Like Stars on Earth (2007) - full transcript
Ishaan Awasthi is an eight-year-old child whose world is filled with wonders that no one else seems to appreciate; colours, fish, dogs and kites are just not important in the world of adults, who are much more interested in things like homework, marks and neatness. And Ishaan just cannot seem to get anything right in class. When he gets into far more trouble than his parents can handle, he is packed off to a boarding school to 'be disciplined'. Things are no different at his new school, and Ishaan has to contend with the added trauma of separation from his family. One day a new art teacher bursts onto the scene, Ram Shankar Nikumbh, who infects the students with joy and optimism. He breaks all the rules of 'how things are done' by asking them to think, dream and imagine, and all the children respond with enthusiasm, all except Ishaan. Nikumbh soon realizes that Ishaan is very unhappy, and he sets out to discover why. With time, patience and care, he ultimately helps Ishaan find himself.
The three pillars of success.
Foundation of a complete education.
Mr. Tiwari, time to learn German.
What happened?
Okay... it's okay.
Slowly, children...
Hey listen... where's your friend?
I don't know... he suddenly
disappeared.
Must've seen his new
boring art teacher.
No sir, he must've gone to
the dining hall for lunch.
What's your name?
- Rajan Damodaran.
Rajan, what's up with Ishaan?
Something troubling him? He
always looks so frightened.
He wants to go home.
Why?
- He has just joined.
Mid year?
He has problems. Try as he might,
he just can't read or write.
He's always punished. His books
are full of red marks.
What to do?
Getting emotional, are we?
Man is... - A cruel, insensitive
animal. I know.
And blind. Blind to beauty,
blind to feelings.
Who did you run into there?
Myself.
It's like seeing myself
in the mirror.
That's shouldn't upset you.
You're not too bad to look at.
Jabeen, he's in danger.
Who?
Who is it, Ram?
A boy in that school,
of eight or nine years.
Doesn't say a word. Always
depressed... frightened.
His eyes, screaming for help.
I'm afraid, he'll sink.
Dada...
Yes, Pradyumna?
Come on, it's rehearsal time.
Hey Sahil, how many
days to the show?
Two.
Yeah. Let's go for it.
Today, let us open the windows of
our hearts and peep outside...
to see the little-little raindrops
meet the glorious Sun...
a rainbow forming, sheer
joy and great fun.
Look at them...
like fresh drops of dew...
...nestled in the palms of leaves...
...gifts of the heavens.
Stretching and turning...
...slipping and sliding...
...like delicate pearls...
...glinting with laughter.
Let us not lose these...
...little stars on earth.
Like sunshine on a winter's day...
...bathes the courtyard in gold...
...they banish darkness
from our hearts...
...and warm us to the core.
Let us not lose these...
...little stars on earth.
Like sleep trapped behind eyelids,
where sweet dreams abound...
...and in the dream an angel rises...
Like fountains of colour...
...like butterflies upon blossoms...
...like love which is selfless.
They're surging waves of hope...
...they're the dawn of dreams...
...and eternal joy...
Let us not lose these...
...little stars on earth.
On the heavy darkness
of night's bosom...
...they sit like a flame
dispelling gloom.
Like an orchard's fragrance
they fill the air.
Like a kaleidoscope
of a myriad hues...
...like flowers reaching
up to the sun...
...like the notes of a flute
in the quiet of a grove.
They are breaths of fresh air...
...the rhythm and music of life...
Let us not lose these...
...little stars on earth.
Like the pulsing life
of the neighbourhood...
...like buds, determined to bloom...
...like the breeze of the season.
Caught in your palm...
...they're the blessings
of our elders...
Let us not lose these...
...little stars on earth.
Yes?
Hi, my name is Ram Shankar Nikumbh.
I teach at New Era School
in Panchgani.
Come in.
Are these his third grade books?
- Yes.
Who did this?
Ishaan did.
Ishaan paints?
Yes, he loves painting.
Sometimes as wise as old men...
...at others, like a carefree stream.
Or a volley of innocent
questions...
Like laughter breaks silence,
and a smile lights up a face...
...they are like a celestial
light that...
...shines on the fortunate...
Like the moon dancing on a lake...
...like a familiar shoulder
in the midst of a crowd...
...like a gurgling stream,
frothing and giggling...
...like a sweet
little nap at midday...
...like the comfort of
a loving touch...
...like joyous music ringing
in your ears...
...like a fine spray of rain...
Can I have some water, please?
Why did you send him away?
Why?
There was no option.
Last year he failed in the third
grade. Can you believe it?
And no signs of any improvement.
My elder son tops his class in
every subject. And that one...
What do you think is his problem?
- Attitude, what else?
Towards his studies
and everything else...
...Always mischievous, difficult...
...disobedient.
I want to know his problem. You're
giving me the symptoms.
You're saying, the boy has
a fever. I know that.
I want to know why.
What's the cause?
Why don't you tell us? Go on.
Did you notice a pattern
in his mistakes?
Any errors that he repeats?
Pattern? What pattern?
Just mistakes.
Then you didn't recognise it.
Look.
