From Taare to Sitare: Aamir's films help better understand differently abled and ‘normals’

By Bharat Dogra
In India and in fact in a large part of the world, sensitive understanding of people with different abilities and of various people having their own ‘normal’ is a big social need. Two outstanding Hindi films of Aamir Khan have made an invaluable contribution to this. These are the just released film ‘Sitare Zameen Par’ (2025) and the equally valuable film made much earlier ‘Taare Zameen Par’ (2007). The titles of both of these Hindi films essentially mean ‘Stars on the Earth’, the reference being to the differently abled persons and children who despite being much misunderstood have so much to contribute with their different abilities and their own ‘normal’, with their love and sharing, and their ability to find happiness in adverse conditions.
While Aamir Khan is the producer of both films and also plays important roles in these films, he has also directed Taare while Sitare has been directed with equal competence by R.S. Prasanna. However what is more important is that these films provide equal room for all others contributing in big and small ways, including actors with different abilities, to make very interesting and valuable contributions. These films are very good examples of team work instead of being dominated by any single personality, however brilliant that person may be. Thus what lingers on in memory for a long time are the episodes involving the film characters played by some differently abled actors.
These films also bring out the remarkable ability of well thought out and very creatively made films to take highly relevant social issues to people in entertaining ways so that these are able to reach a larger number of people. The recently made Sitare in particular is full of moments of laughter and fun while at the same time conveying important social messages. You are laughing loudly one moment, and just a few minutes late you are reflecting deeply as the wider social relevance and depth of a dialogue or a situation sink in. Such films help us to become better human being or to realize our human qualities better in more than one way. In Sitare, for example, while the main discourse concerns the persons affected by autism and down syndrome as they prepare for a tournament as members of a hastily assembled basketball team (in Taare this is about a dyslexic child’s inspiring discovery of his hidden or under-rated artistic talents), there is also a significant side-story of an estranged couple striving to re-create their relationship and how despite earlier failures they ultimately find new meaning and bliss in the course of their wider social concerns and solidarity becoming stronger. This tells us that instead of sinking or narrowing our social concerns in times of personal crisis, getting more involved in sincere and creative ways with wider social concerns can actually be very helpful for us.
An important contribution of such films is that they are of enduring value in meeting important social and educational needs. For many years Sitare will continue to be appreciated for its important social and educational content, just as Taare has fulfilled such a role for close to two decades already. Both of these films can play an important role not just in India but internationally as well. This important and durable role of films of great social relevance should be better realized in social mobilization and education.

In our recently published book on Hindi cinema titled ‘Hindi Cinema and Society’, myself and co-author Madhu Dogra have emphasized the rich contribution that many Hindi films have made in terms of their presentation of social issues of high importance. We have recommended strongly that these films should be used more frequently and widely in educational work and social mobilizations.
Unfortunately the recent record of Hindi cinema has not at all been encouraging and films like ‘Taare’ and ‘Sitare’ should be seen now as more of an exception. Nevertheless, if the overall record of Hindi cinema is seen, going back more in the past, then we can find a lot here that is of great and enduring value and can be used to great advantage more widely in social education and mobilization.
---
The writer is Honorary Convener, Campaign to Save Earth Now. His recent books include When the Two Streams Met, A Day in 2071 (English stories and novellas), Navjeevan (Hindi short stories) and Kathin daur mein ummeed (Hope in difficult times-- Hindi poems and songs)

Comments

The silencing of conscience: Ideological attacks on India’s judiciary and free thought

By Sunil Kumar* “Volunteers will pick up sticks to remove every obstacle that comes in the way of Sanatan and saints’ work.” — RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat (November 6, 2024, Chitrakoot) Eleven months later, on October 6, 2025, a man who threw a shoe inside the Supreme Court shouted, “India will not tolerate insults to Sanatan.” This incident was not an isolated act but a continuation of a pattern seen over the past decade—attacks on intellectuals, writers, activists, and journalists, sometimes in the name of institutions, sometimes by individual actors or organizations.

'Violation of Apex Court order': Delhi authorities blamed for dog-bite incidents at JLN Stadium

By A Representative People for Animals (PFA), led by Ms. Ambika Shukla, has held the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) responsible for the recent dog-bite incidents at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, accusing it of violating Supreme Court directions regarding community dogs. The organisation’s on-ground fact-finding mission met stadium authorities and the two affected coaches to verify details surrounding the incidents, both of which occurred on October 3.

N-power plant at Mithi Virdi: CRZ nod is arbitrary, without jurisdiction

By Krishnakant* A case-appeal has been filed against the order of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) and others granting CRZ clearance for establishment of intake and outfall facility for proposed 6000 MWe Nuclear Power Plant at Mithi Virdi, District Bhavnagar, Gujarat by Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) vide order in F 11-23 /2014-IA- III dated March 3, 2015. The case-appeal in the National Green Tribunal at Western Bench at Pune is filed by Shaktisinh Gohil, Sarpanch of Jasapara; Hajabhai Dihora of Mithi Virdi; Jagrutiben Gohil of Jasapara; Krishnakant and Rohit Prajapati activist of the Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued a notice to the MoEF&CC, Gujarat Pollution Control Board, Gujarat Coastal Zone Management Authority, Atomic Energy Regulatory Board and Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) and case is kept for hearing on August 20, 2015. Appeal No. 23 of 2015 (WZ) is filed, a...

