Taare Zameen Par: Star With A Noble Heart
Taare Zameen Par is one such innocent film that my heart bleeds to call it poor or bad. It’s a daring attempt that proves that sometimes stars do come down on earth to tell stories of ordinary mortals, writes Bikas Mishra
Taare Zameen par
It’s difficult to achieve stardom and have the courage to put it at stake for a cause. A star with lots of grey matter and a heart of gold that’s what Aamir is known as. A wonderful actor, a great producer (Lagaan) and now a director.
Taare Zameen Par is a story of a dyslexic child, who is considered dumb by his parents, teachers and everybody else. Though he is bad with letters and numbers, he has a fertile mind that comes alive on canvas. Though initially he suffers because of the lack of awareness of his parents and teachers about dyslexia but a teacher turns his life around.
I never expected Tare Zameen Par to be a great film but what I’ll remember the film for is the sheer guts of a star to lend his stardom for a noble cause. Though I still keep thinking if there’s a scope for cinema that could spread awareness about an issue without being preachy, dreary and insipid.
From fake sounding dialogues, to cheeky logical flaws of the screenplay, complete absence of characterization (except the protagonist) and an overdose of teary emotions are little too much to get along with.
There’re picture perfect shots, heavy dose of refined dialogues, lots of colors, but all of them exist in isolation. The curious mix of all these elements is a disappointing film though with a noble intention.
In the maze of multiplicity of weaknesses what stands tall is the wonderful performance by young Darsheel Safary and Aamir’s courage, conviction and poor direction.
It’s one such innocent film that my heart bleeds to call it poor or bad. It’s a daring attempt that proves that sometimes stars do come down on earth to tell stories of ordinary mortals. An effort worth a salute, the film could, well, be given a miss.
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My rating: stars (To the effort)
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Your Rating
(17 votes, average: 3.76 out of 5)
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Hi Bikas,
Your review is very interesting..pehaps more so than the film! The subject matter is a sensitive one, but if the film and script themselves are poor, then it defeats the cause. Ultimately a poor film is a poor film, no amount of noble motivation can tutn it into a great film or even entertaining cinema. What I dont understand is why all the film critics have glowing recommendations on this one. TOI has a 4 star rating! News channels also spoke highly about this. Something to think about I guess.
Yes Aniruddha,
Even I’m surprised to see the unanimous 4 stars by almost every mainstream reviewer!!! But didn’t they show the same generosity towards OSO!!!!!
It’s something called star power, which critics take a bow to. TZP is great because it puts the star power to a noble cause..
If it’s not star power then this is “cinematic illiteracy” of the critics, who judge a film on the “issue” that it deals with. This is nothing new in our country. National Awards are handed out on the parameter of “issue” , perhaps our academy awards nomination committee thinks in a similar fashion.
Maybe things will change….perhaps the process has already begun
Hi Bikas,
I was a lill apprehensive when i went to watch this film as the whole spat b/w the original director and amir khan were all out and i tot the movie will be very narcissist and when aamir khan made his entry i tot my fears were confirmed:)) i think the subject matter of the movie is such that each one of us can relate to it in a way and so i see a HUGE potential in it..but it i must admit the movie is a BIG DISAPPOINTment when it comes to script and character outlines..it is extremely slow in the first half and the second half is very predictable. the climax is sooo predictable that the reactions it shows of aamir khan and others come out a lill comical..also there are a lot of illogical things happening..for ex ishan’s frnd who stays in staff qrters knows that ishan left the hostel b4 neone else woke up!!!!
Good Review Bikas!!! I am still to watch this movie and I am in two minds after reading your comments. I think of Aamir Khan as a very good actor but I doubt how good of a director will he be. I think welcome will be a better bet.
Interesting review Bikas! Though I do not completely agree with you in some places, however some points you made coincide with mine.