B' for 'd' and 'd' for 'b'.
He confuses similar letters.
S' and 'R' inverted... like
several others. Look...
'h' and 't'. Mirror imaging.
Animal... three different
spellings on the same page.
So, it's not as if he has learnt
any one wrong spelling.
And here...
he mixes up similarly spelt words.
'T-o-p' becomes 'P-o-t'.
'S-o-l-i-d' becomes 'S-o-i-l-e-d'.
Why does he do this? Is
he a fool, is he lazy?
No...
In my opinion, he's finding
it hard to recognise letters.
When you read 'a-p-p-l-e', your
mind conjures up an apple.
Ishaan can't read the word, so he
can't understand what it means.
In order to read and write,
it is essential...
to relate sounds with symbols,
know the meaning of words;
Ishaan is unable to fulfill
this basic requirement.
Rubbish. These are just excuses
to avoid studying.
Please read this.
How can I? It's in Chinese.
Come, concentrate.
What nonsense, how can I read this?
- You're being insolent.
Your attitude is wrong.
You're misbehaving.
Exactly Ishaan's predicament.
Unable to recognise letters.
This difficulty in reading and
writing is called dyslexia.
Sometimes, kids could have
additional problems.
Like, difficulty in following
multiple instructions.
Turn to page 65, chapter 9, para
4, line 2
Or, poor 'fine and gross
motor skills'.
Does Ishaan find it difficult
to button his shirt...
...or tie his shoelaces?
Yes.
If you throw a ball, can he catch
it? - He can never judge a ball.
Because he can't correlate size,
distance and speed.
What size of ball, from what
distance, travelling at what speed...
by the time he works it
out, it's too late.
Just think...
a child, barely eight or nine,
can't read or write.
Can't do regular stuff,
fails to do all the things that
kids his age do, effortlessly.
What must he be going through?
His self-confidence must've
been shattered.
Hiding his inabilities in
disobedience...
...he must have taken on the world.
Must've created a riot here.
Why admit I can't, I'd rather
say, "I don't want to."
No different from adults.
Now, his rebellion too has
been crushed... out there.
I'm sorry to say, he has stopped
painting altogether.
It's very sad
But why Ishaan?
There's no answer to that.
It can happen to anyone.
Sometimes it's genetic.
Simply put, it's like a little wiring
problem in the brain, that's all.
So you're saying my son is
abnormal, mentally retarded?
You're a strange man.
Look here...
this is a sharp mind with
a vivid imagination...
...far more talented than you and me.
What's there to gain?
Why are you looking for gain?
- What else should I look for?
What is to become of him?
How is he going to compete?
Am I to feed him all his life?
I know.
Out there, it's a merciless,
competitive world...
...where everyone wants to breed
toppers and rankers.
Everyone wants top scores.
Medicine, engineering, management...
anything less is intolerable.
95.5... 95.6... 95.7 percent.
Anything less is sacrilege, right?
For Christ's sake, think...
each child has unique skills,
capabilities and dreams.
But no, everyone's hell
bent on pulling...
...and stretching to make
each finger long.
Go ahead. Even if the finger breaks.
No options, he says. No alternative.
If you fancy racing, breed
racehorses not children.
Forcing your children to bear
the burden of your ambitions.
It's worse than child labour
And if the child is unable
to bear this burden?
When will they understand?
Every child is different. Sooner
or later all of them learn.
Each at his own pace.
Five uneven fingers
make up the hand.
And here we have dreams
of settling these...
...little ones into the mainstream.
Look, he's smiling!
There... take that.
No, don't touch that.
Ishaan's first day in school.
His first puddle.
Don't cry, love.
Mama is right here,
she hasn't gone away.
Don't cry son, don't cry.
Friends, today I'll
tell you a story...
about a boy.
Once there was a boy,
don't ask me where...
...who couldn't read or write.
However hard he'd try...
...he couldn't remember
that X came before Y.
Words were his enemies, they
danced before his eyes,
frightening and tormenting him.
Studies exhausted him, but
who would share his woes?
His brain was full,
nothing made sense...
...the alphabet danced in a disco.
One day, the poor boy failed under
the burden of his studies.
Everyone made fun of him, still
he put up a brave face.
Then one day, he struck gold.
The world was amazed when
his theory was told.
Can you guess who he was?
Albert Einstein.
Correct, Rajan. Albert Einstein.
A great scientist.
The man who shook the world with
his theory of relativity.
Brownian motion, the
photoelectric effect.
For which he was awarded
the Nobel Prize in 1921.
Now... what's this?
Helicopter.
Not any ordinary helicopter,
this one.
The great artist-inventor
Leonardo da Vinci...
Who?
- Leonardo da Vinci.
Yes. He came up with this.
A working sketch of a helicopter.
But when? In the 15th century...
...400 years before the first
airplane took flight.
You know, Leonardo da Vinci had great
difficulty reading and writing.
He wrote somewhat like this...
Can you read this?
No.
Now?
Switch on the light please.
Who lit up the world
with electricity?
Thomas Alva Edison.
Absolutely right.
Poor chap couldn't get his
alphabet right either.