History, culture and literature of Fatehpur, UP, from where Maulana Hasrat Mohani hailed

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* Maulana Hasrat Mohani was a member of the Constituent Assembly and an extremely important leader of our freedom movement. Born in Unnao district of Uttar Pradesh, Hasrat Mohani's relationship with nearby district of Fatehpur is interesting and not explored much by biographers and historians. Dr Mohammad Ismail Azad Fatehpuri has written a book on Maulana Hasrat Mohani and Fatehpur. The book is in Urdu. He has just come out with another important book, 'Hindi kee Pratham Rachna: Chandayan' authored by Mulla Daud Dalmai.' During my recent visit to Fatehpur town, I had an opportunity to meet Dr Mohammad Ismail Azad Fatehpuri and recorded a conversation with him on issues of history, culture and literature of Fatehpur. Sharing this conversation here with you. Kindly click this link. --- *Human rights defender. Facebook https://www.facebook.com/vbrawat , X @freetohumanity, Skype @vbrawat

New RTI draft rules inspired by citizen-unfriendly, overtly bureaucratic approach

By Venkatesh Nayak* The Department of Personnel and Training , Government of India has invited comments on a new set of Draft Rules (available in English only) to implement The Right to Information Act, 2005 . The RTI Rules were last amended in 2012 after a long period of consultation with various stakeholders. The Government’s move to put the draft RTI Rules out for people’s comments and suggestions for change is a welcome continuation of the tradition of public consultation. Positive aspects of the Draft RTI Rules While 60-65% of the Draft RTI Rules repeat the content of the 2012 RTI Rules, some new aspects deserve appreciation as they clarify the manner of implementation of key provisions of the RTI Act. These are: Provisions for dealing with non-compliance of the orders and directives of the Central Information Commission (CIC) by public authorities- this was missing in the 2012 RTI Rules. Non-compliance is increasingly becoming a major problem- two of my non-compliance cases are...

Citizens’ group to recall Justice Chagla’s alarm as India faces ‘undeclared' Emergency

By A Representative In a move likely to raise eyebrows among the powers-that-be, a voluntary organisation founded during the “dark days” of the Indira Gandhi -imposed Emergency has announced that it will hold a public conference in Ahmedabad to highlight what its office-bearers call today’s “undeclared Emergency.”

Celebrating 125 yr old legacy of healthcare work of missionaries

Vilas Shende, director, Mure Memorial Hospital By Moin Qazi* Central India has been one of the most fertile belts for several unique experiments undertaken by missionaries in the field of education and healthcare. The result is a network of several well-known schools, colleges and hospitals that have woven themselves into the social landscape of the region. They have also become a byword for quality and affordable services delivered to all sections of the society. These institutions are characterised by committed and compassionate staff driven by the selfless pursuit of improving the well-being of society. This is the reason why the region has nursed and nurtured so many eminent people who occupy high positions in varied fields across the country as well as beyond. One of the fruits of this legacy is a more than century old iconic hospital that nestles in the heart of Nagpur city. Named as Mure Memorial Hospital after a British warrior who lost his life in a war while defending his cou...

Epic war against caste system is constitutional responsibility of elected government

Edited by well-known Gujarat Dalit rights leader Martin Macwan, the book, “Bhed-Bharat: An Account of Injustice and Atrocities on Dalits and Adivasis (2014-18)” (available in English and Gujarati*) is a selection of news articles on Dalits and Adivasis (2014-2018) published by Dalit Shakti Prakashan, Ahmedabad. Preface to the book, in which Macwan seeks to answer key questions on why the book is needed today: *** The thought of compiling a book on atrocities on Dalits and thus present an overall Indian picture had occurred to me a long time ago. Absence of such a comprehensive picture is a major reason for a weak social and political consciousness among Dalits as well as non-Dalits. But gradually the idea took a different form. I found that lay readers don’t understand numbers and don’t like to read well-researched articles. The best way to reach out to them was storytelling. As I started writing in Gujarati and sharing the idea of the book with my friends, it occurred to me that while...

From seed to soil: How transnational control is endangering food sovereignty

By Bharat Dogra In recent decades, the world has witnessed a steady erosion of plant diversity in many countries, particularly those in the Global South that were once richly endowed with natural plant wealth. Much of this diversity has been removed from its original ecological and cultural contexts and transferred into gene banks concentrated in developed nations. While conservation of genetic resources is important, the problem arises when access to these collections becomes unequal, particularly when they fall under the control of transnational corporations.

Counterview

Search This Blog