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Taare Zameen Par review: NGO filmmaking
Every human life, in the way it’s lived, holds, & makes for, at least one feature-length film. While Brando popularized Method Acting, Tarantino the Method Writing, Novelists/Filmmakers living their book/film (much before it becomes the final work) has been in vogue through the entire course of both the disciplines. In that sense could we term this phenomenon Method Filmmaking? Not Quite, & Not Just Yet. Because the Method about it would be to imagine being that other life while directing; it would be about summoning that other while inhabiting the distanced, present self.
In all my film-viewing years i have never ever come across applause for a film (in its theatrical release) at its intermission. It was not one of those sarcastic applauses that we witness during political speeches. It indeed was a heartfelt-one appreciating what the film & its director have managed to set-up, & one that was looking-forward to savoring the rest of the experience. Aamir Khan himself would be pleasantly surprised that it was neither his, as they say in film-viewing parlance, entry nor his declaration of recess that inspired this rare accolade.
The founding members of the Bangalore Film Society (BFS) in early 90s, not being able to sustain by themselves, took the Society to an NGO called CIEDS (Center for Informal Education & Developmental Studies). To this day BFS is an integral part of CIEDS’s activities, & an institution whose alumni of filmmakers & film-thinkers continue to owe a great deal to the nurturing NGO. But the NGO itself was ill-equipped to articulate & delineate cinema to its patrons. Likewise, ‘Taare Zameen Par’ seems be to have gleaned from the resources of one or more resourceful NGOs. And even probably in the very-way few of their lives were experienced/lived. But in the incorporation of alternate ways of looking at the world & living life the makers of ‘Taare Zameen Par’ can claim to have succeeded only in its literal translation. A case in point being Amole Gupte’s & Lalitha Lajmi’s towering presence in the film. What the film lacks is effective cinematic articulation of the literal inspiration that willed the film. Noble intentions, Heart In Its Right Place kind of filmmaking. But just that! While it held promise of being much more.
Where, then, does the film, with so many merits, falter? And how bad a failure is this faltering?
‘Taare Zameen Par’ spends a good half-an-hour introducing us to the world of 8 yrs old Ishaan Awasthi [a truly brilliant Darsheel Safary]. A world that is made up of all that most of us, as-kids desired, & as-adults wished, but fell way short of achieving. A recipe-of-a-childhood that we thought was exclusive of a Rishi Valley School, or a Harrads. But his interests & aspirations are, at best, misunderstood & reprimanded while automatically being compared to a non-bully of an older brother. Father playing father accomplishes a mid-academic-year admission at a boarding school (New Era High School in Panchgani). Mother being mother could’ve put her foot down, & vetoed the decision like so many mothers through history have. The father would’ve probably understood. But, in the face of non-resistance, young Ishaan gets banished to yet-another-school that’s as poorly-equipped to appreciate Ishaan’s digressions & conventional-knowledge-challenges.
The first half is a major triumph in form, intent & storytelling. It is heartening to experience the measured-pacing of the narrative. And the assured generous digressions to details (as grasped by young Ishaan’s mind) that still continues to be a taboo in the Bollywood rulebook (an example being Ishaan’s drifting away from school, almost dialogue-less 10 minutes. Superb!).
Aamir Khan walks into the film at its intermission, waits for the audience to return to their seats, & successfully manages to play them, almost, a different film. His Ram Shankar Nikumbh investigates Ishaan’s problem to be Dyslexia, and turns Indiana Jones who hereforth delivers speech after speech after speech crusading against what once used to be his exact problem that didn’t receive reverse reprimansion that he is now delivering to the rest of the world vis-à-vis Ishaan. I missed the applause, of the sort that usually shuts the speaker up, effectively. The second half is constructed entirely with one Aamir Khan scene after another. The film now has become Aamir Khan’s – his tears, his tribulations, his travels, his speeches, his righteousness & finally his triumph snatched away from the kid’s victory that he himself had, as director, set up.