Sit down.
Leave the lights on.
Let us bask in Edison's glow.
Everyone knows this guy.
Abhishek Bachchan!
As a child, he found it
hard to read and write.
Now he's rocks!
And there are more.
Pablo Picasso, famous
cubist painter.
He never understood the number 7.
Said, it's my uncle
nose upside down.
Who's Mickey Mouse's dad?
Walt Disney.
Correct. Walt Disney.
Troubled by letters, he infused
life into cartoons.
Neil Diamond, popular singer.
He drowned his shame in songs.
Agatha Christie, famous
mystery-book writer
lmagine a writer who couldn't
read and write as a child?
But why am I suddenly
telling you all this?
To show you that there have
been such gems amongst us...
who changed the course
of the world...
...because they could look
at the world differently.
Their thinking was unique and
not everyone understood them.
They were opposed.
Yet they emerged winners
and the world was amazed.
Let's dedicate today's art class
to these famous misfits.
So let's keep them in mind...
...step outside and create
something different...
out of whatever we find
interesting... stones, sticks, trash.
Let's head to the little pond!
Wait.
Rajan, go on.
You know, there's someone
I didn't name...
maybe because he isn't
all that renowned.
But his problem is the same.
That name is...
Ram Shankar Nikumbh.
As a kid, I too had
a learning problem.
My father never understood me.
He thought I was being naughty,
making excuses for not studying.
He had written me off.
What can a duffer, an idiot achieve?
Well, here I am.
Shall we go?
Did you go to my house?
Look at that!
It's moving.
Is it an airplane? Can it fly?
Will it fly?
Who made it?
Is the principal in?
Yes. - Don't get up.
Yes, Nikumbh. Come in.
Sir, I need to talk to
you about a student.
Ishaan Awasthi. 3rd
D. A new student.
I know.
Other teachers have complained too.
I don't think he'll last the year.
No sir, he's a bright boy.
He just has a little problem
with reading and writing.
You must know about dyslexia?
You've made it easier for me.
I was wondering what
I'd tell his father.
He was referred by a trustee.
Good... good
Then a special school is
the right place for him.
No sir, he's a child with
above-average intelligence
He has every right to
be in a normal school.
All he needs is a little
help from us.
And worldwide, all kids, no matter
what their problem study together.
In fact, my students at "Tulips"...
...have every right
to be in any school.
I'm only saying what the
law of the country says.
The "Education For All" scheme
gives every child this right.
It's another matter that very
few schools follow it.
Tell me how this boy
will manage here.
There's maths, history, geography,
science, languages!
He'll cope. With a little
help from teachers.
Where do teachers have the time?
Attending to one
in a class of forty?
Come on Nikumbh. It's impossible.
Sir, it's not a big deal.
Two or three hours
a week. I'll do it.
Besides,
he has only to pass
in these subjects.
His calling lies elsewhere.
So all the subjects we teach,
except yours, are pointless?
Not at all. But every child
has a native talent.
And as Oscar Wilde says,
who wants a cynic who
knows the price of...
...everything and the
value of nothing?
Sir, please look at
the boy's paintings.
This depiction of battle...
...a soldier digs a trench
and overleaf he escapes.
Wonderful conception.
Confident brush strokes.
Such bold use of colour.
Uninhibited!
And look sir, a unique flip-book.
The story of his separation.
Such creativity, from barely
an eight-year old.
Very few of us can think
out of the box.
Please sir, one chance
is all he needs.
Or he'll be lost.
What do you want from me?
For the time-being,
let his handwriting...
...his spelling be ignored.
Let him be tested orally.
Knowledge is knowledge,
oral or written.
Meanwhile, I'll work on
his reading and writing.
Gradually he'll improve.
I hope we don't cause
permanent damage...
...on advice from a
temporary teacher.
Now add three.
Add five.
Where are you?
- Plus seven.
Now, subtract eleven.
Sir, one question. Have you ever
painted since your school days?
What?
What is this, sir?
A painting competition. For
teachers, students, everyone.
I want all of you to come
No seriously, what's
the purpose of art?
To express your emotions.
You're happy? You automatically
reach for bright colours.
Terrible lunch? Out pour
drab, dull colours.
Excuse me
Guys, I'll be back in a bit.
Come in.
Have a seat.
Sorry, it's a little cramped.
How come?
- On a business trip.
Met Ishaan?
- Not yet. I will.
I wanted to talk to you first.
- Go ahead.
My wife has been surfing the net.
She has read all about dyslexia.
I wanted you to know.
Why?
Just so you don't take us
for parents who don't care.
Caring.
It's very important.
It has the power to cure.
A salve for pain.
The child feels wanted.
A hug, a loving kiss now and then,
to show that I care.
Son, I love you.
If you have any fears come to me.
So what if you slipped, failed.
Don't worry I'm there for you.
Reassurance.
Caring.
That's what caring is, isn't it?
It's nice to hear that
you think you care.
Well, I should get going.
Has your wife read...
about the Solomon Islands
on the internet?
I don't know.
On Solomon Islands,
when the natives want a part of
the forest for cultivation...