I am really really surprisd that there are people who thought the movie had fake dialouges and cheeky screenplay! Of all the things, those were the ones that proved Aamir’s got talent as a director also…I have never seen a movie as good as this before in INdian cinema.,…My heart bleeds to see that there are people who thing that shit balls like OSO ahould have got high ratings…if that is the kind of cinematic understanding and choices people have in India, no wonder Farah Khan and Karan Johar are still directors(And popular ones at that!)..that also explains why good movies are never made…with audiences who think TZP is “preachy”, I know now there is no future for good cinema..you guys will go the extnt of hating maybe even Schindler’s List and Life is Beautiful…But I guess you’ll never have the time to watch such movies as you’ll be waiting with bated breath for dhoom 3 and some other fucked up srk cryball….
back to TZP, anybody who remembers their childhood, or has kids or is a child is going to love it…and THAT my friends is the reason why TZP is so popular with the ‘thinking’ audience, a part of which are the ‘mainstream reviewrs’ Thankfully Mishra is not one of them…But I must say you tried your best to appear knowledgable and some people even fell for it!!GOOD JOB!!!
[…] Bikas Mishra, DearCinema Rating: Thumbs down …From fake sounding dialogues, to cheeky logical flaws of the screenplay, complete absence of characterization… See full review […]
I am really surprised to read your review.
I really thought that the movie was very real and I could easily relate to all the characters.Can you list some of the dialogues which you thought were “fake”?
The movie does become a little slow in the second half and the child barely talks in the second half…but still the advantages of this film are more than this small dis-advantage.
I hope you have a broader view while reviewing any film.
I guess the reviewers are become so obsessed in pulling others down that they have lost the ideal techniques in writing the review……
Bikas Mishra, you are really confused my dear. I actually find your review ridiculously funny. lol. For instance, if you believe the movie had inadequate characterization and yet you give 5 stars for the effort, I am sorry but it sure seems like you were being ‘dyslexic’ while watching it. Characterization was concrete, near-perfect from the bus conductor to the special guest in the ‘art Mela’. I believe you need to wakefully watch this brilliant movie again, and modify your review removing biased opinions to not influence unintellectual movie fans out there. Thank you!
[…] Neetu: Bikas Mishra, you are really confused my dear. I actually find your review ridiculously funny. lol. For… […]
Bikas !
The review was bery bery bakwaas. May be a few impotent rickshballahs bill agree with you. I am also bery disappointed with you for making baseless statements about screenplay n dialogues. Now tell me honestly are u angry with the movie because it exposed you as an idiot and not dyslexic which you thought you ber. by the bay why ur parents named u Bikas. seems they were also dyslexic
swati
Bikas,
Great review. You clearly demonstrate the ability to provide an analytical ability to dissect and separate the effort and the result. Sad to see that some review readers have not got that point yet.
I agree with you — dialogues were mostly rather trite. The scene where he talks about Einstein and other great men with challenged learning faculties — that seems to have been copy-pasted from Wikipedia.
The joker scene, just one comment … egad !!
In brief, full marks for bravery, social consciousness (despite being a *star*), making an entertaining, popular movie out of what could potentially be rather *boring* material and not easily assimilated truth of life.
Marks for *cinema* … errrm, ummm.
I am not discounting Mr. Khan as a director, yet. The man is passionate and talented and apparently has a good crew. It’s just a matter of time. Its going to be interesting to see what his *next* movie is.
I would love to see more people come and help children with special needs get integrated into “mainstream”. That would be the real sweet result of Mr. Khan’s effort.
Dear Bikas!
What a good review! It takes a lot of strenght and conviction to express your mind where everyone else seems to have an opposite view. I see that some of your readers have taken offence to your views and lashed out rather harsh personal comments on you. Its rather funny:-) Hope you take it in the right spirit. I liked Anirudh’s review too….although my opinion about the movie resembles yours rather than his..Swati maybe it will be a better idea to defend the movie you seem to like so much by highlighting the credits of the movie rather than discrediting the critic…
Hi Bikas,
I dont agree with the review points you have jotted down. I didnt find any of your points valid. Amrita, if you want to come acroos the credits of the film, this blog will go upto great extent. Many of the scenes in the film were very well crafted. For eg.,
1. The starting scene with Ishaan catching the gutter fish.
2. Amir Khan expaining Ishaan’s parents about the Ishaan’s problem.
3. The last scene where Ishaan runs and hugs his art teacher….. etc..etc…
The list goes on.
