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By Taran
Adarsh, December 18, 2007 - 14:25 IST
 Come
to think of it, after two back-to-back hits [RANG DE
BASANTI, FANAA], Aamir Khan could've given a positive
nod to any masala flick and chosen to work with anyone
he desired. But he preferred to make a film on a
dyslexic kid, make him the focal point of the story
and don three caps -- producer, actor and director.
At the very outset, let's make one thing clear. TAARE
ZAMEEN PAR isn't one of those films that merely
entertains, but also enlightens. TAARE ZAMEEN PAR is
one film that makes you peep into a child's mind and
how some parents, in their pursuit to make them
'stronger' academically, forget that there's hitherto
untapped talent that needs to be nourished and
encouraged.
TAARE ZAMEEN PAR drives home a strong message, making
you empathize with the kid, compelling you to draw
parallels with your life, making one realize that some
of the renowned geniuses were once scoffed at, but the
world had to bow down to their intellect later.
Sure, TAARE ZAMEEN PAR boasts of a story that strikes
a chord, but most importantly, it has been treated
with such sensitivity and maturity that you're left
shell-shocked in amazement by the sheer impact it
leaves at the end of this 18 reeler.
TAARE ZAMEEN PAR heralds the birth of a topnotch
storyteller -- Aamir Khan. To choose a story that's a
far cry from the mundane stuff that's being churned
out like factory products, requires courage and
conviction and to execute it with panache is a rarity.
 Those
who somewhere nursed a grudge that the camera follows
Aamir in all his films, will chew their words once
they watch TAARE ZAMEEN PAR. Yes, Aamir has a key role
to portray as an actor, but the camera captures the
child's emotions like never before in a Hindi film.
Also, let's also clear the myth about TAARE ZAMEEN PAR
being a kiddie film. It's not! It's about children.
Note the difference!
In a nutshell, TAARE ZAMEEN PAR serves as a wake up
call for every parent or parent-to-be. Also, it
heralds the arrival of a magnificent storyteller --
Aamir Khan. At the end of the day, it's not difficult
to choose who's better -- Aamir, the actor or Aamir,
the director. TAARE ZAMEEN PAR is a triumph all the
way from the director's point of view.
Ishaan Awasthi [Darsheel Safary] is an eight-year-old
whose world is filled with wonders that no one else
seems to appreciate; colors, fish, dogs and kites are
just not important in the world of adults, who are
much more interested in things like homework, marks
and neatness. And Ishaan just cannot seem to get
anything right in class.
When he gets into far more trouble than his parents
can handle, he is packed off to a boarding school to
'be disciplined'. Things are no different at his new
school and Ishaan has to contend with the added trauma
of separation from his family.
One day a new art teacher bursts onto the scene, Ram
Shankar Nikumbh [Aamir Khan], who infects the students
with joy and optimism. He breaks all the rules of 'how
things are done' by asking them to think, dream and
imagine, and all the children respond with enthusiasm,
all except Ishaan.
 Nikumbh
soon realizes that Ishaan is very unhappy and he sets
out to discover why. With time, patience and care, he
ultimately helps Ishaan find himself.
On face-value, TAARE ZAMEEN PAR looks like a kiddie
film, but as the story unfolds, you realize that the
story peeps into the mind and heart of a kid, his
interests, his hobbies, his strengths and weaknesses.
The director opens the cards at the very outset, when
you realize that the kid is just not interested in
books/studies. And his interaction with his stern
father, doting mother and lovable brother is straight
out of life.
A number of sequences in the first hour leave you
spellbound --
Ishaan's altercation with the neighboring kid over a
cricket ball;
Ishaan's parents' decision of putting him in a hostel
and Ishaan's constant pleas falling on deaf ears;
Ishaan going into a shell in the boarding school,
looking disinterested in life. Also, the art teacher
punishing him for his inattentive behavior.
There are several moments in the first hour that make
you moist-eyed. The bonding between the mother and son
is remarkable. These moments effectively capture the
special bonding, making you realize that a mother's
mere touch can act like a soothing balm on a troubled
soul.
Aamir takes the courageous stand of placing the story
on Ishaan's shoulders right through the first hour and
not once do you feel that the kid doesn't have the
power to keep your attention arrested.
 The
second hour is equally challenging and most
importantly, motivating. The introduction of Aamir's
character, Aamir spotting the indolent Ishaan, Aamir
traveling to Mumbai to meet Ishaan's parents and then
citing examples of extra-ordinary men who were
ridiculed by their contemporaries/peers -- these
moments linger in your memory even after the show has
concluded.
But the best part is reserved for the finale -- the
art competition in the penultimate twenty minutes. The
emotions reach an all-time high as the kid regains his
confidence. The finale would melt even the
stone-hearted!
Directorially, Aamir Khan deserves distinction marks
for extracting an exemplary performance from the kid
and handling the plot with supreme sensitivity. In his
debut film itself, Aamir proves that he's a gifted
storyteller, someone who has the courage to swim
against the tide and also convince the viewer that
there's more to film-making than the mere masala
entertainers. Bravo!
Setu's cinematography is mesmeric. The camera captures
every minute detail, every emotion, every tear with
precision. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy's music is easy on the
ears. 'Bum Bum Bole', 'Jame Raho' and the title track
are first-rate compositions. Prasoon Joshi's lyrics in
'Maa' deserve special mention. Editing [Deepa Bhatia]
does justice to the material. Only thing, the film, if
trimmed [second hour], will only be more impactful.
Animation and visual effects are fantastic.
TAARE ZAMEEN PAR belongs to Master Darsheel Safary. A
performance that make the best of performances pale in
comparison. A performance that deserves brownie
points. A performance that'll always come first on
your mind the moment someone mentions TAARE ZAMEEN
PAR. A performance that's impeccable, flawless and
astounding. A performance that moves you and makes you
reflect on your growing years. A performance that
merits a special award!
Aamir is excellent. Note his scenes with the father of
the kid. First, when he visits their home. Next time,
when he cites the example of Solomon Islands.
Splendid! Tisca Chopra is outstanding. Here's an
actress who needs to be lapped up in a big way by
film-makers.
 Tanay
Cheda [as Ishaan's friend Rajan Damodaran] is
excellent. Vipin Sharma [Ishaan's father] is slightly
theatrical. Sachet Engineer [Ishaan's elder brother]
is apt. The teachers have performed well.
On the whole, TAARE ZAMEEN PAR is an outstanding work
of cinema. To miss it would be sacrilege. It has
everything it takes to win awards and box-office
rewards!
Do yourselves a favor. Watch TAARE ZAMEEN PAR with
your child. It will change your world. It will also
change the way you look at your kids!
Rating:- *
* * *
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