...they don't cut the trees.
They simply gather around the tree
and shout abuses...
...at it curse it.
In a matter of days...
...the tree withers and shrivels.
It dies on its own.
There have been
such gems amongst us...
...who changed the course of world...
...because they could look
at the world differently.
Their thinking was unique...
...and not everyone understood them.
They were opposed.
Yet they emerged winners...
...and the world was amazed.
Wow, what a sight!
Welcome, sir - Here I am.
You have finally convinced me
to become a Sunday painter.
Welcome
This way, sir.
Where's your Ishaan?
I've been dying to meet him.
I don't see him.
Where's Ishaan?
I don't know. He left the
dorm before anyone was up.
Really?
Hey Nikumbh, you've got me in a fix.
George-sir give it a try, it'll
be fun. - Painting isn't for me.
I've decided, I'll make
a wordy painting.
I'll fill my painting
with the alphabet.
You seem to be limited by
your language, Sen-sir
I'm here just to show my face to...
...the headmaster. Only
five or ten minutes.
I'm not wasting my Sunday.
- I'm delighted you came anyway.
Where do we sit? - You'll be
shown your place by the kids.
Kids, come here.
Show your teachers their place.
Careful...
Take it easy, I'm coming.
Jolly good, I say.
Bless you.
Our special guest today,
Lalitha Lajmi.
Teacher, painter, my guru.
Greetings
Thank you for coming
Have you seen Ishaan?
No, sir.
- He must be with Rajan.
Where is he?
- I don't know, sir.
He left before anyone woke up.
Where were you?
Come on, sit down.
Do you have colours?
Open the doors, draw the curtains...
...the wind is all tied up,
let's set it free.
Bring your kites,
bring your colours...
...let's decorate the
canopy of the sky.
Why are you so worried?
You're here a guest,
at nature's behest.
The world was made...
...just for you.
Discover yourself, know who you are.
You are the sun, radiate light...
...you are the river...
...don't you know?
Flow on...
...fly high...
You'll find your purpose where
you find your happiness.
Tiwari-sir, you haven't left?
Weren't you leaving in five minutes?
What are you painting?
A frog, a duck and a banana.
This is a frog?
Staleness is sadness,
freshness brings joy...
...like the aroma of freshly-baked
bread.
Life is like candyfloss,
spun of hopes and dreams...
...savour it and hoard it in
the palm of your hand.
If there is thirst in you...
...you'll find a raincloud
round the corner.
Don't let anyone come in your way...
...your potential is endless
like the sky.
You are the sun, radiate light...
...you are the river...
...don't you know?
Flow on...
...fly high...
You'll find your purpose where
you find your happiness.
Boys, how's my painting?
Take a look.
Beautiful, sir!
First prize, sir!
Great, sir!
Look, the path to the
skies is revealed.
And the little lost star
has been found again.
The world is awash in starlight...
...the universe is aglitter.
You are free to soar...
...unfettered.
What a wonderful morning
this has been.
As if past a mosaic
of coloured panes...
...I was transported
into my childhood.
Wonderful. I also got to re-live
the childhood of others.
George-sir has promised me...
...he'll take lessons
from Nikumbh-sir.
Right?
But not me alone.
Sen and Tiwari too. Their
paintings were the worst.
Okay, okay...
While on Nikumbh...
...there's good news. We don't need
to find a new art teacher.
Along with Tulips School, Nikumbh
will teach at our school as well.
Now, I'm going to announce what
everyone's been waiting for.
Let me come to the results
of the Art Fair.
Our special guest, Ms. Lalitha
Lajmi was in a real fix...
...caught in a dilemma between
two paintings.
It was a tie.
She was saying...
...let both be named "Best Painting
of the Art Fair".
But that wasn't possible.
Because the winning
painting is to be...
...the front cover of
our school yearbook.
Now, we can't have two front covers.
So what to do?
Ms. Lajmi was in a real quandary.
But after much contemplation,
she arrived at her conclusion.
She chose...
the disciple over the teacher.
Yes boys, your Nikumbh-sir...
has been defeated.
And the student who
defeated him is...
...the little...
...nine-year old...
Ishaan Nandkishore Awasthi of 3rd D.
Where are you?
Come on my boy. Get up.
Where are you?
A big round of applause!
Come on Rajan, say bye
to your friends.
It's time to go.
Bye Rajan... I'll miss you.
Here's your Ishaan.
And here's his painting.
Just look at it, what a masterpiece
He's a very talented boy and...
...l'm really happy
to have him in my school
Have you met his teachers?
Not yet...
Please go and meet them. They will
give you the progress report.
Thank you so much. Mr. & Mrs. Dave,
enjoy your summer holidays.
Hello... come in.
Mr. & Mrs. Awasthi...
Ishaan's parents.
Oh... Ishaan!
Please sit.
Your lad? Mighty spirited
boy, I must say
What say Mr. Tiwari?
At first we thought that
he won't last here.
But then he showed such improvement.
Great! He has such a
unique perspective.
Well done.
Here's his progress report.
Now, that's progress. Maths,
grammar and what a painter!
