2008 - Every year is special

As a thumb rule, you can gauge how a movie is by observing the audiences coming out of the cinema hall. Animated Conversations, frenzied peals of laughter usually indicate money well spent. Sedate smiles, demure nods of the head and chances are, you have seen a “Main Prem ki Deewani hoon”

And then there are the ones where you see pensive faces, mulling over something that struck a cord somewhere, totally oblivious to the climb downstairs until the blares of the city traffic brings them back to their senses. It is usually at this point that all the thoughts about changing the world, following your dreams, getting in touch with that college friend, all vanish. For some, these thoughts stay till the ride home, till the time you close your eyes and welcome sleep.

Its 2:04 am. And I am fighting the feeling, knowing it will go away tommo morning. Iam coaxing, reasoning with myself to go back to sleep. No use. Reluctantly, I get up, switch on my laptop.

Taare Zameen Pe is one of those movies.


2007 will be known as the year of aberrations in Bollywood, when not one, not two but many film-makers broke the hackneyed formula plots and experimented. While Jab We Met didn’t need any grandiloquent dialogues to tell a love story, Bheja Fry proved that Indian humour is not just restricted to the recurring banana slip. Chak De aroused national fervor without the loudness/jingoism of a Gaddar or to some extent even Lagaan. And then there were those movies that probably didn’t set the cash register ringing but were superb films anyway. My personal favourite Johnny Gaddar, as also Manorama 6 feet under.


TZP coming at the fag end of the year is a simple script brilliantly executed by the debutant director Aamir Khan, With accusations of Ghost Directing countless of his movies doing the rounds, it was but inevitable that Aamir would finally put on the directors hat.

The story revolves around Ishaan, a dyslectic kid caught in an alien world where his teachers think he is mentally challenged and his father is of the opinion that he does not concentrate or try hard. The only respite from this constant badgering that he receives from bullies of all ages at home and school, is the joy that he finds in painting. Unfortunately for him, no one understands his world, and he is packed off to a boarding school in an effort to restore some “Discipline” in him, inspite of countless pleadings.

Far away from his home, devoid of the protection and love of his mother, the boy is a disaster waiting to happen.

Enter Mr Aamir Khan as Nikhumb, the art teacher, who being a dyslectic in his childhood quickly understands the problem. But is it too late??. Ishaan has also given up on the one thing that he loved the most – Painting.
How Nikhumb, over a period of time, makes the parents realize their Himalyan blunder, instills confidence in Ishaan to make him a winner is what you must watch out for.

Kudos to Aamir for bringing into limelight a topic which the parents would generally neglect. Whether the neglect stems out of ignorance, unacceptance or indifference to the problem, is another issue.

Aamir Khans “ Mr Perfectionist” tag extends and is clearly visible in his directorial abilities as he beautifully brings out the mesmerizing innocence of childhood through very relatable reels in the movie. Be it forging parents signatures and then getting caught, the feelings on the first night in a boarding school, the thrill of bunking school, am sure that weve all experienced it


Yes, your heart goes out to lil Ishaan, but spare a thought for the “Complan Boy” brother who was an apt example of the kind of pressures that children face, when having to live their parents’ dreams.

Darsheel Safary, packs in a stupendous performance as the dyslectic Ishaan, the movie belongs to him. Aamir essays the role of the art teacher sans histrionics / preachiness. The other actors play their part well in the movie. But the one person who effortlessly flowed into the role was Tisca Chopra as the Mother. Heres wishing that the talent is recognized and she experiments with her roles in forthcoming movies. Otherwise she runs the risk of being categorized as the Modern day “Nirupa Roy”

Musically, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy do a good job but its the niche, innocent lyrics penned by Prasoon Joshi that make the difference. And for once, I didn’t feel that the songs were a misfit.


All in all, an Amazing movie – guaranteed to warm the cockles of your heart - The blaring sounds are a long way off...

Will it pip OSO to be the official nominee for the Oscars this year – Only time will tell…


PS: Did you know that the Original Complan boy and Girl in the 90s commercial were played by Shahid Kapoor and Ayesha Takia.