Taare Zameen Par
| Taare Zameen Par | |
|---|---|
| File:TaareZameenPar.jpg Publicity poster for Taare Zameen Par | |
| Directed by | Aamir Khan |
| Written by | Amole Gupte (also Creative Director) |
| Produced by | Aamir Khan |
| Starring | Aamir Khan Darsheel Safary |
| Cinematography | Setu |
| Edited by | Deepa Bhatia (also concept and research) |
| Music by | Shankar Mahadevan Ehsaan Noorani Loy Mendonsa |
| Distributed by | Aamir Khan Productions (India - film) UTV Home Entertainment (India - DVD) The Walt Disney Company (International - DVD) |
Release dates | December 21, 2007 |
Running time | 140 min. |
| Country |  India |
| Languages | Hindi Urdu |
| Budget | Rs. 12 crores |
| Box office | Rs. 131 crores[1] |
Taare Zameen Par (Hindi: तारे ज़मीन पर, Urdu: تارے زمین پر, translation: Stars on Earth) is a 2007 award-winning film directed by Aamir Khan and produced by Aamir Khan Productions. The film was initially conceived of and developed by the husband and wife team, Amole Gupte (writer and creative director) and Deepa Bhatia (concept, research, and editing) [2] and features music by the trio, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy with lyrics by Prasoon Joshi. CG animation is by Visual Computing Labs, Tata Elxsi Ltd., 2D animation is by Vaibhav Kumaresh’s Vaibhav studios, [3][4]and title animation is by Dhimant Vyas.[5]
Taare Zameen Par tells the story of eight year old Ishaan (Darsheel Safary) who suffers greatly until a teacher (Aamir Khan) identifies him as dyslexic. Both commercially and critically acclaimed,[6] Taare Zameen Par won the 2008 Filmfare Best Movie Award as well as a number of other Filmfare and Star Screen Awards. It was declared tax free by the Government of Delhi.[7]
The Walt Disney Company has bought the home video rights for distribution of an international edition DVD for future release in North America, the United Kingdom, and Australia. [8] This is "the first time an international studio has bought the video rights of an Indian film."[9]
Plot
Ishaan Awasthi (Darsheel Safary) is an eight-year old boy who hates school. Every subject is difficult for him and he perpetually fails his exams. He also lacks motor coordination skills and finds it difficult to throw a ball in a straight line. Rather than helping him, his teachers and classmates subject him to constant acts of public humiliation. At the same time, Ishaan's internal world is rich with wonders that no one else seems to appreciate:magical lands filled with color and animated animals;letters which morph into an advancing army of spiders; and adventures in space between the battling planets 9 and 3.
It is no better at home. His father (Vipin Sharma) is a successful and busy executive who expects the best from his boys. His mother (Tisca Chopra) is a housewife who is perpetually frustrated by her inability to help Ishaan excel. Ishaan's elder brother Yohaan (Sachet Engineer) is a successful scholar/athlete, a fact which Ishaan is constantly reminded of. After discovering that Ishaan "bunked" school (in addition to having poor grades), his parents send him to boarding school to be 'disciplined'.
Life at the boarding school does not help Ishaan to excel, despite being befriended by Rajan (Tanay Cheda). Instead, he sinks into a perpetual state of fear and depression as he now has to contend with the added trauma of separation from his family. This changes, however, when a new temporary art teacher "Nikumbh Sir" (Aamir Khan) joins Ishaan's boarding school. Nikumbh, with his characteristic teaching style that is markedly different that his strict predecessor, soon becomes popular among the students. He begins to notice that Ishaan is unhappy and a non-contributor to activities in the class (despite creating an atmosphere in the class that actively seeks contribution from the students). Disturbed, Nikumbh begins to review Ishaan's past work and determines that all of his "failures" are actually reflective of dyslexia.