A real discovery.
Your son is very bright.
I cannot believe this!
Thank you so much.
No, don't thank us. Thank Nikumbh.
That pied piper... he really
turned the boy around
Lovely boys.
What happened?
I don't know how to thank you.
Come on.
He's a lovely boy. Just
look after him.
Come on.
Mama-Papa are waiting.
Hey champ
I'll miss you.
See you soon, after the holidays.
Off you go.
Bye Yohan.
Bye, sir.
Foundation of a complete education.
Mr. Tiwari, time to learn German.
What happened?
Okay... it's okay.
Slowly, children...
Hey listen... where's your friend?
I don't know... he suddenly
disappeared.
Must've seen his new
boring art teacher.
No sir, he must've gone to
the dining hall for lunch.
What's your name?
- Rajan Damodaran.
Rajan, what's up with Ishaan?
Something troubling him? He
always looks so frightened.
He wants to go home.
Why?
- He has just joined.
Mid year?
He has problems. Try as he might,
he just can't read or write.
He's always punished. His books
are full of red marks.
What to do?
Getting emotional, are we?
Man is... - A cruel, insensitive
animal. I know.
And blind. Blind to beauty,
blind to feelings.
Who did you run into there?
Myself.
It's like seeing myself
in the mirror.
That's shouldn't upset you.
You're not too bad to look at.
Jabeen, he's in danger.
Who?
Who is it, Ram?
A boy in that school,
of eight or nine years.
Doesn't say a word. Always
depressed... frightened.
His eyes, screaming for help.
I'm afraid, he'll sink.
Dada...
Yes, Pradyumna?
Come on, it's rehearsal time.
Hey Sahil, how many
days to the show?
Two.
Yeah. Let's go for it.
Today, let us open the windows of
our hearts and peep outside...
to see the little-little raindrops
meet the glorious Sun...
a rainbow forming, sheer
joy and great fun.
Look at them...
like fresh drops of dew...
...nestled in the palms of leaves...
...gifts of the heavens.
Stretching and turning...
...slipping and sliding...
...like delicate pearls...
...glinting with laughter.
Let us not lose these...
...little stars on earth.
Like sunshine on a winter's day...
...bathes the courtyard in gold...
...they banish darkness
from our hearts...
...and warm us to the core.
Let us not lose these...
...little stars on earth.
Like sleep trapped behind eyelids,
where sweet dreams abound...
...and in the dream an angel rises...
Like fountains of colour...
...like butterflies upon blossoms...
...like love which is selfless.
They're surging waves of hope...
...they're the dawn of dreams...
...and eternal joy...
Let us not lose these...
...little stars on earth.
On the heavy darkness
of night's bosom...
...they sit like a flame
dispelling gloom.
Like an orchard's fragrance
they fill the air.
Like a kaleidoscope
of a myriad hues...
...like flowers reaching
up to the sun...
...like the notes of a flute
in the quiet of a grove.
They are breaths of fresh air...
...the rhythm and music of life...
Let us not lose these...
...little stars on earth.
Like the pulsing life
of the neighbourhood...
...like buds, determined to bloom...
...like the breeze of the season.
Caught in your palm...
...they're the blessings
of our elders...
Let us not lose these...
...little stars on earth.
Yes?
Hi, my name is Ram Shankar Nikumbh.
I teach at New Era School
in Panchgani.
Come in.
Are these his third grade books?
- Yes.
Who did this?
Ishaan did.
Ishaan paints?
Yes, he loves painting.
Sometimes as wise as old men...
...at others, like a carefree stream.
Or a volley of innocent
questions...
Like laughter breaks silence,
and a smile lights up a face...
...they are like a celestial
light that...
...shines on the fortunate...
Like the moon dancing on a lake...
...like a familiar shoulder
in the midst of a crowd...
...like a gurgling stream,
frothing and giggling...
...like a sweet
little nap at midday...
...like the comfort of
a loving touch...
...like joyous music ringing
in your ears...
...like a fine spray of rain...
Can I have some water, please?
Why did you send him away?
Why?
There was no option.
Last year he failed in the third
grade. Can you believe it?
And no signs of any improvement.
My elder son tops his class in
every subject. And that one...
What do you think is his problem?
- Attitude, what else?
Towards his studies
and everything else...
...Always mischievous, difficult...
...disobedient.
I want to know his problem. You're
giving me the symptoms.
You're saying, the boy has
a fever. I know that.
I want to know why.
What's the cause?
Why don't you tell us? Go on.
Did you notice a pattern
in his mistakes?
Any errors that he repeats?
Pattern? What pattern?
Just mistakes.
Then you didn't recognise it.
Look.
B' for 'd' and 'd' for 'b'.
He confuses similar letters.
S' and 'R' inverted... like
several others. Look...
'h' and 't'. Mirror imaging.
Animal... three different
spellings on the same page.
So, it's not as if he has learnt
any one wrong spelling.
And here...
he mixes up similarly spelt words.
'T-o-p' becomes 'P-o-t'.
'S-o-l-i-d' becomes 'S-o-i-l-e-d'.