In what is a faux-pas in the film, Ishaan makes the transition from Pune (MH-12 registration plates) to Bombay (Marine Drive) very smoothly in his séance-like drift. Contrasted with Aamir Khan’s Nikumbh carrying the weight of his crusade while undertaking a similar journey between Panchgani & Navi Mumbai. This (un-intentional) repeated journey becomes a metaphor, for me, that separates the film from be-coming Great Cinema.
i have a few prayers to make, to atone for loving the film only by it’s half:
1. If ‘Taare Zameen Par’ is what can happen to an A-list actor when he turns director, i PRAY that all our male A-listers turn directors, immediately. Their attempt at something profounder is definitely bound to have a cumulative effect on the quality of films here.
2. i PRAY that Aamir Khan travels to Film Festivals (making an exception to his award ceremony rule) with the film. Rubbing shoulders with World Cinema can inspire some more inspiring work. [few Iranian friends could have come handy for ‘Taare Zameen Par’]
3. i PRAY that fans of Aamir Khan & Shahrukh Khan make-up their minds. It’s a little irritating when the very same people who claim to be life-long admirers of one star claim the other too, when the other star’s film releases.
4. i PRAY that adults watching the film un-accompanied by kids DON’T consider not having kids a Handicap/Disorder. Or feel the need to immediately MAKE FEW.
5. i PRAY that parents don’t start diagnosing their kids’ language/expression as Dyslexia. It’s most likely a malaise of the SMS generation. Come now, you wouldn’t call George Bush Dyslexic, would you?
‘Taare Zameen Par’ hardly needs my recommendation. By the film’s 3rd day’s run itself ‘the world that India IS’ has already embraced the film in a big way. I earnestly hope every deserving film gets the same attention, & doesn’t demand Aamir Khan as its surrogate director. I also congratulate Aamir Khan for a most impressive first film; ‘most impressive 1st-half-of-a-debut-film’.
i remain. yours truly, thani.
60 Responses to “Taare Zameen Par review: NGO filmmaking”
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Superb review. Exactly how i felt after watching the film. If only i knew how to write brilliantly the way you do! BRAVO
i love Aamir Khan though.
Thani - I do not completely agree with you. The second half was kinda Aamir Khan centric (indirectly) but still propogated the story forward meaningfully. I guess commerce partially took over and pushed aside artistic expression a little in the second half… he could have toned down on the preaching and crafted it a little better (the song that featured the disabled kids was too cunning/shameless, but that’s my opinion).
Nevertheless, I though they blended it all fairly well to please both an analytic moviegoer who looks beyond the gloss and a fairly casual audience who would normally look for nothing beyond the surface. Both kinds admit they were “moved” and that is where the triumph of the film lies, imho.
Like you said, the man deserves a applause for such an impressive debut (maybe not just for the half of it :))
Your last “prayer” was hilarious!! I can see folks in suburban Mumbai passing off every shortcoming in their kids now as “kya kare, dyslexic hain bechara” :d
Fully in agreement with bugsnest
It was always going to be a noble film in the first place. The problem to me is the way it went about exercising its nobility in the two halves. The first half relied heavily on mere documentation to bring out nobility. That sequence where Ishaan walks out of his school and immerses himself in imageries all around was so so beautifully done. In the second half, though I think the film falls prey to a sort of a responsibility it imposes upon itself. You can call it taking one’s role too seriously, you can accuse it of being repetitive, but right in2 the second half it reaches a point where the film ceases to flow, almost getting cornered and gasping for space. It then tries hard to push apart the approaching walls and play with the l’
i don’t understand your problem with dyslexia and second half?
also just for information 1 in 3 US enterpriser has dyslexia. according to recent newyork times report http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/06/business/06dyslexia.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
And also I just dont get the term method writing..
B4 Tarantino came about, his method wasn’t even considered a pre-subscribed method of writing. Tarantino sort of appended to the existing method. Technicality in any art-form will have appendages done to it regularly. Once in a while a notable form of appending will cause explosion and imitations all over and might even extend to a cross-artistic reference. And the thesarus of cinema will get redefined incorporating that one more order in vogue. Nobody defines a method for technicality in cinema. Technicality will always be free of any specific method or route.
@Sreehari
a clarification. you don’t get the term Method Writing or Tarantino credited for the same?
