I generally make it a point to stay away from reviewing Bollywood flicks, but this particular movie deserves a mention. This weekend I had the opportunity to watch Taare Zameen Par, a wonderful movie about a gifted child who is also dyslexic. It is directed by one of India's most cerebral director/actors, Aamir Khan.
Taare Zameen Par, which literally translates to 'Stars on Earth', handles a sensitive topic with relative maturity - 10% of India's child population faces some form of learning disability but they are mostly misdiagnosed as troublemakers, 'dumb' or 'slow' learners. Ishaan Avasthi, the young child, is rejected not only by his peers and his teachers, but also by his father… as a result he builds up a wall of resentment between himself and the world as a defense mechanism. All this before Aamir arrives as Nikhubh Sir, a substitute art teacher who recognizes the child true potential and coaxes him out of his shell.
For a country that is gripped by a feverish competitive spirit to excel, kids with learning disabilities generally fall out of our collective conscience. Aamir Khan does a great job in trying to educate the general public of what challenges these kids face daily and how a little selective attention could bring out the best in these kids.
All this makes me think that perhaps, while we were looking away, a certain segment of Bollywood matured from the stereotypical song and dance sequences to movies with a message that make us question the status quo and challenge our understanding of the world around us.
Taare Zameen Par, which literally translates to 'Stars on Earth', handles a sensitive topic with relative maturity - 10% of India's child population faces some form of learning disability but they are mostly misdiagnosed as troublemakers, 'dumb' or 'slow' learners. Ishaan Avasthi, the young child, is rejected not only by his peers and his teachers, but also by his father… as a result he builds up a wall of resentment between himself and the world as a defense mechanism. All this before Aamir arrives as Nikhubh Sir, a substitute art teacher who recognizes the child true potential and coaxes him out of his shell.
For a country that is gripped by a feverish competitive spirit to excel, kids with learning disabilities generally fall out of our collective conscience. Aamir Khan does a great job in trying to educate the general public of what challenges these kids face daily and how a little selective attention could bring out the best in these kids.
All this makes me think that perhaps, while we were looking away, a certain segment of Bollywood matured from the stereotypical song and dance sequences to movies with a message that make us question the status quo and challenge our understanding of the world around us.
