dekho inhe- ye hain oas ki boondein

It was a warm noon when the four of us- Ajesh, Kunal, Vaibhav and me stopped over at a non-descript village called Bhabhroo near Alwar. The mission was simple- we saw a temple up in the hill; we just wanted to trek there.
The walk from the highway to the foot of the hill was interesting. Toddling through the narrow alleys in the village, avoiding a stream of sewage water here and animal dung there, we scrambled through the village. We were quite a sight for the villagers. Four young men, wearing clothes that were urban, wearing shades and speaking in English; this would be a rare sight in their village- I’m sure.
One moment that remains frozen in my memory was when we passed by a school. Yes, a school where, children- about 9-10 years old, were sitting on the floor and, in a chorus were repeating what their teacher was saying.
Now, my friend Vaibhav has an interesting personality. He is much more urbane than any sophistication you could have ever seen. You could mistake him for a resident NRI ;-)
Naturally, the children were excited upon seeing such a rare guest. Their excitement was palpable- some of them cheering him and peeping through the grills of the window that separated them from us. Vaibhav acknowledged this attention and eventually had to wave back (just like the Dreamy girl in Om Shanti Om).
The other three of us, like the valets of a celebrity smiled and walked behind :-)

This was one of the few instances that I could recollect from my past as I made my way through the exit after seeing Taare Zameen Par.

The end titles of Taare Zameen Par are special for more than a single reason. Each person associated with the movie has been acknowledged- the titles don’t seem to rush past. While reading each name, you also get to see a documentary footage of children of different races, regions and in different moods. It is certainly rare that you are watching a movie for the third time and you still remain glued to your seat till that last film of the climatic titles. When you get out of the hall, you are moved- your heart filled with emotion- of joy and sorrow; when you are numb reflecting upon the experience you have been through in the hall; when you thank God for the wonderful life you have been blessed with.

Rarely do you see movies that entertain and enlighten. Hats off to the team of Taare Zameen Par for making such a movie.
The movie is like a beautiful poem you are reading on celluloid; it is like a beautiful painting you want to savour…

How’s this for the lyrics of a song in the background- “akela nahi main, khuli aankhon se neend mein chalta, girta zyada kam sambhalta, phir bhi na koi shaq na shubha, niklega phir se- sooraj jo dooba, hairat ho sabko aisa, ajooba hai mera jahaan”. This one is written by Amole Gupte and is perhaps, Adnan Sami’s best song yet.

There are facets of our life that we take- as a way of life; like the Chhotus who clean our dining tables in restaurants and dhabas; like Kakes who make the thela wala chaai… like the unclad, dirty-nosed infant-kids wandering near your homes that make you sigh in disgust, like the teenager who still can’t eat himself or do those basic things that you and I do easily as a part of our routines. How’s this for the lyrics of a song- “Duniya sajee, tere liye, khud ko zara pechchaan tu. Tu dhoop hai, jham se bikhar, tu hai nadi, oh bekhabar. Beh chal kahin, ud chal kahin, dil khush jahaan, teri toh manzil hai wahi”

I wonder how many of us actually get to “jham se bikhar”.

I do not know the long term impact this film will have. But I’m sure, anybody who liked the movie would pause for at least that fraction of a second the next time he/she sees these scenes of a childhood lost.

The characters in the film are well etched out. Simple scenes like Aamir getting out of the front seat of the taxi convey a lot about the character. In the animated sequence (3*9=3), the child shows an awareness of Jupiter being much larger than earth or the ring around Saturn clearly showing that he is not dumb.

The interactions between the Aamir’s character and the child’s father are beautifully made. Look at the body language of the father when he tells Aamir that he and wife know all about dyslexia and care for the child; and eventually when he leaves the campus. Look at the scene when the parents hear the words of appreciation for the child; unable to take it, just as a man coming out of a dark room into the sunny day would stand with eyes tightly closed for some time.

The most appealing scene was towards the end when the child realizes that it is him that Aamir has painted. The way the protagonists look at each other is truly amazing.

I have seen this film with my parents, then alone and then again with a childhood friend who remains very special. In all probability I shall see it again. The tagline of the film says, “Every child is special”. So is the film.

This blog is dedicated to a friend who I have known for 8 years. All these years, dear and close that he has been, I’ve always considered him one of those guys who lives in an I-Me-Myself mould. I’ve often told him that he is incapable of human emotions ;-)
This New Year’s eve, I accidentally discovered that he has been inspired by Steve Waugh and is involved in his own way with Udayan, an institution in Kolkata. I was touched.

This one is for you Dr. Harsh Jagnani.