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.

(Published in an English Daily The Rising Nepal on Friday, July  25, 2025 ) 

[The pictures on this blog are posted here with permission from their owners or have been gathered from various sources on the Internet. If you are the copyright-holder to any of the photographs herein do not hesitate to contact me. They will be swiftly removed if desired so.]

स्मृतिको उत्खनन्

 

 

          स्मृति बिम्बहरुमा आफ्नो बाल्यकालको स्मृति अत्यन्त प्यारो हुन्छ । ती बाल्य स्मृतिहरु सम्झेर ल्याउँदा सुखद् अनुभूति हुन्छ । ती नफर्किने दिनहरुका पृष्ठभूमिमा तयार गरिएको फिल्म ऐना झ्यालको पुतली हेर्दा मलाई त्यस्तै अनुभव भयो । पचासको दशकको सेरोफेरोमा बनाइएको यो फिल्मलाई मैले नेपाली सिनेमा जगतको एक उत्कृष्ट कलाकारिताको नमूना नै मानेँ । मेरो सामान्य बुझाइलाई यो फिल्म नेपालबाट ओस्कार अवार्डका लागि छनोट भएको कुराले पनि पुष्टि गरेको छ ।

          एउटा निम्न मध्यम वर्गीय परिवारले बेहोर्नुपर्ने घनचक्कर भित्र पिसिएर सामान्यजनका सपना कसरी धुलिसात् हुन्छन् भन्ने कुरा फिल्मको नामले नै भन्छ — ऐना झ्यालको पुतली । शीशाको झ्यालबाट बाहिरी दुनियाँ त देखिन्छ तर उडेर जौँ न त बाहिर भन्दा पुतली ठोकिइजान्छ । ऊ तल खस्छ । बाहिर उज्यालो छ भन्ने जान्नु, उडिजाने प्रयत्न गर्नु तर बेगिन नसक्नु आममानिसको नियति नै हो । यहि माखेसाङ्लालाई श्रव्य दृश्यमा दुरुस्त उतारिएको कथा हो ऐना झ्यालको पुतली । यस कथामा एउटा सानो परिवार छ । आमा बाबु र दुई छोरा छोरी छन् । सरल र सहज कथा छ तर कथाले सिंगो नेपाली समाजको प्रतिनिधित्व गर्छ । थोरै पात्रहरु लिएर सरल कथामार्फत निर्देशकले यस फिल्मद्वारा दर्शकहरुलाई भावनात्मक यात्रामा डोहोर्याउन सफल भएको मैले पाएँ ।

विद्याको विद्रोह

          फिल्मकी एक मूल पात्र विद्याका वरिपरि कथाले फन्को मार्छ । किशोरावस्थाकी विद्या पढाइमा तीब्र छ । उसलाई उच्च शिक्षाको चाहना पनि छ । बल्लतल्ल उसले कक्षा आठ पास गर्छे । पारिवारिक रुपमा निम्न आर्थिक स्थितिकी विद्या मुस्किलले घरमा आमासँग रोड्याईँ गरेर घरबाट टाढा गएर डेरा बसेर पढ्न अनुमति पाउँछे । तर दैव दशा ! उसकी आमाले कानका गहना बेचेर छोरी पढाउन भनेर जुटाएको खर्च चोरी हुन्छ । विद्याका सपना धुलिन्छन् । आमा मर्माहत हुन्छिन् र आखिरमा आमाको जस्तै नियति विद्यामा पनि दोहोरिन्छ । उसको विवाह हुन्छ ।

          मलाई यस फिल्ममा राम्रो लागेको एउटा पक्ष के हो भने विद्याले पढाइको महत्व बुझेकी छ । पढ्यो भनेँ वर्तमान अवस्थामा परिवर्तन आउँछ भन्ने दृढ विश्वास विद्या र उसकी आमामा छ । उसको जड्याँहा बाबु पूर्णतयाः लम्फू छ । ऊ घरमा केहि काम गर्दैन र रक्सीको नसामा डुबिरहन्छ । अन्त्यमा त्यसै कारणले नै बाबुको मृत्यु हुन्छ । यसै बिचमा  एकदिन विद्या घरको अन्न बेचेर रक्सी खान भनेर हिँडेको बाबुलाई रोक्न खोज्छे । ऊ अन्नको धोक्रो तान्छे । तर आमाले उल्टै छोरीलाई नै हतोत्साहित गर्छिन् । तर विद्याले हारे पनि ऊभित्र भएको त्यो विद्रोहको झिल्को विद्याको उमेरसँगै हुर्कियो होला भनेर म कल्पना गर्छु । विद्याभित्र भएको विद्रोही भाव र पढ्ने अनि केहि गर्ने आकांक्षाले विद्याको जीवनमा परिवर्तन ल्यायो होला, विद्याकी आमाजस्तै विद्याले दमित भएर जीवन बाँच्नुपरेन होला भन्ने कल्पना मेरो मनमा आउँछ । यो फिल्मको कथाभन्दा पर्तिरको कुरा भएपनि निर्देशकले दर्शकलाई कल्पना गर्ने ठाउँ प्रशस्त गरिदिएका होलान् भन्ने मलाई लाग्छ ।

