It is an amalgamation of parental expectations and personal disappointments.
Cast and Introduction
‘Taare Zameen Par’ is arguably a gem and a movie that will bring tears to our eyes at some point, but leave us with a smile. It has a beautiful cast of talented actors- Aamir khan playing the role of Nikumb, Darsheel Safari essaying the role of Ishaan as leads.
The movie shows the sad reality of the education system and the prejudice associated with parents.
Plot ( Spoiler Alert! )
The movie shows the struggle of an eight year old boy Ishaan Awasthi who is suffering from Dyslexia. He finds all the subjects difficult, scares badly and is disliked by his teachers, family and friends. He has a great talent of imagination, creativity and art and painting which are often disregarded.
The part when he bunks school to hit the road on an adventurous spree just to enjoy and explore he observes everything. Tries to understand and grasp the world through his eyes and experience.
When he paints a Gola the different colors infused and its beauty within it makes even that stand out. Reflecting how talented and gifted he is except for the fact that his family refuses to see this and understand his artistic side.
In the movie Ishaan has an elder brother. He is shown as a Utopian child he is good in academics, he is shown passionate towards extracurricular for his passion towards tennis. Ishaan is compared and expected to behave like his brother.
Ishaan’s internal world is full of imaginations and magical colors that nobody is able to see as they follow the dogmatic education system where grades decide one’s capabilities.
The Theme of Depression
Ishaan’s parents send him to a boarding school. Alone he rapidly sinks into a state of fear, anxiety and depression. His only friend is Rajan, a physically disabled boy, who is one of the top students. The boarding school teachers are even more abusive than his old school. Ishaan contemplates suicide but Rajan saves him.
Ishaan is saved and his condition improves when a new cheerful and optimistic art teacher, Nikumb comes to his school. Nikumb’s teaching style is remarkably different from that of his strict and abusive predecessors and he quickly notes that Ishaan’s unhappiness, reviews Ishaan’s work and concludes that his academic shortcomings are indicative of dyslexia.
“Duniya main aise aise heera paida huye hain, jinhone saari duniya ka naksha hi badal diya … kyunki vo duniya ko apni alag nazar se dekh paaye”
- Ram Shankar Nikumb
He visits Ishaan’s parents where he is surprised to discover Ishaan’s hidden talent is art. He demonstrates to Ishaan's parents that Ishaan has extreme difficulty in understanding letters and words due to dyslexia. Nandkishore labels it as mental retardation and dismisses it as laziness. Frustrated by Ishaan’s father, Nikumb leaves.
Later his father realises and accepts Ishaan’s situation. His father meets Nikumb and earlier refuses to accept that Ishaan has a problem and instead believes that he is an ideal parent. He believed that only through strictness they could mold children.
To which Nikumb makes him realize the practice where in Solomon Islands the tribals do not cut the tree instead they curse it. They form a circle and abuse it eventually it dies on its own.
Depicting that only scoldings and finding faults in him will not make him better. Instead the encouragement and support to children is needed.
Societal Pressure and Toxicity in Surroundings
It also depicts society's inability to accept mental health in a positive way. At school Nikumb brings up the topic of Dyslexia by offering him a list of famous people who were dyslexic. He comforts Ishaan by telling him how he struggled as a child as well.
Nikumb obtains the principal’s permission to become Ishaan’s tutor. With gradual care, proper ways and methods he attempts to improve Ishaan’s reading and writing by using remedial techniques developed by Dyslexia specialists. Eventually resulting in improvement in Ishaan’s grades.
At the end of the school year Nikumb organises an art and craft contest for the staff and students judged by Artist Lalita Lajmi. Ishaan with his strikingly creative style is declared the winner and Nikumb who paints Ishaan’s portrait is declared the runner up.
When Ishaan’s parents meet his teachers on the last day of school they are left speechless by the transformation in him. Overcome the emotion Nandkishore thanks Nikumb.
“Tu dhoop hai cham se bikhar
Tu hai nadi o bekhabar
Beh chal kahin
Ud chal kahin”
The Bottom Line
This movie teaches us that -
“Har bacche ki apni khoobi hoti hai, apni kaabiliyat hoti hai, apni chahat hoti hai”
My rating for the movie - 5/5
Written By - Manika Gupta
Edited By - Pavas Shrigyan
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