Cinema promoted by Aamir Khan is
essentially viewed with a distinctly different lens in the context of
contemporary mainstream cinema. While most other film-makers could push mayhem
and murder under the pretext of entertainment, Aamir has carefully nourished a
differing repute. With this comes not only a higher and different
responsibility, but surely a higher expectation from the audience. Viewed from
this particularly fine viewpoint of the kaleidoscope, this Aamir outing falls
short of his other recent BO conquests. In fact, the first half of the 150
minute film borders on being a tear jerker with the central character (the
mother) aping the likes of Meena Kumari and Mala Sinha in the 50s and 60s. While
a person alongside me in the theatre acknowledges this as real even in
contemporary society, the narrative nuance reflects a product whose shelf life
has outlived its utility. Certainly denominated by the Aamir factor, the
quotient is low.
Insia Malik (Zaira Wasim) is the product of a typical lower middle-class family
where gender abuse and domestic violence is a given. Her mom Najma (Meher Vij)
has is a victim to the violence of her husband Farookh Malik (Raj Arjun). At
home is also little brother Guddu (Kabir Sajid) who is reflective of stereotype
gender bias. The father loves the son and cares little for the daughter. Insia
dares to dream of becoming a singer – wholly unacceptable to the orthodox Dad.
She begins to secretly post her music with a burkha under the pseudonym Secret
Superstar and finds global acceptance. Encouraged by viral success, her dreams
find wings. However, the wings are constantly conditioned by the fear of
parental policing.
While the Mom encourages her to chase her dreams, the stern and wife beating
Dad will hear nothing of it. In fact, he once summons her with the guitar and
destroys its strings. In yet another episode, he forces her to throw her PC off
the staircase till it is shattered to pieces. Insia, unlike Mom, is however made
of sterner stuff, or, at least, has a dream to dare for. Resultantly, she makes
bold to reach out to maverick music director Shakti Kumar (Aamir Khan) and even
records a song for his upcoming film. Even as her dreams soar high, reality is
conspiring to crack up. Dad now finds a job in Riyad and family has to move
out.
It is only when Najma’s dream comes crashing that she prepares to throw out her
protective gears, defy the comfort zones and walk into the danger zone.
You don’t require 150 minutes to tell the story of a girl who is in conflict
with parental dreams oppressed by such gender verticals finally making it to
the victory stand. More so with Aamir in control, you expect the film-maker
(Advait Chandan) to avoid the familiar pot holes. He doesn’t.
What however works for the film is how the performers do right. Meher Vij and
Zaira Wasim who occupy most of the screen space do complete justice to the now
tear-jerking now defying demands of the narrative. Going one step ahead with a
wonderful performance in a negative role is Raj Arjun whose negativity is
believable and real.
Aamir as the music director is, by design, over the top and near perfect in
being over the top. For an actor who has always underplayed his role, this is a
celebration moment where he proves that hitherto he was not making a virtue out
of necessity.
This inspiring tale of an aspiring singer could more accurately have been
called Secret Star in lieu of Secret Superstar.
L. Ravichander.