Monday, December 31, 2007

Happy New Year!

2007 for me, was an interesting and tumultuous year of upheavals, some bad, mostly good. A year of tremendous personal change. Of hellos and goodbyes.

Hope the coming year proves to be challenging and interesting, full of surprises, excitement, happiness and hopefully only a few let downs. Wish everyone else the very same!

As for resolutions - I'd prefer to do it the Calvin Way ;)


Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Taare Zameen Par

I have never written a movie review on my blog before and I'm not really writing a review for this one. But this is such a special movie that I cannot help but write about it - and also because I want to know reactions , if it touched others as much as it touched me!

There are moments in the movie that I loved beyond expression. The titles were adorable! The gutter scene in the beginning, beautifully shot! The manner in which the street vendors were captured in the sequence where Ishaan is roaming on the streets. The animation - charming and evocative - perfectly integrated to show Ishaan's mind and ways of communicating. The shudder Ishaan gives when the car starts (at the hostel).
The way Ishaan’s character develops. Portrayal of how color is sucked out of Ishaan, a child whose only true love is colors. Ishaan's reaction when he takes the first glimpse of Nikumbh Sir's painting on Art Day. The documentary on children in the end with the title song playing in the background.

The songs too contribute majorly. The lyrics are sheer poetry. The music grows on steadily. “Main kabhi batlaata nahi” kept me speechless - literally tugged at my heartstrings!

There's a part in the movie where Aamir Khan's character talks about natives of Solomon Islands who don't cut trees when they need land for cultivation, instead they gather in front of the tree and curse it to their heart's content. And soon enough, the tree withers and dies. I dont know if that is actually true but such a good thing to keep in mind. How often do we weaken the roots of another person or otherwise add to the conditions in which they can wither and fall? What an important point to remember in how we treat other people.

Most importantly - not all "Ishaan Avasthi's" are lucky enough to find "Nikumbh Sir's" in their lives. I hope every parent realises that and takes something back to their lives from the theater. Every child is indeed special!

Taare Zameen Par for me was an experience. A realisation. An eye-opener. A lesson well taught. A step in the right direction. I hope everyone who sees it can act on its lessons.