@akshay u bhat
dyslexia has nothing to do with my thinking of the 2nd half as being poorer..
interesting article you’ve pointed us towards..
“Approximately 10 percent of Americans are believed to have dyslexia” going by the beginning of the article i’d expected the number to be bigger. but why were you pointing us to this particular statistic?
//a clarification. you don
I disagree with the kinda approach you’ve reviewed TZP - its cynical.Just coz Aamir has credited the incredibly gifted Darsheel Safary ahead of him in the credit list doesnt mean his character shud just take a back seat.I believe Amole Gupte has said that TZP & Aamir’s character is ALSO a tribute to his teacher.So acc to my understanding TZP is a story abt a child(& childhood) & a teacher who infuses confidence in the child to take on the world with the capabilities he has been gifted with.So the 1st half is dedicated entirely in establishing the character & the world of Ishaan & how it comes crashing down & 2nd half is dedicated to how he finds his self-confidence & understands the importance of his existence or individual self & Ram Shankar Nikumbh plays a vital role in that.Ram Shankar Nikumbh also introduces a world different frm the ‘normal’ world - TULIPS school and addresses a serious issue thru that too in just couple of scenes.Just coz Aamir Khan the superstar has always gone ahead of his contemporaries & given the subject & the film more importance than himself then that doesnt mean u start expecting him to make film without givin importance to his character.TZP wudnt hv been commercially viable & watchable if Aamir Khan were nt there in the film.Im nt sayin TZP is a ‘perfect’ film bt it is indeed great cinema & without Aamir Khan it cudnt hv been possible in the way it has been.You can call TZP ‘NGO filmmaking’ or whatever you wish to bt the fact is u need real guts to do this kinda of ‘NGO filmmaking’ when u r Aamir Khan & can easily chose to make more money & stardom for urself instead of takin risk as a superstar everytime u come out with a film.
@Sreehari
True. i was holding Tarantino responsible in as much as popularising the notion, of Method Writing, around the time when he was writing ‘Jackie Brown’. credit more for coining as differing from conceiving itself.
possible?
//I thought method writing was a generic term which gets redefined with time
//credit more for coining as differing from conceiving itself//
That makes more sense. But thats just a journalistic approach to cinema. Cinema journalists I believe should care less about phrases and more about cinema . Coz, only when u talk about Cinema as a whole as opposed to a phrase does that add upto sensibility. Else its just attitude..
I hope I am not being a stickler for something insignificant. Even if I am, I hope you don’t mind:)
Thani, ur reviewing style is special :)
havent seen tzp though .
frm what i gathered frm the promos .. i found it to be over-mushy. is the film like that ?
@Sreehari
like always, i concur with few things you bring up. but, the coining was not a journalist’s. am saying it’s Tarantino’s.
while a Cinema Journalist i could be mistaken for, but journalistic??
maybe, fuck tarantino. let me go fishing. do you like the review? lol
brother, i shall not mind your ’s(ch)tickling’, & i like the idea of ‘Method Cinematography’ that you bring up. we should ask Santosh Sivan about what he thinks of it..
I also wonder if Amole Gupte wud hv been able to go ahead with introducing Aamir Khan only in the intermission had he directed the movie?
All the discussion is fine…
But what you should also know is that Taare Zameen Par wouldnt have been possible without Bill Watterson’s Calvin and Hobbes.
He is the first person to have shown what childhood is actually like. And the whole animated sequence in the movie is a direct lift from a particular Calvin and Hobbes ’series’.
But, truly amazing movie. Applause.
Gopi:
there is Charles Schulz [Peanuts] too…….and Hank Ketcham [Denis] and…..others who came before Waterson but yes Calvin is a darling!
@15 munis syed
i wonder too, if Amole Gupte could have afforded to introduce Aamir Khan as late as Aamir himself has. like i’ve suggested, a lot more stars should try direction. they could just liberate our filmmakers from the censorship, of the self or imposed, that restricts a lot of enriching possibilities. the day when impediments become facilatators!!!
@Gopi
Calvin & Hobbes - interesting intervention Gopi.
