Taare Zameen Par

Taare Zameen Par. It's a 2007 Hindi movie. It means "Stars on Earth". Vice Boss had watched it last November during a workshop, and he went all over town to look for the CD. He wanted to buy his own copy of the CD but couldn't find it.

(Source : http://bollywood.celebden.com/2008/12/taare-zameen-par-bags-vshantaram-awards-2/)

He told me about it, and I offered to help him download [Sorry!! ;))] it. But somehow I'd forgotten all about it. Today, we talked about our new intake of Form 1 students, and our intervention class, and one thing led to anoother, and someone mentioned the movie.

"YOU were supposed to download it for me!" Vice Boss reminded me.

Oh yeah. But it totally slipped my mind. ;p

"We have the movie," Boss said.

"WE DO??" both of us exclaimed.

"Yeah, get it from Mr. J****."

So, as Mr. J**** was coming down the stairs, I flagged him down and asked to borrow the CD. Vice Boss and I literally fought over it. Like children. Lol.

"You'd watched it!" I insisted.

"I want to watch it again," he said.

"Let me watch it first," I pleaded. Finally, being gentlemanly, he relented. Lol. "You'll cry," he warned.

The VCD

Okie, a tear-jerker. I'm all prepared, my tissues within my reach. I sat back and played the movie.

I was worried that I would turn off, but I did not as it was not draggy. The boy, the main character, was adorable and I enjoyed his antics. So it was an easy watch.

~ Warning! Spoiler! ~

Well, this movie is about Ishaan, a very bright 8-year-old boy who is dyslexic. Because of his problem in reading, writing and arithmetic, he is not performing in school. He's repeating Standard 3 for the third year! Not knowing that Ishaan is dyslexic, all his teachers and even his parents think he's stupid and lazy.Unknown to them, however, Ishaan's internal world is filled with a myriad of colours. He is very imaginative and he can express himself through his paintings. Yes, he's talented in art.

School is such a torture for Ishaan, as he gets punished all the time by his teachers. He cannot fit in, and has even escaped school once. His parents are furious when they find out. The teachers suggest a special school for Ishaan, but his father refuses to think that his son is a retard. He thinks it's the education system that's at fault.

Having enough of putting up with Ishaan's lack of academic achievement, his father packs him off to a boarding school. His teachers there think him stupid and lazy too. Being alone without his parents, Ishaan becomes sullen, bordering on fear and depression. Then along came Ram Shankar Nikhumb, a temporary and unconventional art teacher. He discovers that Ishaan is dyslexic and decides to give him personal attention. Ram helps Ishaan to learn his ABCs, matching letters to sound. I love his creativity. He gets Ishaan to write in the sand, to make alphabet models from clay, to write using colourful poster colours, and thereafter rewards him for his achievements, however minor they seem to be.

After all those extra coaching, Ishaan is able to recognise letters of the alphabet and is reading slowly. Ram organises a painting competition for the whole school - teachers and students. And Ishaan's painting wins the competition and is used as the cover of the school yearbook!

Ram waiting for Ishaan to come to the amphitheatre, where the painting competition is held.
(Source : http://www.contentmantra.com/mantrablogs/these-stars-do-gleam/)

At the end of the term, when his parents come and collect him, Ishaan is a happy boy who enjoys school, perhaps for the first time in his life!

A happy Ishaan, before he leaves school for the summer holidays ...
(Source : http://www.contentmantra.com/mantrablogs/these-stars-do-gleam/)

It's a heart-warming movie for all to watch, and especially so for parents and teachers. It clearly drove home the point that each child was special, like little stars on earth. We should not assume that they would learn in the same way. How many times have we compared them to one another? I'm definitely guilty!

Anyway, back to the movie. I felt so sad for Ishaan, who looked with pleading eyes at his parents when they drove away from the boarding school, leaving him all by himself. What a sense of abandonment he must had felt.

None of his teachers helped him, except to label him as an IDIOT and to send him away from their classes. It must had been devastating for a child so young.

The part was the most touching was when it was announced that Ishaan was to be the winner of the painting competition, and the whole school stood up to give him a standing ovation. What was so sad was that this child was damaged to the point that he did not dare to go to the front to receive his prize. After a nod of encouragement from his teacher, Ram, he made his way slowly to the front, with his eyed glued to the floor.

When he was presented the prize, he ran into the arms of his teacher to give Ram a big hug. To me, it was a very emotional scene, and I had to reach for my tissues.

The ending, where Ram tossed Ishaan into the air, was very much symbolic, denoting that Ishaan was now soaring, not only in his studies but in his life. All this happened because of the love, dedication and commitment of a single teacher. How inspiring is that. How powerful is that.

I watched the ending twice. I teared twice. It was very inspiring indeed. I dare not say that I have the commitment that Ram has. If only in my entire teaching career that I can just help 1 person, I would make a good teacher.

"If you like competition so much, raise a horse and not a child."

- Ram Shankar Nikhumb -