What is in the movie that it is being talked about so much by all the viewers? Anyone who has watched the movie has to rant and rave about it and also urge the people who haven’t seen it to take themselves to view this splendorous movie.
Okay so here I come to the subject. It talks about the emotional churning of a Dyslexic child who is left alone with this inability that he himself is ignorant about. He was after-all a kid, but what about the grown-ups around him? Who has the time (be it the parents or the teachers at school) to analyze the reasons for a child’s poor performance at the classroom level. That is precisely where Aamir draws the attention of all the viewers and the “Parents” at large.
In the movie it is specified that “Every child is Special”...that doesn’t limit itself to children who may have some disabilities but children in general. As Aamir points out in one of the dialogues…all the fingers of our palm are not of the same size or shape. So parents need to go slow with their kids at their learning stage and slowly mould them to the shape that they are willing to be moulded into. We can see in the movie what the hostile and unfriendly atmosphere can do the sensitive and emotionally fragile heart of a child.
It is here, when the energetic, fun loving child Ishaan retreats into the shell of timidness and low self-esteem and loss of confidence, that Ram Shankar Nikumbh very carefully and fragilely guides the boy’s attention to the fact that he was not the only one to face the problems that he had gone through. This he very easily does by listing out the names of those very famous and prominent entities as Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci and many others and finally his name only to Ishaan in secrecy. That catapults the little boy’s confidence back to its peak and he slowly rises coping up with his disability with the help, care and love of Nikumbh sir.
When Ishaan’s father comes to meet Ram Shankar Nikhumb and tells him that they as parents too are worried for their child, Ram just puts a few simple questions to him that shake the entire foundation of concern for their little son!! He’s asked by Nikhumb sir, what is meant by being concerned for a child? It is a hug, a kiss, to say that “son I’m there for you”…..
The dialogue that hits straight at us for the insensitivity that we as adults show towards our children is when we use abusive language to drive home their failures or inability is the one about “Solomon Islands”. Is it not the same thing that we do to our children? Scold them using abusive language and kill their sensitive, inquisitive happy-go-lucky characteristics to prepare them for the harsh world of tomorrow thwarting their today to something that leaves a scar for a lifetime?
Think over these aspects….this is not jus an entertaining movie of three hours that one can just watch and walk out. It makes you think and ponder and respond to your own faults as parents, teachers and all the other elderly roles that you play.
Towards the end, the scene in the movie, when Ishaan wins the drawing competition and he’s given standing ovation he can’t believe the scene. He runs crying into the safe and carefree zone of his loving friend, guide and teacher. Children respond with jet-speed to love than to strict and harsh actions or words. The last scene only proves this. Ishaan is a happy-go-lucky boy now and the old Ishaan surfaces again this time only with renewed confidence. He runs to Nikumbh sir before he boards the car home. The scene is that Aamir tosses him in the air..a symbol of final freedom of the boy’s soul from the clutches of inefficiency and failure towards a flying start to success.
So it’s a tale of effective parenting, a tale of insensitivity in our Indian educational scenario, and a tale of love of teachers who think and work for their students…..
Last but not the least….the music is very apt and touching and touches the very cores of our hearts. It is a major link in arousing the feelings of love, empathy and sensitivity throughout the film.
A must watch for all cine lovers and also those who watch very few but good movies.
* This review is written & submitted by Priya Sharma.
© 2008 PRIYA SHARMA & TARUN PATEL
4 comments:
This is an excellent review of this awe-inspiring movie. I watched this movie and was really moved. As the reviewer says, the message hits us pretty hard. Kudos to the reviewer for analyzing this movie thoroughly, even the subtle scenes. I particularly liked the meaning given for the last scene. A must watch movie and a must read review, in no specific order.
It is not very easy to write a justifiable review to a movie of this caliber but the reviewer has done an excellent job. It’s very clear that the reviewer has thoroughly enjoyed this movie, excellent observation and very nice interpretation.
Xllnt review!!! The essence of the movie has been captured in the right sense. Especially the para describing the last scene -"Ishaan's journey to freedom" forces us to re-think on our views of a succesful life.
Great going man.....keep the light burning.
bad review. you are letting out the story when the readers just want to know your opinion on the movie.
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