Taare Zameen Par - Every Child Is Special - Movie Review

The movie, “Taare Zameen Par, Every Child is Special (titled Like Stars on Earth, Every Child is Special internationally)” is an Indian drama film that showcases the life of Ishaan, an 8-year-old child who was observed as an idiotic, troublesome, inattentive student compared to his older brother who excels on academics. Due to his observed retardation and inattentiveness, even when he transferred at his new school, he was being bullied by his classmates and teachers. Until one day, a temporary teacher named Nikumbh came. Nikumbh observed that Ishaan isn’t actually retarded; by the way how Ishaan reads and write, his inattentiveness, and incapabilities, Nikumbh concluded that Ishaan was suffering from ‘dyslexia’, where one gets it hard to read and write. As it turns out, Nikumbh also experienced the same condition, seeing himself on Ishaan, he decided to help him to overcome his situation.

The main themes brought about by the movie are love, family, sympathy, equality, imagination, characteristics of a child and their distinctive uniqueness. The movie have shown or brought these themes by combining the events through musical, slow motion, and animation.

At the beginning of the movie, a teacher tells the scores of her students. She raises her voice as to emphasize the value of those who caught her attention, giving positive vibes while reading each of them who got high marks, and shifting it into a more upset one when it comes to Ishaan who always get the failing marks. Although it seems that the scene shows how Ishaan is quite distinctive from others, it depicted how defective Ishaan is, giving him a negative background and first impression. Moreover, it shown that Ishaan belongs to a certain category that is different from other students, which is considered as his categorical self.

Inside the class, one time his teacher made him stand outside the corridor for he made a mistake. However, instead of complaining he seems to be so happy and boasted on his classmates as he clenches his fist and make a pose of a victory sign. As days for him should always be jolly, after getting home he played with his named dogs, Cheru and Johnny. As they were playing, other kids were also there playing some hand-ball. Coincidentally, the ball flew near them, and one of the boys asked Ishaan to throw it back. But with his mishap, the ball flew on the other side of a wall that made the kids upset especially the one who requested Ishaan to throw it. The kid fought with Ishaan and ended up with ripped clothes, on the other hand, Ishaan had lot of bruises on his body. Right after the fight, he came back to his house. With his surprise, Ishaan saw his father apologizing to the mother of whom he fought with, he was called, and slapped on his face to show on the other family that he was being punished for what he did. In here, it is seen that the one getting bullied was the one who takes all the blame. Instead of giving care or defending Ishaan, his own son, he did not believe him and thus punished him. Although this was the case, it was shown that opposite to his father, his mother really cares and worries on him, she treated his wounds and told him that it will be all right, showing love of a mother and as his family. Composing Ishaan’s life-story, the child considers them as part of him, and therefore a complement to his material self. It seems that if one acts in a way that the child doesn’t want, he will feel irritated, and if one gives him comfort or something to please him, he will feel happy, for they were part of him as his material self.

Focusing on Ishaan’s brother, the movie depicted that albeit his excellence, he still fails on some areas. Thus, implying to the audience that not everyone is perfect, although we excel on a particular area, there is still somethings which we can’t do or will be able to achieve. Furthermore, the scene have shown a manifestation of an existential self, as if Ishaan’s brother was compared unto him to show that they were different, and yet, wasn’t perfect at all, just to show that they were special and quite distinctive on their areas.

On the arrival of Nikumbh, his first day, he asked his co-teachers on where he could put the art works of his students. Then one teacher said “What’s the point of keeping them? You could just throw’em”, he ignored what the other teacher said, and responded in other language to disorient them and/or to rebut in secrecy. In this scene, it appears that almost most of the teachers doesn’t value the works of their students. They give tasks to their students to make them be more enhanced, yet doesn’t intend to give much more attention on their works but on their future image rather. Furthermore, when Nikumbh asked the principal