... Collapse

Very good movie. It also carries an important message - very relevant in today's competitive times - that every child is special. A must-watch for all parents of young children. ... Collapse

The movie is about an 8 year old boy Ishaan Awasthi (Darsheel Safary) who finds it difficult to match his world of colors, kites and animals to that of the others in his age group, who are more into studies and homework. When complaints start to pour in, Ishaan’s parents decide to set him off to a boarding school. His life is no different at the boarding school, oppressed and insulted by his teachers, he remains the laugh stock of the class. Now that he is away from home, he feels even more dejected, inferior and finds it tough to cope up with his inabilities.

Ram Shankar Nikumbh (Aamir Khan) gets appointed as a temporary art teacher of the boarding school. Unlike other teachers who follow definite norms in educating children, Ram makes them think out of books, outside the four walls of the classroom and paint their imaginations. Every child in class responds with immense enthusiasm except Ishaan. Ram takes effort to understand Ishaan and his problems. He makes Ishaan’s parents and other teachers realize that he is not abnormal but a very special child with talents of his own. With time, patience and care Ram succeeds in boosting the confidence level of Ishaan. He helps Ishaan in overcoming his inabilities and re-discover his lost confidence.

The story is unusual but not unknown. The message that the story tries to convey is already known to us, but most of us just remain ignorant to it. Aamir Khan, the director, has handled the delicate theme with dexterity and precision. He has not just succeeded in making every child a hero but actually helped us see a child in ourselves. Just like no man is perfect no matter what position he commands in the society, every child with both their ability and inabilities is special and talented in their own way. The movie isn’t just about a child suffering from dyslexia and his challenges, it’s also about how parents get carried away by today’s competitive world and fail to understand their child’s dreams and nurture their inborn talents.

Unlike any other enlightening entertainer which focuses more on the hero, Aamir has given the child more footage and captured every emotion deftly thereby focusing on its root cause and maintaining its significance throughout the movie. A number of sequences leave you moist eyed and you feel deeply attached to the child. At the end of the movie you are left speechless and spellbound. Music by Shanker – Ehsaan - Loy is great and lyrics by Prasoon Joshi are brilliant, they blend well with the movie.

However the movie is not without its share of flaws. The editing could have been tighter; it tends to drag a bit while being repetitive at times. A few cinematic liberties have been taken too, like how can the child venture out of the boarding school at night?

Darsheel Safary, the kiddo, delivers a knockout performance. His expressions, body language, eyes, dialogue delivery – absolutely perfect. The best lead performance of the year, deserves the best actor award. Aamir Khan as usual is excellent in a supporting role. Aamir fans could be disappointed to see him missing in the first half. Tisca Chopra is good. Vipin Sharma overacts a bit.

Overall, Taare Zameen Par is a good emotional story with a message for the parents. The kids and parents will completely enjoy it. It was also pleasant to see the movie receiving a standing ovation while the credits rolled. At the all important box-office, the clash against another biggie Welcome would affect collections, but with strong word of mouth and Aamir Khan’s star power, the movie should be a winner commercially. ... More ... Collapse