Why does he do this? Is
he a fool, is he lazy?
No...
In my opinion, he's finding
it hard to recognise letters.
When you read 'a-p-p-l-e', your
mind conjures up an apple.
Ishaan can't read the word, so he
can't understand what it means.
In order to read and write,
it is essential...
to relate sounds with symbols,
know the meaning of words;
Ishaan is unable to fulfill
this basic requirement.
Rubbish. These are just excuses
to avoid studying.
Please read this.
How can I? It's in Chinese.
Come, concentrate.
What nonsense, how can I read this?
- You're being insolent.
Your attitude is wrong.
You're misbehaving.
Exactly Ishaan's predicament.
Unable to recognise letters.
This difficulty in reading and
writing is called dyslexia.
Sometimes, kids could have
additional problems.
Like, difficulty in following
multiple instructions.
Turn to page 65, chapter 9, para
4, line 2
Or, poor 'fine and gross
motor skills'.
Does Ishaan find it difficult
to button his shirt...
...or tie his shoelaces?
Yes.
If you throw a ball, can he catch
it? - He can never judge a ball.
Because he can't correlate size,
distance and speed.
What size of ball, from what
distance, travelling at what speed...
by the time he works it
out, it's too late.
Just think...
a child, barely eight or nine,
can't read or write.
Can't do regular stuff,
fails to do all the things that
kids his age do, effortlessly.
What must he be going through?
His self-confidence must've
been shattered.
Hiding his inabilities in
disobedience...
...he must have taken on the world.
Must've created a riot here.
Why admit I can't, I'd rather
say, "I don't want to."
No different from adults.
Now, his rebellion too has
been crushed... out there.
I'm sorry to say, he has stopped
painting altogether.
It's very sad
But why Ishaan?
There's no answer to that.
It can happen to anyone.
Sometimes it's genetic.
Simply put, it's like a little wiring
problem in the brain, that's all.
So you're saying my son is
abnormal, mentally retarded?
You're a strange man.
Look here...
this is a sharp mind with
a vivid imagination...
...far more talented than you and me.
What's there to gain?
Why are you looking for gain?
- What else should I look for?
What is to become of him?
How is he going to compete?
Am I to feed him all his life?
I know.
Out there, it's a merciless,
competitive world...
...where everyone wants to breed
toppers and rankers.
Everyone wants top scores.
Medicine, engineering, management...
anything less is intolerable.
95.5... 95.6... 95.7 percent.
Anything less is sacrilege, right?
For Christ's sake, think...
each child has unique skills,
capabilities and dreams.
But no, everyone's hell
bent on pulling...
...and stretching to make
each finger long.
Go ahead. Even if the finger breaks.
No options, he says. No alternative.
If you fancy racing, breed
racehorses not children.
Forcing your children to bear
the burden of your ambitions.
It's worse than child labour
And if the child is unable
to bear this burden?
When will they understand?
Every child is different. Sooner
or later all of them learn.
Each at his own pace.
Five uneven fingers
make up the hand.
And here we have dreams
of settling these...
...little ones into the mainstream.
Look, he's smiling!
There... take that.
No, don't touch that.
Ishaan's first day in school.
His first puddle.
Don't cry, love.
Mama is right here,
she hasn't gone away.
Don't cry son, don't cry.
Friends, today I'll
tell you a story...
about a boy.
Once there was a boy,
don't ask me where...
...who couldn't read or write.
However hard he'd try...
...he couldn't remember
that X came before Y.
Words were his enemies, they
danced before his eyes,
frightening and tormenting him.
Studies exhausted him, but
who would share his woes?
His brain was full,
nothing made sense...
...the alphabet danced in a disco.
One day, the poor boy failed under
the burden of his studies.
Everyone made fun of him, still
he put up a brave face.
Then one day, he struck gold.
The world was amazed when
his theory was told.
Can you guess who he was?
Albert Einstein.
Correct, Rajan. Albert Einstein.
A great scientist.
The man who shook the world with
his theory of relativity.
Brownian motion, the
photoelectric effect.
For which he was awarded
the Nobel Prize in 1921.
Now... what's this?
Helicopter.
Not any ordinary helicopter,
this one.
The great artist-inventor
Leonardo da Vinci...
Who?
- Leonardo da Vinci.
Yes. He came up with this.
A working sketch of a helicopter.
But when? In the 15th century...
...400 years before the first
airplane took flight.
You know, Leonardo da Vinci had great
difficulty reading and writing.
He wrote somewhat like this...
Can you read this?
No.
Now?
Switch on the light please.
Who lit up the world
with electricity?
Thomas Alva Edison.
Absolutely right.
Poor chap couldn't get his
alphabet right either.
Sit down.
Leave the lights on.
Let us bask in Edison's glow.
Everyone knows this guy.
Abhishek Bachchan!
As a child, he found it
hard to read and write.
Now he's rocks!
And there are more.
Pablo Picasso, famous
cubist painter.
He never understood the number 7.
Said, it's my uncle
nose upside down.
Who's Mickey Mouse's dad?
Walt Disney.
Correct. Walt Disney.
Troubled by letters, he infused
life into cartoons.
