Taare Zameen Par

No, this is not the review of the movie. I am sure that most of you have watched the movie by now. And even if you have not I do not qualify to write the review as I have not seen the movie till now. Yeah I know it’s a shame but I will definitely watch it in a day or two. So what am I going to write with this topic in mind? Let me see…………

When I saw the trailer of the movie with a tagline “Every child is special”, I had inkling to what Aamir wanted to convey through the movie and though I have not seen the movie, as I admitted, I am taking the liberty of exploring the same sentiments within me borrowing the title of this film. My existence is often marred by too much thought and no action. Somehow the sentiments that I want to share with you have precipitated because of this inaction or may be because of the inability of convert my conviction into reality. Still confused? I know that by now you would have understood that I am trying to say something concerned to children but what?

I believe that I started to realize the deprivation of certain section of children when I was in my higher secondary. Traversing the posh Park Street of Kolkata to my college I was exposed to reality of life: where a child had to fight a dog for his share of bread thrown in a garbage can across the Assembly of God Church School. My heart bled that day. I wanted to give that child my tiffin but I didn’t. Why? “Inaction” or may be a strange feeling of losing my share of meal to an urchin. I still don’t know. This was a regular sight and the best I could do to help the plight of those few children was to resolve that one day I would become big enough to eradicate them of this helplessness. As I started commuting more in this metro I started realizing that almost everything in life is a fight for these children (or may be for most of them). I had seen them performing extraordinary tricks often risking their own lives in order to seek some attention of the passerby so that they can earn some money, getting thrashed in the public for trying to steal something, trying to study with their torn books in the midst of Moulali traffic under Street lamp (Yes it is true. Vidyasagar was not the only one who did it) and begging indiscriminately often in groups which seemed to be fun for some of them. If at all these had any effect was that I started to appreciate my ‘luck’ and upbringing. The resolve to become someone special who will change their lives one day was still alive.

But as I evolved as a person I had to come to terms with the fact that I alone can not change their destiny. It is for the society to evolve and bring them into the comfort zone. Some of my friends and batchmates in the Engineering days shared the vision. Few of them started to teach the local children who were not economically well off. What did I do? Nothing! I had the belief that the effort was made to gain limelight and nothing else and I did not want to share the platform with pseudo intellectuals. I doubt whether I was justified in thinking that way but I will not let that to affect my thought process. One of my dearest friends Sougata discussed with me the idea of adopting a child once we start our job. Needless to say I was all too inclined for it. Life had stored other surprises for us there too. After joining the job we soon found out that the pay was not sufficient enough. So reconsider the hype for the great “Indian Software Engineers”, who couldn’t support an extra soul with their initial salaries. I often flirted with the idea of atleast supporting the education of a child but was bounded by two things: One if someday being fed up of my job I decide to call it quit and run away for a month or two who would look after the education of that child. Second was the constant urge to pursue higher studies which I am currently doing. So I decided that the idea could wait till I become capable enough to handle the pressure mentally and economically.

So why did I share this with you. I was too preoccupied over last few months to give this issue a thought. However with the release of this movie all those sentiments came rushing back. These may not be in line with the message of the movie but the tagline has special meaning to me. I write this because I realize that most of my friends are now economically well off. Some of them are earning almost twice of what they were earning a year back. And so would be many more who joined with us or before us. Many of them have no obligations. Just think. Even if some of them decide to take responsibility of a child each (and I am saying responsibility and not insisting on adopting) the future of many lives could be improved. What possibly may be the cost? Perhaps Rs. 750/month in the form of school fees and stationeries, a visit or two to the child in a month and possibly few bucks extra for few annual celebrations and obligations. However considering the return it seems a small price. The satisfaction to improve a life and more importantly to share love with an unknown is no mean achievement. I know that there are many procedural and technical difficulties in implementing these and many people out there may not conform to my views. All I ask is that the capable people should give it a thought. If this appeal changes the life of even a single child no one would be happier than me.