समययात्रा

          फिल्मका निर्देशकले अति सहज ढंगले दर्शकलाई आफ्नो जीवनको एउटा कालखण्डमा पुर्याइदिएर स्मृतिको उत्खनन् गर्न प्रेरित गर्छन् । मलाई लाग्छ, हरेक दर्शकले यो फिल्म हेर्दा एकपटक आफ्नो वाल्यकालको स्मृतिमा एक फन्को मार्छन् । कथाका पात्रहरुसँग आफूलाई दाँज्छन् । कथामा हाम्रा नजिकको अतीतलाई विभिन्न माध्यमबाट देखाइएको छ । पचासको दशक भन्ने शब्दहरु प्रयोग नगरी यो कथा पचासको दशकको हो है भन्ने कुरा देखाइएको छ । त्यसबेला गोरखापत्र संस्थानबाट निस्कने वालपत्रिका मुना पढ्ने र त्यसमा लेख्ने अनि छपाउने कुरा चानचुन थिएन । त्यसमा अझ आफ्नो रचना नै छापिनु त ठूलो गौरवकै विषय हुने भयो । विद्याको रचना मुनामा छापिँदाको हर्षलाई म आफैंले पनि अनुभव गरेँ । मेरो बाल्यकाल मुनाभन्दा धेरै अगाडिको हो । ऊ बेलामा भनेँ, घरमा रेडियो हुनु र छेउमा बसेर साँझमा आउने बाल कार्यक्रम सुन्नु कत्रो खुशीको विषय थियो । साँझमा हामी सास दबाएर बाल कार्यक्रम सुन्न रेडियो छेउमा बस्थ्यौँ । मीठो धुनसँगै बासुदेव मुनालको स्वरमा, “आऊ, मेरा प्यारा भाइ बैनीहरु रेडियो नजिक आऊ” भन्ने स्वर सुनिन्थ्यो । उनी को भन्दा को कम भन्ने प्रतियोगितात्मक कार्यक्रम पनि चलाउँथे । यसै उपक्रममा एकदिन मैले पठाएको मेरो कथा ‘उसको अपूरो इच्छा’ पनि रेडियोमा सुनियो । पछि यो कथा प्रतियोगितामा प्रथम भएको सुन्दा मेरो बाल मस्तिष्क खुशीले झण्डै नपड्किएको ! त्यो खुशी र त्यो अनुभव आजका मोबाइल युगका बालकहरुसँग हुँदैन ।

          फिल्ममा त्यस समयलाई दर्शाउने अरु कुराहरु पनि छन् । जस्तै रेडियोमा बिहान बज्ने शंख ध्वनी । रेडियो नेपालको समाचार । गिरिजा प्रसाद कोइरालाको प्रधानमन्त्रित्वकाल आदि कुराले फिल्मको समय सन्दर्भ खुट्याउन सकिन्छ ।

बाङ्गेको नियति

         

फिल्ममा विद्याको भाइ बसन्त बढो मन परेको पात्र हो मलाई । सानो भाइ फिल्म हेर्नमा क्रेजी छ । गाउँमा भिडियो देखाउने चलन हुन्थ्यो त्यसबेला । बसन्त पैसा चोरेर, स्कूलबाट भागेर फिल्म हेर्छ । चाइनिज कलम साथीसँग बाँकि लगेर पैसा तिर्दैन । साथीहरुसँग कुस्ती गर्छ । घुर्क्याएर घरबाट हिँडिदिन्छ । आँखा छलेर, ठूलाले भनेको नमानेर पौडि खेल्न गइदिन्छ । दिदीले पठाएको कविता स्कुलमा दिनै बिर्सिन्छ । एउटा हुर्किंदो उमेरको बालकले गर्ने सम्पूर्ण बद्मासीको झलक बसन्तले दिन्छ । बसन्तको एउटा साथी छ — बाङ्गे । बिचरा बाङ्गे घरेलु हिंसाबाट प्रताडित छ । ऊ बारम्बार बसन्तलाई फकाउँछ । शहर जौँ, भागौँ भन्छ । शहर जाने र धेरै पैसा कमाउने सपना देख्छ । तर वास्तवमा ऊ घरेलु हिंसाबाट उन्मूक्ति चाहन्छ ।

