On Taare Zameen Par

It would be wrong to say that Taare Zameen Par failed to touch me in any way. I was very apprehensive about watching the movie because there were widespread reports of people weeping while watching the movie, some uncontrollably. That was one of the main reasons that despite there having time in office, due to the year end holidays, I refrained from watching it. So, I watched it yesterday. The movie started well. I would like to commend the Director or whoever chose the cast, for choosing this little fellow (Darsheel Safary) for Ishaan. He has that vulnerability on his face, that naughty look that immediately appeals to you. I had no inkling whatsoever about the theme of the movie before watching it. In a way it was good. I could have a very objective view of the whole movie, reel by reel. In the beginning I was wondering if its about an orphan and that the hero was an adopted child, because there were marked difference in the physical appearance of the two brothers. Then it became clear that the case was not so. That the younger child is inclined towards the art and any visual art was clear from the first few shots. Director, through a song, beautifully, and successfully conveyed it to the audience that the child was different from his father and brother, in the way they are focussed on their day to day lives and goals. Then gradually it became clear that the character had dyslexia, when his mother said why is he making the same mistakes repeatedly, his apathy towards discipline, his acute sense of finding beauty and art in mundane things and actions. Then this character of Ishaan says the letters in his book seems to dance. And suddenly I had this strange nice feeling inside, so, the assholes in bollywood has finally tried to make a movie on dyslexia. For reasons I will not say now, I had tried to find as much information on dyslexia few years back and I have developed a respect for dyslexic people. So, from then onwards it was like watching the trials and tribulations of a child whom no one seemed to understand. Not even his parents, which, anyway, is the case most often. When Ishaan's character was going through the most turbulent of times, and through the most inconsiderate of human beings, someone in his class said, a temporary teacher is coming. I was not sure if the movie was only a Aamir Khan Production, or he was acting in it as well. Somehow I felt he will be in the movie. Then the sound of the flute came, a prelude to the entry of a special character of a movie. So typical of bollywood or any god damned wood. Can a hero simply walk into the frame? Almost unthinkable. Anyway, so Aamir Khan enters as the temporary art teacher and sings a song. And I thought, o fucking christ, so, there is someone who is going to understand and help this child. Though it was a movie, I think the character of Ishaan, and the actor's near perfect acting will not fail to move many. I liked the movie after that. Because I realised, that it is one of the beautiful movies ever made on this subject, be it European film industry, or Japanese or hollywood. I commend bollywood for that.
People are saying that the frame in which Ishaan's character sees the painting made by Nikumbh's character moved them to tears. I must say that I loved that scene. Aamir Khan was smiling as if he actually painted it, though he was doing his job, namely acting. But I appreciate the person who painted it for this movie. It captured many things. Hope is just one of them. The moment I saw Lalitha Lajmi, I thought where have I seen her? Then today morning when I googled I saw that she is Guru Dutt's sister. And then it came as a flash. I saw Lalitha Lajmi in Hyderabad. I along with my friend Pradeep had gone to attend the Guru Dutt Film Festival in Harihara Kala Bhavan, near Patny, in Hyderabad. She came there on the first day and addressed the audience. She has not changed much, considering this was only 2 years back. It was a beautiful evening listening about Guru Dutt from his own sister, letting us see glimpses of his life. After the movie when everyone was coming out I approached her and asked for her autograph. She smiled and gave her autograph. I had that paper for many days and then lost it somewhere. It was good to see her again.

Well, Aamir, Good Job. And Thank you.