@filmibhai
thanks :-)
frankly speaking quite a poor and pathetic review of a good movie. it seems more like a desperate attempt to review a movie, rather then having a sense of wat movie and a movie maker wants to show in his movie.
good review thani.. even though i really appreciate the film i agree with your view point, but then in a world full of crap movies this year has been great and , i would forget or like to forgive it’s weak points because it still takes our cinema ahead..
Sreehari. i completely agree when you use the term noble film.. Nobility often finds many takers and we tend to overlook the flaws..
@ AK
Would you call Black a noble film too ?
Oh boy, i feel soooo sorry for Aamir Khan..
First he was accused of Directing movies he dint direct…. now its other way round!!!!
Nevermind, Mr.Khan, U R nothing short of Movie GOD for me!!! Long Live Aamir…
@Jitender
Movie criticism doesnt deal with WHAT a maker wants to show, …it deals with HOW a maker shows what he wants to.
Best place for Reviews in the world
http://www.upperstall.com
God knows who writes them!!! Maybe its me in my subconscious state..
@Anurag Kashyap
thanks anurag. means a lot..
irrespective of the inevitable categorisation as a thumbs-up/thumbs-down review, i attempt to view every film as an avid cineaste who hopes to be bought-over by the work.
2007 has indeed been a great year, riding on the good work initiated by 2006.
@parth
lol. your “Nevermind, Mr.Khan, U R nothing short of Movie GOD for me!!!” & “Upperstall - Best place for Reviews in the world. God knows who writes them!!!” is hilarious & conjecturing Aamir Khan writes reviews at Upperstall.
well, Upperstall is a site started by few FTIIians(mostly from the late 80s batches) few years ago. 2 things surprise me - that they don’t credit the reviewer, unless they want us to believe it’s the collective’s review
and the review itself where it says “the first half sometimes tends to be meander a little.” i’d have imagined fans of World Cinema digg this meandering. i completely did.
cud not agree more with guru d. was praying that welcome gets fucked left,rite n centre. if it does well then we will c more of potty comedies. havent seen a single one this year so far but may be next year i wud not have much choice. and so tzp desrves more appluase. not for the craft but because of the present scenario of the industry. atleast one good film will boost up lil more confidence. dont remember many good films that did well at the box office also…may be 5..ya thats it !!!
Thani
You should not be allowed to participate in PFC RONIN. It will be unfair on lesser mortals. Besides you are a professional now. :) Congratulations on that.
BTW What are you 10 fav life changing books that you would reccomend?
In exchange of that I would share with you this amazing song I discovered while reading your review & urging Striker to move his lazy ass & walk to some bar in Downtown LA.
http://hypem.com/artist/ratatat++spank+rock
@Phoenixnu
nothing like it when it comes from the Horses’ Mouth(s).
SRK confirmed the news about OSO being India’s all-time biggest BO hit from the cricket field in Jaipur hosting India-Australia match LIVE on National TV!!!
Now Aamir Khan confirms the overwhelming BO response to TZP, on his blog. __________________________________________________
EID MUBARAK and MERRY CHRISTMAS from CLOUD 9!!!
Dec,24,2007
You know when a director is thinking about his film before the release he often goes through amazing highs and major lows. One sec we feel that the film is not going to connect with people, another we day dream that it will get into the blood stream of the audience like no film before. The response that I have got for my very first film is like a dream response. I couldn
ya Thani…first thing i read today after coming to office was aamir’s blog. saw that he also cud not control himself from the “biggest grosser” mania. But m not complaining. BTW, even welcome had great opening 85-90%. tzp’s opening was 50-55% but it picked up during the weekend and m sure it will maintain it.
@Mainak
hey, thank you very much mainak.
’strangers’ was an one-off invitational review though.
10 favorite life-changing books.. can immediately think of about 4 defining ones..
1. Flicker - Theodore Roszak
2. Crime & Punishment - Fyodor ‘God’ Dostoyevsky
3. The Joke - Milan Kundera
4. Now and On Earth - Jim Thompson
love the sexy song you’ve bartered.