On his day off, Nikumbh visits Ishaan's parents and asks to review more of his work. He is also stunned by the sophistication of Ishaan's paintings. Nikumbh tells Ishaan's parents that Ishaan is a bright child who processes information differently than the other children in class. He describes dyslexia to them and clarifies that this is a neurological condition which is not a sign of low intelligence. He also tells them he can provide extra tutoring which will help Ishaan succeed.To support this argument, Nikumbh highlights Ishaan's artistic ability as demonstrated by his many paintings and creative works-of-art. In order to make his point, Nikumbh demands that Ishaan's father read a box with Japanese text. When Mr. Awasthi states that he cannot read the text, Nikhumbh reprimands him. In doing so, Nikhumbh demonstrates to them what Ishaan struggles with on a daily basis.
When he returns to the school, Nikumbh brings up the topic of dyslexia one day in class and offers a list of famous people who are considered dyslexic: Albert Einstein, Leonardo Da Vinci, Walt Disney, Agatha Christie, Thomas Edison, Pablo Picasso, and actor Abhishek Bachchan. As the students are leaving the classroom Nikumbh asks Ishaan to stay back. At that time Nikumbh reveals that he has experienced the same difficulties with dyslexia. Nikumbh also conveys the same information to the principal of the school and asks if he can act as a tutor for Ishaan. After gaining the Principal's assent, Nikumbh then proceeds to teach Ishaan using remedial techniques developed by specialists in the area of dyslexia. Ishaan soon develops interest in language and mathematical skills and his grades improve. Towards the end of the year, Nikumbh organizes an art fair for staff and students alike. The competition is judged by Lalita Lajmi (who portrays herself in the movie). Ishaan, with his strikingly creative style is declared the winner, while his teacher, Nikumbh (who paints Ishaan's portrait) is declared the runner up.
When Ishaan's parents meet his teachers on the last day of school, they are speechless over the changes in him as he has improved in all of his subjects. Before leaving for the holidays, Ishaan runs to hug his teacher. The film ends with a freeze frame shot of Ishaan being tossed in the air by Nikumbh as if he were flying.
Cast
- Aamir Khan: Ram Shankar Nikumbh
- Darsheel Safary: Ishaan Awasthi
- Tanay Cheda: Rajan Damodran
- Sachet Engineer: Yohaan Awasthi/Dada
- Tisca Chopra: Mrs. Awasthi/Mama
- Vipin Sharma: Mr.Awasthi/Papa
Production
Development
The husband and wife team of Amol Gupte and Deepa Bhatia initially conceived of the idea for Taare Zameen Par out of the desire to understand why some children cannot conform to an educational system. The screenplay began as a short story titled “High Jump” and developed into a full work seven years later. [2] Deepa Bhatia later stated in an interview with The Hindu that her initial inspiration was not the subject of dyslexia. Instead, it was derived from the childhood of Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa (who was a poor student in school), as she wanted to explore the story of "a child who did not fit into the school stream." [2] Bhatia referenced a specific moment when Kurosawa began to bloom only after meeting an art teacher who devoted time and attention to him. [2] Bhatia further stated, "It was this scene that became the inspiration for how a teacher could transform the life of a student." [2]
In developing the character of a young boy based on Kurosawa, Bhatia and Gupte found themselves perplexed: "Amole kept posing issues like: what was wrong with the kid? Was he a slow learner? Was he disinterested, or incapable? All these questions kept coming up and we felt that there were not enough answers.”[2] They became involved in intensive research which led them to groups such as the Maharashtra Dyslexia Association [10] and PACE (Parents for a Better Curriculum for the Child). Eventually they decided to make dyslexia the central topic and theme of the film: “We thought this was the way to address Ishaan’s story, as a child who has learning disabilities and nobody understands what the problem is.” [2] They began to spend time and work with dyslexic children in order to begin development of the screenplay, carefully protecting their identities in the final version of the screenplay. Gupte recalled that, “We began with a small workshop with eight or nine kids. A fun session, this became a space to observe their anxieties and the way their mind was working through art, paper and colours. And it was clear that their minds were thinking ‘out of the box’. This had to be respected, honoured and clapped for." [2]
