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This movie is one of my childhood favorites, and it’s so popular and good that even its official English dub is available under the title Like Stars on Earth.
The movie is about a child with dyslexia. You know how it goes in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and across this region? A child with learning difficulties is often considered "mad," a slow learner, or just dumb. I really want to applaud the directors for tackling mental health awareness in a region where the same old romantic scripts with lazy writing usually outperform serious topics.
The part I want to highlight the most is how the parents compare their children. Imagine comparing your bright older son with your younger son who has dyslexia, especially when that older brother excels at everything.
If that wasn't enough, the parents think their dyslexic child is just lazy and send him off to a very strict boarding school. (Parents, don't complain when that same son grows up and sends you to an old age home because you're lazy in your 60s+... OUCH!)
At the school, he gets introduced to an art teacher who actually understands dyslexia, educates his parents about it, and teaches him using creative methods. It turns out the boy is sharp, but he just needed special attention and different teaching approaches.
I don't have a single complaint about this movie. The story writing, choreography, pacing, music, background score, and character growth all felt spot-on. Plus, I really like Aamir Khan as an actor. Whether you're a Bollywood fan or not, the dubbing makes it easy to enjoy, and if you take my advice, you should definitely give it a try.
One last thing: I wouldn't recommend watching it with your kids, lol!
Rating: 100/100
