bum bum bhole was cute. Title song was well picturised. I felt couple of songs could have taken out. But over all ok.
Full credit to Aamir khan for making his directorial debut in which he stars but he has given more meat role to a nine year old Ishan. It takes guts to do a different movie and that too giving a child the lead role. He has created awareness among people about Dyslexia.
When the movie was over, I heard one 6 year old kid told his dad in theater behind me “papa mein aab padhuga”.
This movie leave your heart with a warm feeling.