Stars Shine Within All

In the course of reading books, there are several moments in my life when I wish the book I was reading would never reach an end. Recently, the same happened while I was watching Amir Khan's movie Sitaare Zameen Par. Amir Khan, a renowned Bollywood actor and social activist, is famous for making hit films with a social message, particularly in the later years of his acting career. Such movies include Taare Zameen Par, Dangal, Secret Superstar, and many more.

Be it a good book, movie, or piece of art, it gives the connoisseur a feeling of contentment. Such a good piece of art elevates people's minds to some extent, and good feelings linger for a long time. That is what happened to me when I watched Sitaare Jamin Par. Though the film's subplots are picked from everyday life, they are remarkable and carry a deep meaning between the lines.    

According to different media reports, Khan had quit the film industry after doing the film Laal Singh Chaddha in 2022. But when he heard the script of  Sitaare Zameen Par, he could not keep his promise. So, he had his grand comeback to the industry with this movie. Sitaare Zameen Par has raised different social issues. However, the subject of Down syndrome and autism is the most highlighted one. Down syndrome is a genetic condition of people, whereas autism is a neurodevelopmental condition. We have to keep in mind that they are not diseases at all. Both conditions can cause developmental delays and affect individuals in various ways. The problem is that the so-called normal people in our society discriminate against individuals with down syndrome or autism and consider them abnormal, which is nothing but their ignorance.

The film's main character, Gulshan Arora, played by Amir Khan, is a basketball coach. As a person, he is arrogant and ill-tempered. He loves to confront everybody. Because of his hostile behaviour, he is suspended from his job. As a community service, he is unexpectedly assigned to train a mentally challenged group of basketball players for three months. Mr. Arora's gradual behavioural and thinking pattern transformation begins from here. In the beginning, he grumbles that those players are good for nothing. He even used to mock them. But slowly, his perception of them starts changing. Arora realizes that people with Down syndrome or autism are also normal human beings in their ways. They have their strengths, weaknesses, emotions, and fears like others. Here we can apply the theory of 'multiple intelligences.' This theory was proposed by the psychologist Howard Gardner in 1983. It suggests that human intelligence is not a single entity that traditional IQ tests can measure, but rather a complex interplay of abilities. Gardner poses eight types of intelligence, and every individual has at least one or more than one intelligence in them, so intellectually challenged people are also not an exception. 

Arora was there to train the notable players, but he learns many life lessons from them. He even feels belittled by them when it comes to sharing love, happiness, and sensitivity. This part is very emotional.

Apart from the issue of mentally challenged people, the movie raised another issue related to a complicated relationship between a husband and a wife in contemporary society. Genelia D'Souza has played the role of Sunita, Gulshan's wife. Both Gulshan and Sunita are in their worlds. Although they love each other deeply, they do not live in the same place because of specific differences. Gulshan moves out to his mother's house to keep the peace. When Gulshan becomes more understanding in the company of his trainee basketball players, Sitaare, his relationship with Sunita also starts improving. 

The film shows the problem of older adults, particularly when they lose their spouse and are forced to live alone. In such a situation, they find it hard to spend the rest of their lives alone. They need a partner. In the Western world, choosing a partner at any age is fine, but it is unusual in our society. In most cases, the parents cannot openly spell out their need for a partner to their grown-up children because the children do not usually accept it. So, they have to keep their relationship a secret. This situation is portrayed beautifully in Sitaare Zameen Par.

Combining several social issues into different layers, this movie entertains the audience. At the same time, it educates them as well. More than anything else, it teaches them to be sympathetic, sensitive, lovable, considerate, and patient with mentally challenged people. They are also valuable members of society, so they should not be discriminated against or ostracized based on their limitations. If they are treated nicely and encouraged to work on their strengths, they can achieve their goals like any other mentally sound people.

Sitaare Zameen Par is said to be a spiritual successor to Amir Khan's 2007 hit movie Taare Zameen Par, which raised the subject of dyslexia. Sitaare Zameen Par is based on the 2018 Spanish movie Champions by Javier Fesser. This film is recommended for its entertainment value and thought-provoking content.

(Dr. Sharma is a director of Vidya Shilpa Academy, Damak,  Jhapa.)