We've spent the entire year waiting for that one sensational debut and finally we have it. Ranbir and Sonam of the now infamous 'Saawariya' were most impressively presented in the promos, but couldn't hold attention any longer than 30 seconds. Neil Nitin Mukesh fared much better, but 'Johnny Gaddaar' the film clearly towered over his debut. Deepika Padukone looked gorgeous and was super confident, but once again, 'OSO' was basically about SRK and Farah Khan's retro-rush all the way.
Darsheel Safary, on the other hand, is the solo hero of a film that rests entirely on his tender shoulders and oh, how magnificently he holds it together. The little boy is so unselfconscious before the camera, he out-does everyone from Jugal Hansraj ('Masoom') to Macaulay Culkin (the 'Home Alone' series) and perhaps even Haley Joel Osment ('The Sixth Sense'). Just a couple of notches lower stands Aamir Khan's own directorial debut – only because unlike Darsheel superbly controlled performance, Aamir's reins slip now and then into emotional excess and excessive contrasts which look totally unreal.
Having said that, kudos to the star, not just for choosing a dyslexic child's poignant story for his debut, but also for giving the kid top billing and for himself staying out of the action for the entire first half! Can't think of any other Bollywood star who'd dare to let a nine-year-old child walk away with his film. Equally impressive are the deft strokes with which he sketches the child's world: His fascination with everyday objects – puddles on the street, tiny fish breeding in sewers, stray dogs – and his own colourful fantasy world. Every little nuance of little Ishaan's inner landscape is painted with rare sensitivity – ably aided by superb graphic effects and a fantastic musical score (lyrics Prasoon Joshi, music Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy).
The masterstroke of course is his choice of child actors and the manner in which he gets them to charm the camera without even a hint of discomfort – not just Darsheel, but the entire classroom – both in his school in Mumbai and the hostel in Panchgini where he's sent off as a punishment for his pranks and his academic failure.
What jars, on the other hand, is the uniform apathy of every adult towards Ishaan. His parents cannot deal with their younger son being such a loser, especially when the older brother Yohan has been a topper throughout. His teachers have no patience with him and punish him incessantly, without anyone realising that the child has a problem (which seems pretty obvious from the way he misspells words and mixes up his numbers). The director employs extreme measures to show the boy's diminishing self-esteem and his acute loneliness. And possibly to also highlight the virtues of the character Aamir plays – that of an art teacher who believes in opening up a child's mind instead of getting him to conform to an exacting routine.
In doing so, he gets the message across quite firmly – every child is special and his/her individual talent needs to be nurtured. Putting a dyslexic boy at the centre of the story makes it a lot easier to drive the point home, but it's equally true in case of most 'normal' kids as well, who often get pushed into being competitive from a young age and are forced into academic and career decisions by over-bearing parents.
The compassion with which the teacher helps the boy regain his confidence and find his own space is bound to touch a chord. While the narrative in the second half follows the preditable 'underdog coming up tops' pattern, the two actors make it engrossing with their tremendous on-screen bond. If you've ever had a teacher who's transformed your life (I have), Ishaan's story will strike a deep resonance; if you've ever been a parent trying to mould your child into an image of your making, 'TZP' is a wake-up call. Most of all, it's a heart-warming film with an unforgettable performance that doesn't deserve to be missed.
Deepa Gumaste
Darsheel Safary, on the other hand, is the solo hero of a film that rests entirely on his tender shoulders and oh, how magnificently he holds it together. The little boy is so unselfconscious before the camera, he out-does everyone from Jugal Hansraj ('Masoom') to Macaulay Culkin (the 'Home Alone' series) and perhaps even Haley Joel Osment ('The Sixth Sense'). Just a couple of notches lower stands Aamir Khan's own directorial debut – only because unlike Darsheel superbly controlled performance, Aamir's reins slip now and then into emotional excess and excessive contrasts which look totally unreal.
Having said that, kudos to the star, not just for choosing a dyslexic child's poignant story for his debut, but also for giving the kid top billing and for himself staying out of the action for the entire first half! Can't think of any other Bollywood star who'd dare to let a nine-year-old child walk away with his film. Equally impressive are the deft strokes with which he sketches the child's world: His fascination with everyday objects – puddles on the street, tiny fish breeding in sewers, stray dogs – and his own colourful fantasy world. Every little nuance of little Ishaan's inner landscape is painted with rare sensitivity – ably aided by superb graphic effects and a fantastic musical score (lyrics Prasoon Joshi, music Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy).
The masterstroke of course is his choice of child actors and the manner in which he gets them to charm the camera without even a hint of discomfort – not just Darsheel, but the entire classroom – both in his school in Mumbai and the hostel in Panchgini where he's sent off as a punishment for his pranks and his academic failure.
What jars, on the other hand, is the uniform apathy of every adult towards Ishaan. His parents cannot deal with their younger son being such a loser, especially when the older brother Yohan has been a topper throughout. His teachers have no patience with him and punish him incessantly, without anyone realising that the child has a problem (which seems pretty obvious from the way he misspells words and mixes up his numbers). The director employs extreme measures to show the boy's diminishing self-esteem and his acute loneliness. And possibly to also highlight the virtues of the character Aamir plays – that of an art teacher who believes in opening up a child's mind instead of getting him to conform to an exacting routine.
In doing so, he gets the message across quite firmly – every child is special and his/her individual talent needs to be nurtured. Putting a dyslexic boy at the centre of the story makes it a lot easier to drive the point home, but it's equally true in case of most 'normal' kids as well, who often get pushed into being competitive from a young age and are forced into academic and career decisions by over-bearing parents.
The compassion with which the teacher helps the boy regain his confidence and find his own space is bound to touch a chord. While the narrative in the second half follows the preditable 'underdog coming up tops' pattern, the two actors make it engrossing with their tremendous on-screen bond. If you've ever had a teacher who's transformed your life (I have), Ishaan's story will strike a deep resonance; if you've ever been a parent trying to mould your child into an image of your making, 'TZP' is a wake-up call. Most of all, it's a heart-warming film with an unforgettable performance that doesn't deserve to be missed.
Deepa Gumaste