Casting
Gupte and Bhatia turned to Shiamak Davar’s Summer Funk workshops in order to find an actor to play Ishaan. In choosing Darsheel Safary, Gupte had a number of boys audition for a scene in which they would informally describe how they would "bunk" school after being given a few scenerios. He recalls, “It was a tough call. But Darsheel has the mischief in his eyes to be Ishaan. Everyone just naturally gravitated towards him." [2]
Director
Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan initially became involved in the project as a producer and actor, with Amole Gupte as the director. Eventually, however, Khan became the film's director. Khan stated in a 21 May 2007 interview, given a few months prior to the film's release:
A couple of years ago, Amol came to me with a script that I fell in love with. He wanted me to act in it and produce it. I was happy to do both. Amol wanted to direct the film and I agreed since I felt he was capable. But one week into the shooting of Taare Zameen Par, I wasn't happy with what I saw of the rushes. I lost faith in Amol and his capability of translating on screen what he had so beautifully written on paper. At which point, I expressed my feelings to him and did what was fair and returned the script back to him so that he could direct it for another producer, with another actor. But Amol came back to me and said he wants me to continue as the producer and he decided to step back as the director. After going through various names and options, Amol suggested that I take over as director. Our main concern was the child who has a pivotal role in the film. Both of us felt that we had found a magical child in Darsheel Safary. Any new director coming in would mean a delay of six to eight months and we were afraid Darsheel might grow up. It was Amol's suggestion that I take over as director. So I took on the responsibility and did the best I could. Emotionally, it was very difficult for me as I'm sure it was for Amol because we have been friends for more than 25 years. Amol is an extremely talented person and I'm certain that he will direct a film soon and direct it well. Amol's contribution to the film is immense. He was with me every day on the shoot, guiding me and, at times, even correcting me. I'm grateful that he stayed on and helped me make the film. [11]
In the "Director's Note" on the official website for Taare Zameen Par, Khan discusses his relationship with Gupte and heavily credits Gupte's contributions to the film. Khan states that he and Gupte first met decades ago while they were in college where Khan admired Gupte's abilities as an actor, writer, and painter. [12] Khan further notes that Gupte and Bhatia put seven years of hard labor into developing the project and that Khan, himself, became involved three years ago, initially as a producer. [12] Khan then credits all of the contributions which Gupte made to the film:
While Amole has written what I think is a brilliant and moving script, his contribution towards the film is not limited to that of a writer. The entire pre-production was done by him including the most important task of creating the music [...] he has been present on set throughout the shooting as the Creative Director, and has been a big support and strong guiding force in my debut as a director. I thank him for that, and more so for having the faith in me by entrusting to me something that is so close to him."[12]
This was Khan's first experience as actor/director. Of the experience he later stated, "I must confess that it was one rough journey because I had to jump in without any preparation. I'd always wanted to direct a film but this was not an ideal situation. I'd have liked to spend time on the script and visualise it. Working with kids can be tough but we had a great bunch of kids, especially Darsheel, Sachet and Tanay Chheda. It was extremely challenging and a great learning experience." [11]
Khan was reportedly a favorite with children involved with the film: "Aamir Khan was greatly loved and adored by all the child artistes in the film. So much was he idolised that all the 43 children at the New Era School in Panchgani (where they shot) wanted to sport his kind of hairstyle. An indulgent Aamir went to the extent of turning hairstylist and actually gave them their desired cut." [13] A spokesman for the film also noted that, "Aamir took great care of the kids. He hired five experts to draw up their schedules, diet and recreational activities. Aamir never made them work for more than two hours at a stretch and that too with frequent breaks for refreshments. We even planned our shooting, alternating indoors with outdoors so that the children were not confined in one space. It was such a refreshing change from the way Bollywood works." [13]
