Taare Zameen Par

To quote Anton Ego, the food critic from Ratatouille:

In many ways, the work of a critic is easy. We risk very little, yet enjoy a position over those who offer up their work and their selves to our judgement. We thrive on negative criticism, which is fun to write and to read. But the bitter truth we critics must face is that, in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is probably more meaningful than our criticism designating it so....The world is often unkind to new talents — new creations. The new needs friends. Last night, I experienced something new, an extraordinary meal from a singularly unexpected source...

Last night I too experienced something new and extraordinary, something magical, something heartfelt, moving and brilliant. A movie called Taare Zameen Par, from a new director named Aamir Khan. I confess I didn't have very high expectations from the film and was prepared for a three handkerchief tear-jerker. Tear-jerker it definitely is, but in the most natural way. The acting is excellent, the music spot on, the screenplay taut and the direction top-notch.

My daughter probably identified herself with the child protagonist and was upset initially, she wanted to leave during the first half. Later on she watched, enthralled, while her parents did their darndest not to cry. As we sat through the end credits, she kept saying she wanted to watch it again. I looked around and saw the theater half empty, the ushers trying to move everyone out before the next show. All the people who stayed back though, had kids on their arms and a look of wonder in their eyes.

Thank you, Aamir.