“In exchange of that I would share with you this amazing song I discovered while reading your review ” did the review have anything to do with the discovery? :-)
@ bugsnet …
What was cunning about the song yaar … Aamir just wanted to show their enthusiasm inspite of their disability … So that we so called ABLE people can learn a thing or two from them … Its ur own cunnin mind that caused u to think it that way ,,,(I m sorry , but i had to say it )
@ Anurag ..
I agree with u sir …
These ppl just want to say bad things abt anything good that comes out …IT IS a NOBLE Film … and these review will not matter to me or any other intelligent viewer who has a sense of a good film …
Thani’s review of TZP seems like a rather mean-spirited attempt at running down Aamir Khan, PFC’s new sport apparently. I hate this snobbish holier than thou attitude, that attempts to dismiss a popular star-actor’s attempts at doing something sensible in the sea of mediocrity called Bollywood.
Remember Apna Aasman, released around August this year. How many people have seen this sensitive film ? A few hunderd people, max thousand, two? How many have seen The Blue Umbrella? These starless films sank at BO despite a certain quality to them.TZP is being watched and Amol Gupte getting plenty of media exposure, sympathy and everything that goes with it simply because Aamir Khan was gutsy enough to associate himself with the project and make it commercially viable without the film losing basic sensibility,rather being pure and true to the theme.
Aamir has said, on more than one occasion, that he is a huge fan of Calvin and Hobbes.In reply to a question’What cartoon character do you identify with’, Aamir said that he identified with Calvin, ‘though I should probably be more like Hobbes’. Natural then that he would invest a bit of Calvin in Ishaan.
Jitender and Munis Syed,good to hear a couple of pro-Aamir voices in this sudden anti-Aamir, pro-A Gupte zone.Aamir has repeatedly credited Gupte duly in a fulsome manner—but obviously he had his own valid reasons for taking over the direction.
Thaani,
May be you related more to the 1st half? After the movie few my friends were discussing the movie, and to my surprise 2 of them admitted that they now realize that they might have had the problem the movie was trying to create awareness of.
They both could realte to 2nd half too. I mean they were wishing “Kaash we had a nikumbh for help”
So each and every individual has his own way of interpreting a piece of art i think. And some movies go beyond the technicalities of film making..they connect to heart.
@Lalita.S
am hurt. lol.
am attempting to look at a film as a film, & saying, as our beloved khan would say, ‘Take Lite’. am talking of JIAH. i don’t get the numb-like reverential stance that’s assumed while talking about TZP. why can’t the film have faults, & why can’t the same be articulated? i too am moved by parts of the film, & glad i continue to retain the ability.
it’s unfair to point fingers at PFC for my views on the film. indeed, the response has been overwhelming at PFC, as much as elsewhere, as evidenced by Anurag’s & Phoenixnu’s posts even before the release of the film. add to that, Amole Gupte’s contextualising the origins of the ‘process’, Honhaar Goonda’s post that you & i seem to have loved, Tushar’s & many many more to come here on PFC. STAY TUNED!!
PFC is an amazing space for you & me & the ‘Entire Human Race’ to converge, express, choose what you may..
@ Lalita
“some movies go beyond the technicalities of film making”…..
every film goes through the technicalities of film-making, and if they truly go “beyond it” then they never went through it in the first place !
Aamir had his “valid reasons” to take over the direction ? Who was he to determine he could do so ? What makes him think he is competent ? He is on the threshold of perfecting his acting skills,… and he thinks he can handle a directorial intervention ? Seems more like a misdirected ego trip !
thanks really.becoz during entire movie me and my girlfriend both cried too much and it touches our heart..thanks amol gupte.its totally amole gute’s movie and this movie is compete story of every child, bcoz we all relete with some shote and part…anurag u must do something bcoz u r one of the best cinama maker of this centuary.u must fight for paanch we all r with u.if in near futere if i have money i definatly spend in your creation…love u thani, amol gupte and anurag for no smoking and tzp
@Thani
I like how you labeled that song “Sexy”.
I can safely assume your Hard Drive is full of Pink Floyd, CCR, Led Zep etc?
How about your 10 fav bands?
