TZP

So, I was at the local Indian grocery store and picked this movie and headed home for an evening of fun expecting much from Aamir Khans production(directorial debut anyone???). The movie did NOT disappoint me but yet reminded me on how far and long ways Indian movies need to go before meeting or matching the slickness of Hollywood movies. This write-up is no Bollywood vs Hollywood or let alone trashing Hindi moviesif you suspect this, please dont read any further. Thanks for your kindness!

At first, I wondered if the character was autistic and as the movie unfolded learnt he was dyslexic. Was the director pushing the envelope too much here? Dyslexia, here, http://www.healthscout.com/ency/68/267/main.html does not say that kids are emotionally withdrawn or show severe lack of social skills. The kid is obviously too young to suffer from depression and not know who to confide(what?).

Do you need a galaxy of characters and stereotypes to tell a simple story? This is yet another successful attempt at proving that Indian moviegoers are a bunch of idiots for whom the message needs to enforced and reinforced scene after scene. Given the present times, establishment and life in a developing world, an average Indian moviegoer experiences(read suffers) much more and I suspect is more well-versed and astute in understanding and digesting what life throws at him and still manage to hope and, hope for a better day ahead. The best thing Indian directors and producers can do is respect this basic attribute and stick to subtlety. We get it, will you please move onward and forward with the next scene, please?

Cast, in no particular order -
The kid gets the highest marks, his acting and playing the role of dyslexic kid is exemplary.

The kids brother this character seems to have been added as an after thought. He doesnt lend any weight other than help the parents compare and contrast the siblingsobviously, the age gap between them has been largely forgotten.

Dad this character starts out with much hope and ends up being the stereotypical dad you have seen. (stereotype marks = 1) Not to mention the cruel joke he plays on his younger son, that was evil and a highpoint of the movie for dad and son, methinks!

Mom most promising of all the characters you could have seen and playing against the traditional ma, this mom seems to be mum for most part of the moviestuck between a rock and a hard placestereotype (marks = 2)

Teachers stereotype (marks =3)

I have had the misfortune of studying in many schools and under so many different teachers, the vast majority of them didnt even deserve to teach them in the first place. Although, they are not guilty, really. If a nation is intent on mass producing babies year over year, you cannot expect real teachers to pop out of the woodwork, do you? Some people wading through life run into a wall, their life comes to a full-stop and take what life throws at them, teacherhood is one of themcant really find fault with them. I truly believe, there are people who out of passion take up this vocation and they are really hard to findif you find them, hang on to them for dear life.

That said, the portrayal of teachers in this movie is vastly stereotypical and excessively harsh. You can see the writing on the wallredemption will soon come in the form of superman, our super-hero, Aamir Khan. Just to turn the tables a little, superman actually has suffered the same in his childhoodjust like how my father says often(its an Irish proverb), The wearer best knows where the shoe pinches

Truly, you dont need to try hard to prove a point. There is not a single character other than superman who understands the pain our kid is suffering.

Superman, Aamir Khan (marks = 4).

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P.S: Moive Review by KC.