Rethinking stereotypes and disabilities through the lens of Taare Zameen Par:

• Saniya Arshad
• Nov 30, 2024
• 1 min read

In the 2007 film Taare Zameen Par, directed by Aamir Khan, the story of Ishaan Awasthi—a young boy with dyslexia— offers an important insight that help us explore the subject of disability, stereotypes challenged and reinforced and inclusion.

Through the journey of Ishaan, we can easily delve into the disability model and analyze the movie accordingly and how it has shaped the perceptions and ideas in the society. The movie starts with how Ishaan is irresponsible and rebellious through his actions and perception of his parents since he is unable to read, write properly suggesting that he needs stricter discipline or a more structured environment to “fix” his behavior.

This heavily aligns with the critique of the medical and cultural model that how his condition, dyslexia is perceived to removing him from a nurturing environment and placing him in a competitive setting will instill discipline and eliminate his “deficiency.” However, what I analyzed from this film from a broader lens was that rather than showcasing Ishaan as a victim, the film tend to humanizes him but the portrayal of his inner qualities such that painting skills and how as an individual he perceives the world in his mind.

Lastly, this movie instills the reinforcement of certain stereotypes that in general these children with specific needs and support must compensate for their challenges by excelling in other areas to gain acceptance or value just like Ishaan artistic skills were celebrated as extraordinary for him during the film to compensate for his needs.