          ऐना झ्यालको पुतली  एउटा कालखण्डको करिब दुई घन्टाको कथा हो । व्यक्त र अव्यक्त माध्यमबाट फिल्मले दर्शकको मन मस्तिष्क झक्झक्याएको छ । दर्शकलाई आफ्नो अतीततिर डोहोर्याएको छ । कति सरल र सहज ढंगले पनि एक उत्कृष्ट फिल्म बन्न सक्ने रहेछन् भन्ने कुरा यस फिल्मले देखाएको छ ।

          म फिल्मको पारखी नभएपनि सामान्य हेराइमा यो एक उत्कृष्ट फिल्म हो । सुन्दर कला र सरल प्रस्तुतिको समायोजनले फिल्मलाई उत्कृष्ट बनाएको छ । अझ फिल्मकी आमा पात्र बाहेक अन्य पात्रहरु ‘नन्— एक्टर’ हुन् भन्ने थाहा पाएपछि ती पात्रहरुको भूमिका प्रति गर्व लागेको छ । जीवन ससाना कुराहरुको संमीश्रण हो । यो फिल्म पनि ससाना क्षणहरुको कोलाज नै हो भन्दा फरक पर्दैन ।

          यति हुँदाहुँदै पनि यो फिल्म सर्वगुण सम्पन्न चाहिँ होइन । एक समयको कथा र व्यथा यसमा देखाइएको छ । फिल्ममा राम्रा विषयवस्तुहरुको उठान गरिएको छ तर पात्रहरु जुन अन्यमनस्क स्थितिमा कथाको उठानमा थिए, उनीहरु त्यहि त्यहि अवस्थामा रहेका छन् । विद्या, बाङ्गे र उसको साथीको प्रगतिको कल्पना गर्न सकिन्छ तर त्यस्ता बलिया सम्भावनाहरु प्रष्टसँग कथामा देखाइएको छैन । तर जे जस्तो भएतापनि फिल्म राम्रो बनेको छ । अर्थपूर्ण छ । एकपटक हेरेर पश्चात्ताप गर्नुपर्दैन ।

(Published in a Nepali local daily Purbasandesh, Damak, Jhapa on 14 October 2022)

[ The pictures on this blog are posted here with permission from their owners or have been gathered from various sources on the Internet. If you are the copyright-holder to any of the photographs herein do not hesitate to contact me. They will be swiftly removed if desired so.]  

Eye Opener

When I saw the title "Ankur Arora Murder Case" I thought it could be some kind of crime movie and full of violence so I decided not to watch at the first sight. Then my inner voice suggested, 'Just have a look and find out why Ankur Arora was murdered.' Wow! The movie was not what I thought it would be.

"Ankur Arora Murder Case" is a bollywood movie written by Vikram Bhatt and released in 2013. Mr. Bhatt has raised a genuine issue of medical negligence via this movie. Every now and then we come across the news stories, the patient died because of carelessness of the such and such doctor, or such and such hospital. As general public we just get puzzled by such stories and ponder, 'Was it really the doctor's/hospital's fault? Could the patient be saved if the medical people were careful? Why was this happened? What was the real reason of the patient's death?" This movie tries to address such questions.

Ankur is a little boy of eight years old who got admitted in a hospital for his appendicitis problem. The hospital is renowned, particularly with a very famous doctor, Dr. Asthana who is the chief surgeon over there. Ankur needed to go through an operation. He was supposed to be with empty stomach but unfortunately he consumed a couple of biscuits right before the operation. Even though Dr. Asthana was informed about this situation he was reluctant to postpone the operation due to his busy schedule. More importantly, he forgot to clean Ankur'r stomach before performing the operation.  As a result - Ankur died.

Despite the doctor realizing that it was entirely his fault he was ready to do anything to hide the truth so that he could save his as well as the hospital's reputation. Therefore he spread the twisted story:  Ankur died during the operation as some complications arose.

While watching the movie I could not blame Dr. Asthana 100% as he simply committed a human mistake. We all commit mistakes in our professions although we do not want to. Yet, it is natural that all fingers should be pointed towards him because he was the ultimate authority in the operation theater. His only blunder was not to tell the truth to the public. He should have accepted his mistake, told the reality and made a sincere apology. This could damage public-doctor relationship less.

[The pictures on this blog are posted here with permission from their owners or have been gathered from various sources on the Internet. If you are the copyright-holder to any of the photographs herein do not hesitate to contact me. They will be swiftly removed if desired so.]