Taare Zameen Par

Director: Aamir Khan
Producer: Aamir Khan
Starring: Aamir Khan, Tanay Chheda, Darsheel Safary, Tisca Chopra
Music: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Lyrics: Prasoon Joshi

Actor Aamir Khan has carved a niche for himself as a "perfectionist" and many of his recent works speak volumes about his potential. The actor who prefers to remain selective has a different façade to display this time. Aamir makes his directorial debut with 'Taare Zaamen Par', a meaningful parallel cinematic work that delves into the mindset of a dyslexic school boy.

There was wide speculation about him in media as well as in trade circles about his first directorial work. Unlike many contemporary actor-turned-directors, Aamir preferred to play modest and safe in inundating relatively experimental subject than giving his best shot in a "masala" entertainer. As a producer, Aamir has profitable journey with films like 'Lagaan' but thereafter there was big lull till 'Taare Zameen Par' materialized to perfection for the box office.

From the innocent days of Shekhar Kapoor's 'Masoom' to the award winning 'The Blue Umbrella', Bollywood has experienced many melodramatic twists and turns in the child fictional segment but still there isn't a blockbuster in child entertainment segment.

Despite discouraging box office results to this genre, there are bold and innovative exceptions like 'Khamoshi-the musical', 'Black', 'Apna Aasman' and now 'Taare Zameen Par', where dark and unexplored façade of childhood and parenthood has been visualized with thought-provoking theme. In this short list of experimental films, Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 'Black' was the lone survivor that dared to swim against the tide and managed to succeed.

Aamir Khan's 'Taare Zameen Par' deals with a school kid who suffers from the adverse effects of dyslexia and his shortcoming creates bridges between him and the world. The term "Dyslexia", a medical term for mental disability will certainly be Greek or Latin for any viewer. It is a specific learning disability that's noticeable primarily as a difficulty with written language, particularly with reading and spelling.

As per numerous case studies, it is concluded that it results from differences in how the brain processes written and/or verbal language. It is believed that "dyslexia" is the result of a neurological difference and cannot be termed as any kind of intellectual disability.

It will indeed be a Herculean effect to strike chords with the authenticity of the subject and deserve sound research on the part of script writers in selecting situations, characters and actors for this peculiar subject. If Oscar nominated 'Lagaan' was the brainchild of writer Satyajit Bhatkal then the creative mind of Amol Gupte deserves all accolades for delivering apt substance for this unexplored subject.

It's indeed sheer delight that there has been optimum usage of graphics and animation in explaining the mindset of a dyslexia victim. The animation was spectacular and so was the narration that kept viewers on the edge of their seats. 'Taare Zameen Par' completely belongs to creative director Amol Gupte, child actor Darshaael Jaffery and director Aamir Khan.

The film takes its first route through the shortcoming of "dyslexia" suffering schoolboy Ishaan Awasthi (Darshaael Jaffery). The jumbling of alphabets, lack of concentration and the spirit of rising above the mediocrity has been depicted with great scripting sense.

The unexplored concept of "dyslexia" was indeed experimental for Indian audiences as this medical term got its real meaning through its cinematic depiction. The graphical work was amazing and the mixing of colors and images through boy's imagination is great piece of art.

The consistent academic failure of Ishaan brings him to the boarding school but things worsen for him. The isolation torments him completely and there arrives a messiah in the form of art teacher Ram Niwas Nikhumb (Aamir Khan).

Ram Niwas takes a close look at the boy's handwriting patterns and observes reversing of alphabets and jumbling of many words in the same page. It was indeed his learning deficiency and not negligence on his part that brings him down to his unbearable childhood days.

The painting talent of Ishaan confirms his intellectual strength but still the adverse effects of dyslexia dominate him. Every problem has a solution and it is significant to observe the culmination point of this thought-provoking subject.

If the climax of Lagaan was set in an enthralling cricket match, then here it is in an art competition that really paints positive shades of the protagonist. The boy who was once a 'disgrace' to his parents and failure for his orthodox schoolteachers and obstinate parents blooms out to perfection as the leader of entire school. Ram Niwas' preaching to Ishaan was contrasted with watering and sowing of seeds and the blatant remark about "Solomon Islands" was a gesticulation to his parent's negligent parenthood.

'Taare Zameen Par' depicted contemporary façade of modern parenthood where every one demands one's kids to be brilliant or outstanding at studies. The confrontation of Ram Niwas Nikhumb with Ishaan's father in the second half are one of the finest sequences of the film that really describes the adversity pf problem like dyslexia in any kid. Ishaan's animation diary is the masterstroke in the film's narration depicting his isolation from his parents.

'Taare Zameen Par' will be holding critical acclaim for many factors and they include laws about handling dyslexics, the natural gifts of handicapped children, the lack of individual attention in schools, physical punishment and finally academic pressure of delivering bright performance in primary school children.

The animation by Tata Elxsi is simply outstanding and it holds major centre-stage in the narration of the film. Whether it was flying fishes, dinosaurs, rivers, mountains or mix mashing of different colors, all contributed aptly with vivid narration.

Shankar Ehsaan Loy's music is not only brilliant but by far the finest in child-fiction segment and all accolades to Shankar Mahadevan's rendered "Maa" and "Taare Zameen Par". Prasoon Joshi's lyrics deserve special mention for being soul-stirring and connecting well with the mindset of a school going kid. Cinematography by Setu is another gifted technical aspect that glorifies the imagination of this naturally gifted kid.

Aamir Khan should be complimented for choosing commercial format in depicting such an inhibited and unexplored concept rather than going through docu-drama format. This is a bold attempt in enticing multiplex viewers and this will elevate Aamir's status both as a budding director as well as a competent actor.

The year 2007 may not be as fruitful and prosperous for contemporary flicks but there have been bountiful flicks about "child fiction", child actors or films this year where kids have delivered potential performances.

The year concludes with a relatively happier note with 'Taare Zameen Par' where child actor surfaces major ground as a lead protagonist. Child actor Darsheel Jaffery adds to the list of prodigal child actors and can well be a good example for coming child actors.

If good word of publicity is to believe then 'Taare Zameen Par' can surely be a surprise hit and a big encouragement to parallel cinema makers. It's likely to attract substantial opening at all multiplexes and the family audiences will be relishing every moment of it.