Neil Diamond, popular singer.
He drowned his shame in songs.
Agatha Christie, famous
mystery-book writer
lmagine a writer who couldn't
read and write as a child?
But why am I suddenly
telling you all this?
To show you that there have
been such gems amongst us...
who changed the course
of the world...
...because they could look
at the world differently.
Their thinking was unique and
not everyone understood them.
They were opposed.
Yet they emerged winners
and the world was amazed.
Let's dedicate today's art class
to these famous misfits.
So let's keep them in mind...
...step outside and create
something different...
out of whatever we find
interesting... stones, sticks, trash.
Let's head to the little pond!
Wait.
Rajan, go on.
You know, there's someone
I didn't name...
maybe because he isn't
all that renowned.
But his problem is the same.
That name is...
Ram Shankar Nikumbh.
As a kid, I too had
a learning problem.
My father never understood me.
He thought I was being naughty,
making excuses for not studying.
He had written me off.
What can a duffer, an idiot achieve?
Well, here I am.
Shall we go?
Did you go to my house?
Look at that!
It's moving.
Is it an airplane? Can it fly?
Will it fly?
Who made it?
Is the principal in?
Yes. - Don't get up.
Yes, Nikumbh. Come in.
Sir, I need to talk to
you about a student.
Ishaan Awasthi. 3rd
D. A new student.
I know.
Other teachers have complained too.
I don't think he'll last the year.
No sir, he's a bright boy.
He just has a little problem
with reading and writing.
You must know about dyslexia?
You've made it easier for me.
I was wondering what
I'd tell his father.
He was referred by a trustee.
Good... good
Then a special school is
the right place for him.
No sir, he's a child with
above-average intelligence
He has every right to
be in a normal school.
All he needs is a little
help from us.
And worldwide, all kids, no matter
what their problem study together.
In fact, my students at "Tulips"...
...have every right
to be in any school.
I'm only saying what the
law of the country says.
The "Education For All" scheme
gives every child this right.
It's another matter that very
few schools follow it.
Tell me how this boy
will manage here.
There's maths, history, geography,
science, languages!
He'll cope. With a little
help from teachers.
Where do teachers have the time?
Attending to one
in a class of forty?
Come on Nikumbh. It's impossible.
Sir, it's not a big deal.
Two or three hours
a week. I'll do it.
Besides,
he has only to pass
in these subjects.
His calling lies elsewhere.
So all the subjects we teach,
except yours, are pointless?
Not at all. But every child
has a native talent.
And as Oscar Wilde says,
who wants a cynic who
knows the price of...
...everything and the
value of nothing?
Sir, please look at
the boy's paintings.
This depiction of battle...
...a soldier digs a trench
and overleaf he escapes.
Wonderful conception.
Confident brush strokes.
Such bold use of colour.
Uninhibited!
And look sir, a unique flip-book.
The story of his separation.
Such creativity, from barely
an eight-year old.
Very few of us can think
out of the box.
Please sir, one chance
is all he needs.
Or he'll be lost.
What do you want from me?
For the time-being,
let his handwriting...
...his spelling be ignored.
Let him be tested orally.
Knowledge is knowledge,
oral or written.
Meanwhile, I'll work on
his reading and writing.
Gradually he'll improve.
I hope we don't cause
permanent damage...
...on advice from a
temporary teacher.
Now add three.
Add five.
Where are you?
- Plus seven.
Now, subtract eleven.
Sir, one question. Have you ever
painted since your school days?
What?
What is this, sir?
A painting competition. For
teachers, students, everyone.
I want all of you to come
No seriously, what's
the purpose of art?
To express your emotions.
You're happy? You automatically
reach for bright colours.
Terrible lunch? Out pour
drab, dull colours.
Excuse me
Guys, I'll be back in a bit.
Come in.
Have a seat.
Sorry, it's a little cramped.
How come?
- On a business trip.
Met Ishaan?
- Not yet. I will.
I wanted to talk to you first.
- Go ahead.
My wife has been surfing the net.
She has read all about dyslexia.
I wanted you to know.
Why?
Just so you don't take us
for parents who don't care.
Caring.
It's very important.
It has the power to cure.
A salve for pain.
The child feels wanted.
A hug, a loving kiss now and then,
to show that I care.
Son, I love you.
If you have any fears come to me.
So what if you slipped, failed.
Don't worry I'm there for you.
Reassurance.
Caring.
That's what caring is, isn't it?
It's nice to hear that
you think you care.
Well, I should get going.
Has your wife read...
about the Solomon Islands
on the internet?
I don't know.
On Solomon Islands,
when the natives want a part of
the forest for cultivation...
...they don't cut the trees.
They simply gather around the tree
and shout abuses...
...at it curse it.
In a matter of days...
...the tree withers and shrivels.
It dies on its own.
There have been
such gems amongst us...
...who changed the course of world...
...because they could look
at the world differently.
Their thinking was unique...
...and not everyone understood them.
They were opposed.
Yet they emerged winners...
...and the world was amazed.
Wow, what a sight!
Welcome, sir - Here I am.
