Bollywood seems to have woken up to the power of children’s films with Aamir Khan’s Taare Zameen Par, which has made film-makers consider children as the target audience.
To be fair, in the past couple of years, there have been several attempts at luring kids to theatres with films such as Abra-Ka-Dabra, Vaah! Life Ho Toh Aisi!, Hanuman, Bhoot Unkle, Chain Kulli Ki Main Kulii, My Friend Ganesha, The Blue Umbrella, Nanhe Jaisalmer and Hanuman Returns, and most recently, Bhoothnath, starring Amitabh Bachchan.
There are many more waiting to hit the theatres in the forthcoming months.
In the wake of Bollywood’s new interest in children’s films, I have compiled a list of the genre’s ten best.
1. Boot Polish (1954): Two toddlers, Belu (Baby Naaz) and Bhola (Rattan Kumar), are treated cruelly by their aunt after their mother dies and their father is sent to jail.The kids take up shoe polishing to sustain themselves until fate separates them. This heart-wrenching film, produced by showman Raj Kapoor, bagged the Filmfare Best Film Award.
2. Rani Aur Lalpari (1975): This is an interesting fantasy tale, in which Rani loses her parents and undertakes a journey to the netherworld to bring them back to life. The film, with Neetu Singh playing the lead role, incorporated the stories of Cinderella and Gulliver’s Travels, with Feroze Khan as Gulliver, in two popular songs. Reena Roy played the fairy named Lalpari.
3. Safed Haathi (1977): Two orphans, Shibu and Rani, ill-treated by their maternal uncle, see their lives revolving around a white elephant they name Airavath and develop a special bond with it. Animals played a key role in this entertaining film.
4. Chhota Chetan (1984): This is one of the rare 3D films, first made in Malayalam. It has a fun-filled tale of three kids who befriend a spirit, which takes the form of a boy. The spirit fulfils their wishes while the kids free it from a wizard’s clutches. The film was re-released in 1998 with better special effects.
5. Mr India (1987): Anil Kapoor, playing the lead, was probably Bollywood’s first science fiction superhero — one who could become invisible and be seen only through red lenses. A bunch of cute kids added to the overall appeal, not to forget Amrish Puri, who immortalised the character of Mogambo.
6. Anjali (1990): In this film (originally made in Tamil) a married couple (Raghuvaran and Revathi) have to deal with their dying autistic child Anjali (Baby Shamili) in addition to handling the emotions of their other two children. Director Mani Ratnam sensitively captures the emotional trauma of the family.
7. Halo (1997): This is easily the best Bollywood children’s film. It, however, did not get due recognition. Ace cinematographer Santosh Sivan directed this tale of a lonely girl, Sasha, whose puppy, Halo, disappears, leading her to a frantic search which ends on a touching note. Director Rajkumar Santoshi did a great job as Sasha’s father.
8. Koi … Mil Gaya (2003): This film centres on a relationship between an alien and a slow learner, Rohit (Hrithik Roshan). This E.T.-inspired flick, in which the alien’s magical powers help Rohit overcome his mental abnormality, made Hrithik a favourite with children and led to a sequel, Krrish, in which Hrithik plays a superhero.
9. The Blue Umbrella (2007): Film-maker Vishal Bharadwaj adapts Ruskin Bond’s novel of the same name to suit Indian sensibilities. Pankaj Kapur gives a great performance as a tea-stall owner who wants to rob a magical blue umbrella from a young girl, Biniya, played effectively by Shreya Sharma. The film got the 2007 National Award for the Best Children’s Film.
10. Taare Zameen Par (2007): Aamir Khan makes his debut as a director in this path-breaking film, in which Ishaan (Darsheel Safary), a kid suffering from dyslexia, is helped by his teacher, Nikumbh (Khan), to overcome his condition. A sensitive film that became a sensational hit, bagging most of the major awards at all award functions.
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Other Notable Films
- Do Kaliyaan (1968)
- Masoom (1983)
- Salaam Bombay! (1988)
- Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke (1993)
- Makdee (2002)