Another song for you in exchange of your music list. This time not so “sexy”.
http://hypem.com/track/433277
Talking of Pink Floyd, the bheja kum songs does have the floydian flavour. The english teacher’s rantings do remind me of “if ya don’t have yer meat, how can ya have yer pudding!” (or whatever it is that was in Another Brick…).
And playback, your comments came across more like an attack. Going by your logic, what makes YOU think Aamir won’t make a competent director? Maybe you got the inside scoop.
@mainak
listening to some DownBeat stuff these days, & some favs like Goran Bregovic, No Smoking Orchestra..
love the first two songs in TZP and the way they’ve been used too.. great energy..
Hi!
THANI! You have an admirer here! I loved ur past reviews also (KKC-Bhansalifications of Sudhir Mishra etc.)I must admit though I wont completely agree with you in this case, but I must admit that everytime I read your review, it gives me new angle to view a film. (and a lot vocab also!!)
I live in Pune and have been to Wai,Mahabaleshwar,Panchgani a lot of times. I am not completly getting you but if you are talking about BUS having MH-12 then as you knw, it’s TATA motors product produced in PUNE hence it has MH-12.
Fact is my friend was 3 seats behind AAMIR in the shot of bus and he said the road he took was Panchgani(where he picks bus. that’s where “ghat” ends)then through PUNE then new vehicle and through Express Way to MUMBAI. Maybe I am talking a lot irrelevent bullshit. If yes, please forgive me.
I loved Honhaar Goonda’s and Anurag’s opinions and as Anurag says, it really is NOBLE film whr you can forgive faults.
@Shreehar
Thanks for all concept-clearing!! :)
@Thani
Crime and Punishment! WOW! great book!
@32
hey, thanks very much for appreciating my reviewing..
not just with the Registration Plates but living in Pune wouldn’t you say a lot in Pune ’stood for’ Bombay that the Awasthis seem to be residing-in. it’s a done thing though to use one location ‘for’ another. anyways, i use the analogy to talk about the difference in the 2 journeys.
lol, haven’t i already Atoned (through my Prayers) for the less-forGiving i’ve managed :-)
would be nice to have you as the 32nd comment everytime.. or maybe if you were to chooose a lesser number ‘coz not all (my) posts survive 32 comments..
@Thani!!
Hell I forgot to mention your “great” prayers!!! =))
I will try my best on your suggestions!!
You keep writing good stuff and I will “do as directed”!!
@32
:-)
I hvnt see the movie though i wished to.it wl b out of context to comment on it,at once.but one thing i may add, once hindi film comprised of,one spoon fight,two cups comedy,three glasses weeping etc. Now the situation has been changing. Films are now a days, not only story telling to satisfy the people in general with happy ending but also relate to the LIFE which let us think from different angle.TZP is simply one of them. Hats off to Aamir and Amol.
The Amir Khan Fan Club! Are you guys part of the paid staff? It was such a manipulative movie. In the same vein as Black.
sevian
i havn’t seen ‘tare zamien per’ yet.
but i am in total agreement with you on Black
@Sevian
It’s easy to think about TZP that way as it takes out tears, brings smiles and all emotions from general viewrs. But in case of Black, its tooooo far stretched. In TZP its very much in content. Movie cud hv been worst if in a movie Ishaan wins some Painting compttn on national lvl or smthng. If u’ve noticed, Ishaan’s father realises his mistake and all tht but still he never hugs Ishaan. He expresses tht to Aamir. Its really difficult to patch up some things after they are far stretched. In Black it appears as though Michell (Rani) is superwomen without vision and all tht. Here it’s much better.
Don’t you think so?
Ohh my Goddd!!!!!
It was an experience of a life time….
I have had expectations from Amir Khan’s directorial debut… but I never thought the outcome could be this lovely…
This is like adding another feather to his hat… now I think he is capable of doing anything… His creativity and sensitivity towards the subject was outstanding…
The movie was not emotional…but I couldn’t stop crying in the entire movie…
I think somehow I got related to this journey…
I am so thank to Mr. Amir Khan for this soul searching experience of my lifetime….
