Over the past few years, we have seen Bollywood movies move away from the usual song and dance routine to more diverse subjects. 2007 was a year of truly ’different’ movies which explored everything from sports (Chak De India) to history(Gandhi my father) to urban angst(Metro). It was only fitting then, that the year should come to a close with a presentation from Aamir Khan, an actor known for his undeniable talent and versatility.
’Taare Zameen Par’ has a simple storyline, but a complex subject. In a country where education is seen as the only definitive means to succeed, having a child who does not do well in school is like being dealt a losing hand of cards in life. The dialogue that encapsulates this is said by the child’s father - Kya main ise zindagibhar khilata rahoonga? (Will I feed him all his life?). This single line holds the weight of the fear that lies in every parent’s heart. Sadly, despite this and many other well-written moments, the movie seems superficial and hollow.
First, the subject under consideration - dyslexia. This disorder is only a drop in the ocean of learning disorders that can affect kids. Many are much worse and many are so mild that they go undetected. Needless to say, every disorder and every child requires love, support and caring from their parents, teachers, mentors. Even smart kids need it, and those who consistently top their exams might need it even more, since they have a
constant desire to please the people around them. This message got lost somewhere in the movie. Were Ishaan’s parents particularly mean to him? I don’t think so. They were the same with his older brother when he lost the tennis match.
Coming to the time factor, the movie started off with the kid repeating the 3rd grade. The question is - how did he get to the 3rd grade? Parents usually start teaching kids the alphabet at home or in pre-school when they are about 3 years old. And by the time they reach the 3rd grade, kids have done a lot of reading. The whole situation in the movie seemed unrealistic. Did everyone just wake up and realize the kid cannot read?
Then we come to the diagnosis of this condition. The parents were literate, upper-middle class people. I find it hard to believe that they would blame the child’s ’attitude’ and let it go. If one of your children was brilliant and the other not so good, wouldn’t you automatically think of visiting a doctor? The first thing I would do is take my child to a specialist and get a vision test, IQ test, etc. The mother gets on the internet when Aamir tells her what the child’s problem is. If she had entered the child’s conditions at any medical site, she would have probably found out herself. My biggest problem with the movie is the message. The child is not good at studies, which is fine. Not everyone can be good at languages or history/geography, maths etc. But it is implied that you have to be good at something at least. In the end, the kid wins the school painting competition.
Is that what it is about? You must win something for your parents to be happy? Only a winner can have good self-esteem? I bet there are millions of kids out there who are not good in studies or painting or sports or music. What about them?
Now that I have vented my dissatisfaction with the above aspects, I have to put in a word for the good parts. The kid is good, but the mother (Tisca Chopra) is outstanding. Her expressions, emotions are all so perfectly
demonstrated. The actor who plays the father is very good too. I was actually feeling bad for him when Aamir Khan gave him the ’caring for your kids’ speech. Aamir was OK. He got carried away with the emotional bits, but I guess it worked as far as the audience is concerned.
I read a lot of critics take on this movie who said that it was ’Oscar-worthy’. Sorry to rain on the parade but this movie is nowhere near Oscar standards.