Taare Zameen Par (TZP) is truly one of the top 2 movies of 2007.
It showcases the creative Aamir Khan in a new role. AK dons the mantle of the director for the first time in this movie.
Coming to talk of TZP, it’s the story of a school going kid Ishaan. Like most school going kids Ishaan is a bright, bubbly kind of a character. Lost in his own world he does things in his own sweet way. His world is totally different world, which is filled with a lot of different colors. Now since he lives in his own world, he is liable to be punished each day in school or at home. Things get worse as he time and again fails in the tests or the exams that the schools conduct. And one day when things get out of hand, his parents are summoned by the school authorities. They are advised about his progress in school which is obviously very poor and are given an insight that their ward might have to go to a special school. Ishaan’s father then decides to take the next step of sending his kid to the boarding school where he thinks the boy will be disciplined and will brought back ‘on line’.
Ishaan takes this extreme move by his parents to heart and withdraws into a shell. Enter a new Art teacher Ram Shankar Nikumbh. Nikumbh is a very flamboyant character and soon all the kids take a liking to him in school. His ways are drastically different from the same old boring routine teachers. Nikumbh soon notices that Ishaan is not at ease. He is struggling and remains withdrawn and scare of everything and anything. He takes it upon himself to set out and find out why. While going through Ishaan’s school’s notebooks, he notices something peculiar. He then understands that the kid is Dyslexic and needs help.
Nikumbh travels to Ishaan’s home and finds out more about him. The scene is a real beautiful one where he gets to see Ishaan’s creative side. The scene where Nikumbh meets Ishaan’s parents and tries to tell them what Ishaan’s problem is is heart touching. It brings tears to ones eyes. Aamir just steals this scene.
Nikumbh hurt by the way Ishaan’s parents abandoned him, return to the boarding with a resolve to change the kid. He also convinces the Principal of the school to show some leniency towards the kid so that he can cope up with the studies. Nikumbh then sets about on his task of bringing the kid back on track. He teaches Ishaan in a style that he can easily comprehend. Slowly Ishaan shows sign of improvement and his progress is steady. The climax of the film sees Nikumbh arranging a painting competition for one and all. Even the teachers are forced to participate in this. This is where Ishaan comes into his own. The scene has been shot very well. On one hand it shows Ishaan engrossed in his own world making a painting, whereas on the other side, the camera pans and shows Nikumbh doing something on a canvas. This scene is elevated with a perfect background score rendered to it by Shankar Ehsaan and Loy. “Tu dhuup hain ..”
To end this scene Ishaan walks to Nikumbh and hands over his painting and just takes a peek at what Nikumbh was doing all this while and what is shown brings tears to your eyes a 2nd time. Nikumbh paints Ishaan on the canvas, free and flying as a bird.
Undoubtedly, Ishaan wins the prize, but he is moved by the fact the Nikumbh cares for him so much. Any person who is watching this would be moved. The movie ends with Ishaan’s parents collecting his yearly progress card and being quite surprised at his progress.
The movie is a different one and it is by far the best movie in 2007. AK makes a stunning debut as a director. We all knew he was talented and have waited for him to take up direction for some time now. I guess the time has now come and we sure shall be entertained in the near future with more of AK’s movies. TZP sees the rise of a powerful story teller AK who does a great job with the narration of the story. If TZP is his debut venture I can’t wait for more from him.
TZP is full of power packed performances be it from Darsheel Safary playing Ishaan or AK himself playing Nikumbh. Even Tisca Chopra who plays Ishaan’s mother has done a very good job. Noted painter Lalitha Lajmi plays herself in the movie. Darsheel shows tremendous potential as an actor and it is only fair enough that he gets his nominations right alongside the Best Actors for the year. AK is in a supporting role and as usual foes about his business in a clinical manner.
Credit must also be given to the other important factors of the movie like Amole Gupte for writing such a fantabulous story. Prasoon Joshi for giving us such beautiful, simple and hum able lyrics and last but not the least, to the trio of Shankar Ehsaan and Loy who have time and again created magic with the tunes and they do so once again.