I would explicitly mention on the selection of the child actor “Darsheel”…He has a bright future to look forward… if he wishes to continue in this field… He had some really tiny dialogues but really big eyes to express the emotions… I was totally taken aback by the performance of this kiddo….
I Loved it… and I want everybody to see this movie… please go and see it… Somehow it makes you feel “Special”….
@46 Sevian
aren’t you levelling the “The Amir Khan Fan Club! Are you guys part of the paid staff?” accusation on the Wrong Post??
if anything, it would be Amusing to be ‘paid by Aamir Khan’, for what i’ve written here. lol.
(21)P(L)AYBACK’s question to AK: “Would you call Black a noble film too?”
(46)Sevian: “It was such a manipulative movie. In the same vein as Black”
(47)vishrant: “sevian, i am in total agreement with you on Black”
this brings us to a curious observation.
it goes thus:
‘Black’ opened in February 2005 to critical, & to a lesser extent, Box Office applause (produced by Applause Entertainment. PROPHETIC?), much like ‘Taare Zameen Par’ today in it’s first week’s run.
It took a (cumulative) few months for the turn-around to happen. Voices, that refused to be manipulated, began to be heard.
in recent weeks, ‘Black’ has been unfavorably compared to ‘Taare Zameen Par’, including by the likes of Shobha De & Aamir Khan himself. the next few months WILL probably be more TELLING if ‘Taare Zameen Par’ pares well..
For the Here & Now, ‘Taare Zameen Par’ seems to have done its share of GOODNESS to our cinema, in its present & the forthcoming..
[am tempted to sign-off as Danny DeVito's Sid Hudgens does: "Off the record, on the QT and very hush-hush"]
Only, it’s not-so-hush-Hush :-)
Black if made carefully( I dont mean attention to details- I mean with a bit more of logic and sensibility in place) carried with itself the power to have been a greater film that Taare.
TZP suffered from flaws that were inherent to its plot. It always stood a chance of being exposed. I am sure, there would be more vehement bashing of the film in days to come, once those swollen nerves which have reacted instinctively to the film settles down..
Hi!
Thnks Tahni and Shreehari for explaining this whole Black-TZP cnnctn.
I remember people coming out of theatre very much amazed and spellbound after watching BLACK. But many of them later confessed that it was impact for time being. It doesnt leave impact for weeks or months like Hazaaron does. (For me atleast.)
Touching emotions on surface and striking chords of deep in the heart feeling is different i suppose!
Shreehari is right in saying tht “I am sure, there would be more vehement bashing of the film in days to come, once those swollen nerves which have reacted instinctively to the film settles down”
But isn’t it interesting fact that very few times a good film like TZP comes and same people have extreme opinion about it in different phases of time! :d
Wonder if it would do as well had there been Irfan or KK instead of Aamir :-?
I do not agree with the review. both the halves were superb. it is not just a film about a kid having dylexia or a teacher cures his disease.
it’s about inderstanding a child and brings the best out of him. 70% of the parents in India doesn’t actually understand their children. if they r not good at study, they assume ‘battameez bachha hain, baat nahi manta’. according to them to be doctors, engineers ot main stream professional is the best to do in life. if a child fails to show the sings of a future engineer, their parents think he is dumb. taare zameen par shows this thinking is wrong.
here dylexia was not at all the main subject to focus. it was about understanding a child or in general, children.
i totally disagree with @bugsnest that the song with handicapped children was unimportant. that was there to show the teacher’s emotion. u can’t understand a child without proper emotion of urs towards children. u need to love children in a bit different thatn usual way to understand them.
in a word, the movie was just superb.
This movie made me cry :((:((:((:((:((:((:((
This movie will make you relive your childhood
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Watching TZP was an amazing experience !! The movie totally worked for me and the ppl that were in my group. Aamir Khan’s presence made the movie even more interesting. Darsheel acted superbly under Aamir’s direction. When even established directors and actors want to make movies with the tried and tested formulas, kudos to Aamir Khan for attempting something new!!
Thani: Absolutely spot on review, as far as I’m concerned, because it says almost everything I wanted to say (and couldn’t have articulated so well). I like the way you stay out of the thumps up/down trap and analyze the film. A really well written review.
regards,
asuph.