Banner: Aamir Khan Productions
Producers: Aamir Khan, Kiran Rao, Akash Chawla, Sujay Kutty & B. Shrinivas Rao
Director: Advait Chandan
Star Cast: Zaira Wasim, Meher Vij & Aamir Khan, Raj Arjun, Kabir Sajid, Tirth Sharma, Farrukh Jaffer, Mona Ambegaonkar, Shamath Mazumdar, Manuj Sharma,
Nikita Anand Mukherjee & Harsh Jha
Music: Amit Trivedi
Debutante director Advait Chandan has given movie goers a finest film in his debut directorial outing namely Secret Superstar earlier titled as Aaj Phir Jeene Ki Tamanna Hai. Advait Chandan in his debut directorial offering Secret Superstar has selected a very simple story albeit with a daringly different narrative which recounts the dilemma of a an aspiring singer who faces umpteen roadblocks in fulfilling her dream. Kudos to the producers Aamir Khan, Kiran Rao, Akash Chawla, Sujay Kutty & B. Shrinivas Rao in tandem with the 1st time director Advait Chandan.
So the secretly scripted scenario of Secret Superstar reveals that Insia (Zaira Wasim of Dangal fame) is a school going girl based in Vadodara. She has a lovely voice and dreams of being a top singer. Her mother Najma (Meher Vij) supports Insia’s dream, but her father Farookh (Raj Arjun) is thoroughly against the idea due to his conservative mindset. He tries everything, from force to destroying Insia’s guitar, to stop her from fulfilling her dreams. Insia, however, remains adamant. Insia then takes matters in her own hands by taking to the internet & starts posting videos of her singing. Wearing a burkha, she makes sure only her eyes are visible in order to keep her identity concealed. She’s taken by surprise when her videos go viral. Enters Shakti Kumar (Aamir Khan), a brash & lecherous albeit a very successful music composer. Insia gets a chance to meet Shakti Kumar. What happens next forms the rest of the story of Secret Superstar.
Debutante director Advait Chandan has handled the simple, yet laden with complexity, subject with utmost sensitivity. Not only does the film mirrors the conservative attitude that exists in our society, but also makes a comment on women empowerment. The screenplay is uncomplicated, while the dialogues are simple as also conversational. Indeed Advait Chandan’s debut directorial skills are flawless, except that the middle of the 2nd hour could’ve been crisper. The soundtrack of Amit Trivedi is soothing & gels wonderfully with the genre of the film. And the stand out & unforgettable number is “Main Kaun Hoon” it is indeed the best of the lot, while “Meri Pyaari Ammi” too is lovely. While cinematography by Anil Mehta is 1st rate.
All said & done Secret Superstar heart touchingly hits the right notes. The goings on makes you laugh and also leaves you with a lump in your throat in some scenes. In fact, you go through the varied emotions in those 2.30 hours. In today’s times, when there’s a demand from certain sections of the audiences to have fast paced films with a run time of less than 2 hours or minimum 2 hours, Secret Superstar neither moves too swiftly nor drags for too long,-the pace is just perfect. The characters are neatly introduced & the storyteller remains faithful to the subject. Certain moments stay with you even after the culmination of the movie. The presence of the father shakes you up and one can feel the tension. The penultimate 20 – 25 minutes are outstanding and gives you goosebumps. Also, one of the high – points of the movie is the focus on the mother – daughter relationship. The friendship bond between Zaira Wasim & Tirth Sharma, her school friend, is also very, very cute.
Performance wise Zaira Wasim after Dangal yet again wins you over hands down with a heartfelt & heart touching act. She’s in splendid form in Secret Superstar. It is surely a worthy follow up to her sparkling act in Dangal. Especially in the scenes of her emotional outburst before the climax of the movie or the speech towards the final moments prove that she’s a powerhouse of talent. That apart, of late let’s say since Dangal Aamir Khan seems to be taking a backseat and allowing his co – actors to perform to the best of their ability albeit not giving them a chance to overshadow him. So just like in Dangal even here too he is the catalyst in Zaira Wasim’s musical journey while he himself enacts the over the top, loud & brash character flawlessly. He lets Zaira Wasim shine, not overshadow him as mentioned above, as he relegates himself to the background. Yet, it must be truthfully mentioned, that only Aamir Khan could’ve essayed the character with such aplomb.
On the other hand Meher Vij is terrific and her performance is one of the key reasons why the character stands out. Bedsides Raj Arjun is tremendous & Tirth Sharma has an important character and he is totally his natural self. Farrukh Jaffar is superb in a significant role. And last but not the least Kabir Sajid is extremely adorable. While actors like Mona Ambegaonkar, Shamath Mazumdar, Manuj Sharma, Nikita Anand Mukherjee contribute to carry forward to the next level.
Tail Piece: In conclusion one can only comment that on the whole, Secret Superstar is a complete package deal with its refreshing plot, water – tight screenplay, exceptional performances & soulful soundtrack. Secret Superstar is Strongly recommended for movie goers of all ages & walks of life!
