REVIEWING: TARE ZAMEEN PAR (2007)
According to ‘Wikipedia’, this film is known as “LITTLE STARS ON EARTH” and the title is exactly portrayed in this film. I don’t usually watch Bollywood much, but I have watched this film more than 20 times though I am somewhat late to review this film.
If I have to describe this film in a single word I would love to say it as an “INSPIRATION”. This film gives motivation to the children who are talented in another field(s) rather than in the field of education. I would sincerely like to express my gratitude towards Amole Gupte, Script Writer of ‘TARE ZAMEEN PAR’ for composing such a sensitive story.
In this film Ishaan Nandkishore Awasthi an 8-years old boy, whose parents weren’t aware that they had a dyslexic son. Much to their ignorance, Ishaan was a talented artist whose talents weren’t recognized by his parents nor his teachers at his school. Once “Nikumbh Sir (Aamir Khan)” went to visit Ishaan’s parents on an off day. When he visited Ishaan’s room and went through his notepad he was surprised to find that Ishaan perceives the world in a different way and his notepad clearly uncovered his talents. When Nikumbh Sir asked his parents about the reason behind sending Ishaan to the boarding school, they whined about his failure in the third standard and compared him with his elder brother Yuhan but they never attempted to investigate the matter of his failure instead they bound him to go to the boarding school. Nikumbh Sir tried to explain Ishaan’s father about his ailment as well as his talent, yet they refused to hear anything such, instead they give him an excuse of the competitive world awaited outside and they also categorized Ishaan as a mentally retarded child, hearing this Nikumbh Sir criticized them adding that Ishaan is a child of above average who can process differently. This scene of the film excited my outraged toward Ishaan’s parents, they could have affectionately asked Ishaan about his failure instead of scolding or sending him to the boarding school, and by doing this they would have found that Ishaan doesn’t have any enthusiasm for studies rather he is keen on Art, and they ought to have sent him to an art school instead sending him to a school where he can’t work with his talents. Just Ishaan had understood how he experienced a terrible stage living apart from his mother, and the lyrics of the song “Kho Naa Jaaye Yeh / Taare Zameen Par” played in the background still leave me moist-eyed.
After Nikumbh Sir returned from Ishaan’s house, he started his next class by handing Ishaan Ishaan’s notepad which he brought from Ishaan’s house. Ishaan was stunned to see his notebook before him, as he never expected that Nikumbh Sir would visit his house. Probably Nikumbh Sir planned this class for Ishaan in order to inspire him. He started giving examples of some great personalities around the globe who suffered from Dyslexia among them Albert Einstein was one. I think, what Nikumbh Sir had done in his class was a motivation for Ishaan and too for the other children whoever watched this film. The climax of the film proved that everyone has a unique talent which is not the same as other, as in the art competition the other faculty members and a few student couldn’t paint appropriately like Nikumbh Sir or Ishaan had done, however, this doesn’t imply that they don’t have any talent, or they can’t-do anything in their life, they might be talented in some other fields.