My Take on Pasanga 2

These are a series of posts about a boy full of life, a happy child who sees no differences in people. A boy who thinks each and every person out there is a friend. A boy who doesn't see that people are judging him because he is different. It is about a boy who faces the usual challenges of a boy his age and several more challenges than a boy his age.

Pasanga 2 is another version of the popular and brilliantly made Taare Zameen Pe. Here's my disclaimer before I attempt to share my thoughts on this movie. When I saw Taare Zameen Pe, I was moved by its sheer brilliance and the fact that I remembered some aspects of dyslexia based on my Child Psychology paper.  When I saw Pasanga 2, I was 'affected' as I was seeing it through the eyes of a parent of a child with a learning disability (LD). 

What I Liked: 

• I love the fact that movies are being made on such sensitive topics.  I am asked why I send my son to a school 3 kms away and I honestly answer that he is in special education and is dyslexic. I feel so disappointed when an educated person with a clueless expression asks 'What's that?' They may understand if you mention Taare Zammen Pe. :| These movies help educate people about the learning disabilities and the challenges that parents and children face and some facilities that are available today.  
• Pasanga 2 managed to make me feel very emotional in the parts where the children struggle to be accepted and understood in a world where everything is black and white. Do teachers, parents, or just people understand how difficult it is for a child with LD to adjust and adapt to an academic environment? 
• I could also relate to the helpless that parents experience when they are trying to figure out the answer to the question 'WHY?' It takes time for parents to fully accept that a child may be different. Like in the movie, I remember relatives asking me if the child will at least come in the top three in class, and I was also advised to send the child to a hostel for better discipline. I was grateful that neither my husband nor I prolonged the torture to trying to make the child 'fit' in the academic space. We were never keen on ranks, exams, prestigious institutions, top jobs, and so on. We were sure that we want both our children to only enjoy school and learning will happen in a positive environment. They will find something that they are good at and pursue it. 
• There was a child psychiatrist and a special educator int he movie. I think both play a crucial role. Sometimes, I hear that a special educator is doing assessments for a child and then suggesting remediation. I wonder why the parents do not insist on meeting a child development specialist or a child psychiatrist and doing a formal assessment before even deciding on the treatment/remediation plans. In the movie, the child psychiatrist also works very closely with the parents to counsel them and bring about a mind shift in terms of how they view their child and their expectations from the child. The doctor can really help you de-stress if they give you the time to talk about your worries.     

What Irked Me: 

• While making movies on sensitive topics, the storyteller should do extensive research to ensure that he/she really understands what he/she is saying. This movie unfortunately got very preachy at some points and I found it very difficult to digest certain things. 
• The movie begins by showing for two pregnant women do during their pregnancies. One woman is constantly fighting with her husband. She also opts for a cesarean to ensure that her child is born at an auspicious time. The other woman works long hours, has Pepsi (seriously?), and watches a horror movie all alone at home (SERIOUSLY?). Later in the movie, these women ask the special educator what she did to get such angelic children. And would you believe it... the special educator actually starts narrating how she did things PERFECTLY doing her pregnancy. So this is what she says.... Her doctor advises her to have a C-Section, but she refuses and goes to  her parent's place in the village to have a natural delivery at home. During her pregnancy, she asks her husband to tell her that he loves her everyday. He does better than that he gives her a gift for each day that passes. She does yoga, reads and talks to her baby, pulls water out of the well, and so on. Therefore, VOILA... she has perfect children. I get the intent I really do. There are good practices that you must follow when pregnant. Does this mean leave your job and have your child in your native village? I think this portion of the movie is horribly flawed. Aren't there cases where you have not had Pepsi or fought with your husband or watched or horror movie, but are still blessed with a gifted child? Movie makers please be more sensitive toward the parents. They don't have to be blamed. It a horribly wrong message to send out.        
• The movie also touches on commercialization of educational institutions. Parents today run behind expensive schools assuming the quality of education is better. They are standing in long queues praying for admission into such a school. While I completely agree that the education system in India and the fee structure is a mystery that I still cannot understand, the special education centers are not altruistic, non-profit centers. In Bengaluru, based on personal experience, I can say that remedial centers also cost a bomb. There is no transparency here also in terms of why they are charging the earth. Parents are so worried about their child that they do not hesitate to make it happen. Clinics and assessment centers are also minting money by asking parents to do different behavioral, cognitive, sensorial (and a lot more!) assessments to find the answer to the persistent question: WHY? While you meet good people with heart, you also understand that at the end of the day, it has to be profitable for it to run. They tell us that they want to reach as many children as possible. I still believe that why don't you do it right with a few children first, ensure consistency, stability, and then expand? The quality of support is constantly wavering and qualified special educators are a rare breed. My point being...things are never as rosy as is portrayed in the movie. So, when push comes to shove, the teachers also blame the children for bad behavior and poor performance. Shouldn't they focus on why a child is so disturbed to behave a particular way? Like I said, it's neither easy nor a perfect world for all folks involved. Having said this, I am grateful that there are facilities available and there are good institutions changing children's lives year after year.    
• Lastly, boarding schools are not places where children are unhappy and are treated like prisoners! The messaging is plain wrong! 

Taare Zammen Pe was a brilliant movie that had a message. It did not preach or place blame on anyone. The teacher was not made out to be like god. He just 'understood'. It made you think about approaching things differently. This is what makes the movie great. Unfortunately, Pasanga 2 is misleading and lacks proper research and understanding the topic.