Release
Box-office
Taare Zameen Par was released on 21 December 2007 with 425 prints across India [14] and eventually became the fifth top grossing movie of 2007 there. [15] and was declared a "Blockbuster."[15] In the UK it has grossed over £317,036.[16] It has also grossed 131 crores worldwide.[17]
Critical reception
Manish Gajjar of The BBC gave the film four out of five stars arguing that "debut director Aamir Khan not only depicts Ishaan's dyslexia with sensitivity, but also takes an emotional look at life as a child being ridiculed by an ignorant world [...] Taare Zameen Par (meaning stars on earth) touches your heart and moves you deeply with its sterling performances. A film full of substance!" [18] Jaspreet Pandohar (also from The BBC) gave Taare Zameen Par four out of five stars arguing that it is a "far cry from the formulaic masala flicks churned out by the Bollywood machine," and is "an inspirational story that is as emotive as it is entertaining; this is a little twinkling star of a movie."[19] Rajeev Masand of CNN-IBN gave the film four out of five stars stating that "there should be no doubt whatsoever in anybody's mind after watching Taare Zameen Par that the real hero of this film is its remarkable, rooted, rock-solid script which provides the landscape for such an emotionally engaging, heart-warming experience." [20] Sudhish Kamath of The Hindu gave the film five out of five stars and declared that "by far, ‘Taare Zameen Par’ is the movie of the year.It’s not just out of the box, ‘Taare…’ is simply out of this world."[21] Kazmi Nkhat of The Times of India gave the film four out of four stars arguing that "the story is simple and connects instantly with every adult and child in the auditorium, even as the climax is predictable and plays heavily on your emotions. But what uplifts the film is its very simplicity, sensitivity and its performances. On the one hand, there is the non-filmy script which doesn't make anyone the villain...even the adults are victims of ignorance [...] we recommend a mandatory viewing for all schools and all parents." [22]Apart from critics, Taare Zameen Par tied with Chak De India for best film of 2007 according to various Bollywood movie directors such as Madhur Bhandarkar, David Dhawan, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Anurag Basu, and Sriram Raghavan. [6]
Derek Kelly of Variety, on the other hand, argues that it is a "pic about a special-needs kid's plight [...] so resolutely caring -- and devoid of real drama and interesting characters -- that it should have 'approved by the Dyslexia Assn.' stamped on the posters." [23] In addition, Gautaman Bhaskaran of The Hollywood Reporter argues that "despite great performances, the movie suffers from a weak script." [24]
Awards
Taare Zameen Par won several awards in major cinema award ceremonies in India, including a number of Filmfare Awards and Star Screen Awards.
DVD and CD
DVD
The DVD of Taare Zameen Par by UTV Home Entertainment[25] was released in India on 25 July 2008. The DVD was launched at Green Lawns High School, Mumbai, Darsheel Safary's school. Aamir Khan, Tisca Chopra, Vipin Sharma, Sachet Engineer (the actors who portrayed Ishaan's family), and the rest of the cast and crew of the film were present. In his speech, Khan stated: "Darsheel is a very happy child, full of life and vibrant. I am sure it's because of the way his parents and teachers have treated him. I must say Darsheel's principal Mrs. Bajaj has been extremely supportive and encouraging. The true test of any school is how happy the kids are and by the looks of it, the children here seem really happy."[26]
The Walt Disney Company (which acquired 14.85 per cent of UTV)[27] has bought the home video rights for distribution of an international edition DVD for future release in North America, the United Kingdom, and Australia. [8]
CD
The soundtrack of the film was released on November 5, 2007. Joginder Tuteja from Indiafm.com gave the music 3 ½ out of 5 stars arguing that Aamir Khan, Shankar Ehsaan Loy and Prasoon Joshi made an album which was honest to the film's theme.[28]
References
- Lakshmi, Rama. "The Pain of Dyslexia, As Told by Bollywood: Film on Disability Raises Awareness About Touchy Issue." Washington Post, June 4, 2008.
- Mohideen, Nabeel. "Aamir Khan Makes Sparkling Debut as Film Director With Taare." Bloomberg News, December 26, 2007.
