Any form of art is said to be incomplete by itself if it does not have a purpose or teach you a lesson. Tracing the development of this, we can find its evidence in today’s cinema. Educational cinema has been prevalent since times immemorial and in Bollywood recent, Aamir Khan has immensely contributed to this genre. His movies, give out important messages to one and all.
As he turns 53 today (14th March 2018) let us explore some recent movies of Aamir Khan that taught something to all of us:
Dangal – the fight of the Phogat family
Image Credit: Movie – Dangal
This Aamir Khan movie was released in 2016 and chronicles the life of the Phogat family. The film raises issues about patriarchal construct and system in the state and about the oppression of women. The film garnered popular support especially because the Phogat family was based in Haryana, a state where gender inequality, child marriage and female foeticide are still prevalent at large.
Lesson learned: Breaking away from stereotypes and having your family with you always helps!
PK – the fight against injustice in the name of God
Image Credit: Movie – PK
This movie literally translated to tipsy was directed by Rajkumar Hirani. The film featured Aamir Khan and Anushka Sharma in lead roles where Aamir is an alien who visits this planet and raises important questions about religious superstitions, narrow-mindedness, hierarchical structures and dogmas.
Lesson learned: Fraudulent practices in the name of God will definitely face consequences!
3 Idiots – the fight against the faulty education system
Image Credit: Movie – 3 Idiots
Written by Rajkumar Hirani and produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra, the movie was based on Chetan Bhagat’s famous novel Five Point Someone. It is again an educational satire that talks about how students are languishing under the unnecessary pressure of an Indian education system, and how the students put everything at stake to thrive in the face of such pressure: friendship, love, and even their own lives.
Lesson learned: Knowledge is of no use if we don’t apply or use it for the betterment of the society!
Taare Zameen Par – the fight to recognize the hidden talent
Image Credit: Movie – Taare Zameen Par
It talks about the life of young Ishaan, played by Darsheel Safary who is struggling with dyslexia and whose academic performance is severely deteriorating. His artwork, however, is perhaps just as beautiful. Aamir Khan plays the role of his art teacher and mentor on the whole. It talks about physical and mental impairment and how much support these kids seek from elders and friends alike.
Lesson learned: Identify your kid’s passion, instead of pushing him to excel in the rat race!
Rang De Basanti – the fight against the corrupt system
Image Credit: Movie – Rang de Basanti
This movie was directed by Rakesh Omprakash Mehra and consisted of an ensemble cast. It was, however, so much more than just another patriotic film. It speaks to an entire generation of youngsters and its driving force is amazing. It depicts important events in history and talks about the rampant corruption that has seeped down to every stratum of society and politics.
Lesson learned: We can’t change the system just by complaining, we need to act against it!
These movies are more than just commercial films. They contain messages about deep-seated problems of society and life at large. Here’s wishing Mr. Perfectionist a very happy birthday and we hope he continues to teach us like this!
Read Also: 5 Reasons Why Aamir Khan Is A Perfectionis