You have finally convinced me
to become a Sunday painter.
Welcome
This way, sir.
Where's your Ishaan?
I've been dying to meet him.
I don't see him.
Where's Ishaan?
I don't know. He left the
dorm before anyone was up.
Really?
Hey Nikumbh, you've got me in a fix.
George-sir give it a try, it'll
be fun. - Painting isn't for me.
I've decided, I'll make
a wordy painting.
I'll fill my painting
with the alphabet.
You seem to be limited by
your language, Sen-sir
I'm here just to show my face to...
...the headmaster. Only
five or ten minutes.
I'm not wasting my Sunday.
- I'm delighted you came anyway.
Where do we sit? - You'll be
shown your place by the kids.
Kids, come here.
Show your teachers their place.
Careful...
Take it easy, I'm coming.
Jolly good, I say.
Bless you.
Our special guest today,
Lalitha Lajmi.
Teacher, painter, my guru.
Greetings
Thank you for coming
Have you seen Ishaan?
No, sir.
- He must be with Rajan.
Where is he?
- I don't know, sir.
He left before anyone woke up.
Where were you?
Come on, sit down.
Do you have colours?
Open the doors, draw the curtains...
...the wind is all tied up,
let's set it free.
Bring your kites,
bring your colours...
...let's decorate the
canopy of the sky.
Why are you so worried?
You're here a guest,
at nature's behest.
The world was made...
...just for you.
Discover yourself, know who you are.
You are the sun, radiate light...
...you are the river...
...don't you know?
Flow on...
...fly high...
You'll find your purpose where
you find your happiness.
Tiwari-sir, you haven't left?
Weren't you leaving in five minutes?
What are you painting?
A frog, a duck and a banana.
This is a frog?
Staleness is sadness,
freshness brings joy...
...like the aroma of freshly-baked
bread.
Life is like candyfloss,
spun of hopes and dreams...
...savour it and hoard it in
the palm of your hand.
If there is thirst in you...
...you'll find a raincloud
round the corner.
Don't let anyone come in your way...
...your potential is endless
like the sky.
You are the sun, radiate light...
...you are the river...
...don't you know?
Flow on...
...fly high...
You'll find your purpose where
you find your happiness.
Boys, how's my painting?
Take a look.
Beautiful, sir!
First prize, sir!
Great, sir!
Look, the path to the
skies is revealed.
And the little lost star
has been found again.
The world is awash in starlight...
...the universe is aglitter.
You are free to soar...
...unfettered.
What a wonderful morning
this has been.
As if past a mosaic
of coloured panes...
...I was transported
into my childhood.
Wonderful. I also got to re-live
the childhood of others.
George-sir has promised me...
...he'll take lessons
from Nikumbh-sir.
Right?
But not me alone.
Sen and Tiwari too. Their
paintings were the worst.
Okay, okay...
While on Nikumbh...
...there's good news. We don't need
to find a new art teacher.
Along with Tulips School, Nikumbh
will teach at our school as well.
Now, I'm going to announce what
everyone's been waiting for.
Let me come to the results
of the Art Fair.
Our special guest, Ms. Lalitha
Lajmi was in a real fix...
...caught in a dilemma between
two paintings.
It was a tie.
She was saying...
...let both be named "Best Painting
of the Art Fair".
But that wasn't possible.
Because the winning
painting is to be...
...the front cover of
our school yearbook.
Now, we can't have two front covers.
So what to do?
Ms. Lajmi was in a real quandary.
But after much contemplation,
she arrived at her conclusion.
She chose...
the disciple over the teacher.
Yes boys, your Nikumbh-sir...
has been defeated.
And the student who
defeated him is...
...the little...
...nine-year old...
Ishaan Nandkishore Awasthi of 3rd D.
Where are you?
Come on my boy. Get up.
Where are you?
A big round of applause!
Come on Rajan, say bye
to your friends.
It's time to go.
Bye Rajan... I'll miss you.
Here's your Ishaan.
And here's his painting.
Just look at it, what a masterpiece
He's a very talented boy and...
...l'm really happy
to have him in my school
Have you met his teachers?
Not yet...
Please go and meet them. They will
give you the progress report.
Thank you so much. Mr. & Mrs. Dave,
enjoy your summer holidays.
Hello... come in.
Mr. & Mrs. Awasthi...
Ishaan's parents.
Oh... Ishaan!
Please sit.
Your lad? Mighty spirited
boy, I must say
What say Mr. Tiwari?
At first we thought that
he won't last here.
But then he showed such improvement.
Great! He has such a
unique perspective.
Well done.
Here's his progress report.
Now, that's progress. Maths,
grammar and what a painter!
A real discovery.
Your son is very bright.
I cannot believe this!
Thank you so much.
No, don't thank us. Thank Nikumbh.
That pied piper... he really
turned the boy around
Lovely boys.
What happened?
I don't know how to thank you.
Come on.
He's a lovely boy. Just
look after him.
Come on.
Mama-Papa are waiting.
Hey champ
I'll miss you.
See you soon, after the holidays.
Off you go.
Bye Yohan.
Bye, sir.