- Mukherjee, Krittivas. "Taare Zameen Par, film on dyslexic child, pulls at Indian heartstrings." Reuters. December 24, 2007.
- Naithani, Ambika. "Taare Zameen Par inspires people, institutions into action." Economic Times. April 12, 2008.
- Vij, Gauri. "A leap of faith: Taare Zameen Par’s brilliance had as much to do with the creative duo of Deepa Bhatia and Amole Gupte as with the child on whom it rides." The Hindu, February 3, 2008.
Notes
- ^ "It's films that matter at the box office, not stars: Aamir". Press Trust of India. Retrieved 2008-08-10.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Vij, Gauri (February 3, 2008). "A leap of faith". The Hindu. Retrieved 2008-04-11.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ IndiaFM News Bureau (December 26, 2007). "Tata Elxsi renders visual effects for the Bollywood movie Taare Zameen Par". IndiaFM. Retrieved 2008-04-10.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Mitra, Ashish (March 21, 2008). "Putting clay into play". screenindia.com. Retrieved 2008-04-15.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Taare Zameen Par brings clay animation to Bollywood". Yahoo! News. January18, 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-30.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b "Taare Zameen Par, Chak De top directors' pick in 2007". Economic Times. December 29, 2007. Retrieved 2008-04-10.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ IndiaFM News Bureau (December 27, 2007). "Taare Zameen Par becomes Tax Free". IndiaFM. Retrieved 2008-04-10.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b FRATER, PATRICK (25 July 2008). "Disney goes Bollywood". Variety. Retrieved 2008-07-25.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Dubey, Bharati (21 July 2008). "Disney buys N American rights for TZP". Times of India. Retrieved 2008-07-25.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "Maharashtra Dyslexia Association". Retrieved 2008-04-11.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ a b "Yes, I have directed Taare Zameen Par" - Aamir Khan". IndiaFM. May 21, 2007. Retrieved 2008-04-11.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ a b c "Director's Note: Official website for Taare Zameen Par". Retrieved 2008-04-11.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ a b "Aamir bends the rules". December 24, 2007. Retrieved 2008-04-21.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ Meenakshi, Verma (December 26, 2007). "Taare Zameen Par adds to Christmas sparkle at BO". Economic Times. Retrieved 2008-04-10.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b "Box Office 2007". Box Office India. Retrieved 2008-04-07.
- ^ "'Taare Zameen Par' Overseas". IndiaFM. Retrieved 2008-04-10.
- ^ "It's films that matter at the box office, not stars: Aamir". Press Trust of India(PTI). August 10, 2008. Retrieved 2008-08-10.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Gajjar, Manish. "Taare Zameen Par (2007)". Film Reviews. BBC. Retrieved 2008-01-06.
- ^ Pandohar, Jaspreet (18 December 2007). "Taare Zameen Par (2007)". Film Reviews. BBC. Retrieved 2008-04-08.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Masand, Rajeev (December 21, 2007). "Taare Zameen Par may change your life". IBN-CNN. Retrieved 2008-04-10.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Kamath, Sudhish (January 4 2007). "Return to innocence -- Taare Zameen Par". Film Reviews. The Hindu. Retrieved 2008-04-08.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Kazmi, Nikhat (December 21, 2007). "Review". Times of India. Retrieved 2008-04-10.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Derek, Kelly (December 28, 2007). "Review". Variety. Retrieved 2008-06-01.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Bhaskaran, Gautaman (January 31, 2008). "Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2008-06-01.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Shahryar, Faridoon (21 July 2008). "DVD Review (India)". India FM. Retrieved 2008-07-25.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ Ramsubramaniam, Nikhil (25 July 2008). "Taare Zameen Par DVD launch in a complete Masti Ki Paathshala". India FM. Retrieved 2008-07-25.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ Kumar, Arun (29 November 2007). "Europe's Walt Disney set to take control in UTV". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 2008-07-25.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Tuteja, Joginder (November 5, 2007). "Review". IndiaFM. Retrieved 2008-04-10.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help)