If you look at the goofs…..I agree there are few of them… Ishaan’s friend teling amir khan that ishaan left hostel in the morning b4 evryone…etc etc…BUT….
Please let me know, which is the movie on this earth, without any goof. Even the all time no.1 The Shawshank Redemption had so many goofs. Even The Godfather. So all in all, TZP excels. ..5/5
Bikas, thanks for the full marks for effort. Yea so it seems in your country better films are made by idiots.
Perhaps you could make a better one without much effort.
Who are you by the way? Former assistant producer? correspondent?
Dear Manik,
If idiocy were a positive parameter for movie-making, you would produce the number 2 super-hit of all times. David Dhawan would still beat you to the pole position , but you are way up there, man.
Cut the “your country” crap. It’s so unfortunate that “our country”, India, has juvenile delinquents like you, who will not let other people have their opinion. And yet boast of democracy.
This is the internet, that’s why you (have to) stop at belittling reviewers. I shudder to think how you would impose your cultural fascism in the real world. You are the people who go and burn cinema halls for playing films that *you* don’t like. And then, like self-styled movie connoisseurs, you come over to dearcinema.
Get a life. Or better still, hide.
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Bikas, I may or may not agree with what you wrote but I’ll defend you right to write that. At least you have the guts to judge a movie from a cinematic view-point (whether I agree with you or not) rather than succumb to the mass delusion. I am rather tired of these personal and trite comments on this review.
seriously…it is ridiculous to see people write nasty personal stuff…esp the bery bery bakwaas swati
I saw the movie last weekend. Not really a great cinema as such. Bikas, I am not sure why you gave it 5/5 for effort ?
Dipak, you found the last scene where Ishaan runs and hugs his art teacher..” well crafted ” ???
I am still at a loss as to whether you really meant that or it was some kind of a sarcasm/joke ?
Thanks for your comments. I don’t take “personal attacks” personally or seriously as they expose themselves and their critical abilities. However I do find some reasonable questions raised on my review. Hence I did watch the film a second time.
I’m completely with you Hira for supporting one’s freedom to criticize. If someone feels I have no right to criticize a film that they love, they also lose the very moment their right to criticize my review. A discussion doesn’t mean a process of verbal coercion into agreement, it’s just an exchange of opinion, take mine, give yours and enjoy what you like.
My re-re-review of Taare Zameen Par at:
http://dearcinema.com/review-taare-zameen-par-03/
Cheers!
Hey bikas, liked the movie a lot for various reasons ! So good you went if for re-view ! As for personal attacks look at this way, we give people an opportunity to have some excitement in their lives and a way to express their frustation, manifesting itself as rude and baseless commenst !
Hey Shivani,
Yes i felt the mentioned scenes were very well crafted. Bacause they are filled with lots of emotions. A well crafted scene may not be always be a “technically” well crafted scene. The very particualr scene depicts how much Ishaan owes himself to his teacher, even more than to his parents. If you felt nothing great in this then i am very sorry for tat.
Regards.
I dont have words to describe this review. I pity Mr Mishra after reading this review. And to think some people on this board think OSO should have gotten better marks, I am speechless. And then, people complain there is no meaningful cinema in this country. Thanks to all to want OSO to be higher than TZP, senseless movies are made and are the norm. I take a bow to Aamir, for putting his money where his mouth is and coming up with a movie that will affect everyone(it already has changed views of millions of people unlike that POS OSO), unlike other “stars” who can do nothing but talk.
Hi
I understand your emotions but i cant understand what the F***K you fiind in OSO story, Its one of the shitty story ever seen,
First try to undestand abt the movie, the try to give comments, you guys can only like masala songs.
you sob , it seems you know nothing about movies . either you are dumb or you are just ignorant that anyone can make such good movies. i guess you are the type who should never allow to write review. but on the other hand i feel that you are a typical hindi movie watcher who know nothing about how a good picture is , how pathetic, i think you are dumb , i think you should go back what you did before this is not the job you want, dummy