Hello Everyone!
This blog is written as part of our Thinking activity on film review, this task assigned by Megha Trivedi Ma’am. After reading the short story “Crime and Punishment” by R.K. Narayan, which explores the rigid education system and the dynamics between a child and a teacher, we watched the film "Sitare Zameen Par". This reflective blog attempts to compare both works and explore how they differ in tone, message, and emotional impact, also comparing both narratives and exploring themes such as the education system, parenting, and the responsibilities of teachers.
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| Sitare Zameen Par |
👉🏻 This blog aims to explore and reflect upon:
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How the movie Sitare Zameen Par portrays the education system
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The message it conveys about the role of teachers and parents
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Its comparison with the short story Crime and Punishment
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My personal feelings and learnings after watching the movie
1. How does the movie portray the education system?
Sitare Zameen Par paints a deeply moving and honest picture of the modern Indian education system, and more importantly, its harsh realities. The film's young protagonist, a boy with immense artistic talent, is constantly ridiculed and punished for not performing well in school. His struggles with conventional learning methods are misunderstood as laziness or disobedience. The school, rather than trying to understand him, becomes a place of fear and humiliation.
In movie, the education system is shown as a mirror of today’s academic culture—competitive, mechanical, and often emotionally detached. The film boldly brings to light the gaps between what children need and what the system provides.
Here are the key ways the movie reflects our current system:
a) Overemphasis on Academics
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The film criticizes the pressure to perform, score, and succeed as per predefined metrics.
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Children are judged by grades, not growth.
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Example: Gulshan, a teacher himself, once echoed the pressure-filled mindset.
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Dialogue: “Jeetne wale ko hi sab yaad rakhte hain. Baaki toh sirf number hote hain.”(Only winners are remembered. The rest are just numbers.)
- This reflects a harsh truth of modern schooling—success is measured in ranks, not resilience.
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b) Neglect of Emotional and Mental Health
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The movie shows how the system often fails to acknowledge behavioral disorders or emotional needs.
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A child struggling emotionally is often misunderstood as being “undisciplined” or “lazy.”
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Dialogue: “Unka dimaag normal nahi hai… toh unka school bhi alag hona chahiye?”(Their minds are not ‘normal’... so should their schools also be separate?)
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👉 This line questions the stigmatization of neurodiverse children in mainstream schools.
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c) Lack of Inclusivity and Flexibility
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Schools in the film are shown to follow rigid rules, offering little space for creativity, play, or individuality.
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Children are expected to fit into molds instead of being nurtured as individuals.
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Visual Example: The classroom scene where Gulshan initially mocks and scolds the children, highlighting how many educators are conditioned to seek obedience over understanding.
d) Reflection of Real-World Schooling Today
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In the real world, children with autism, ADHD, or learning disabilities are often punished for behavior they can’t control, rather than being supported.
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Many parents and teachers still lack awareness of neurodiversity, leading to emotional trauma for the child.
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This is where the movie becomes a strong wake-up call for educational reform.
🔹 A Moment of Realization
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Gulshan’s character evolves through the story, and the shift in his tone reflects a deep learning.
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He later says:
“Agar maine unki duniya nahi samjhi, toh mera sikhaana kya kaam ka?”(If I don’t understand their world, what’s the use of my teaching?)
The movie explores how rote learning, memorization, and examination pressure dominate school life. There’s little or no space for creative expression, emotional intelligence, or personalized learning. Children who think differently are often pushed aside, labelled failures, and robbed of their confidence.
One impactful scene is when the teacher says:
“Har bachcha special hota hai.” (Every child is special.)This line becomes a turning point not just in the film, but in how we perceive education itself.
In contrast, R.K. Narayan’s “Crime and Punishment” shows a boy being physically punished by his private tutor for not remembering arithmetic. This reflects a more traditional style of teaching, where obedience was expected without question, and punishment was accepted as a tool for improvement.
Together, both the story and the film expose how punitive, fear-based education fails to bring out a child’s true potential. The film, however, goes beyond criticism—it proposes a better, more humane alternative.
2. What message does the movie give about the role of teachers and parents?
The film offers a strong and clear message: teachers and parents hold immense power in shaping not just a child's intellect, but also their confidence, identity, and emotional health.
At first, the parents in the movie are shown as well-meaning but ignorant. They see their son’s poor academic performance as a threat to his future. In a heartbreaking scene, the father says:
“Mujhe uski har report card par sirf red marks hi dikhte hain.”(“All I ever see on his report card are red marks.”)This shows how parents sometimes reduce their child to grades, forgetting that there is a living, feeling human being behind those marks.
Similarly, the teachers in his earlier school also fail him. They insult him publicly, call him “lazy” and “dumb,” and even recommend boarding school as a form of punishment. This reflects a toxic culture where empathy is replaced with authority.
However, when the new teacher (played with warmth and depth) enters the scene, things begin to change. He recognizes the child’s silence as a cry for help, not as disobedience. Through patience, storytelling, and painting exercises, he builds a bridge of trust.
He says to his fellow teachers:
“Aap logon ne uske report card pe likhe numbers padhe, uski aankhon mein chhupi kahani nahi padhi.”(“You read the numbers on his report card, but not the story hidden in his eyes.”)
One of the most striking elements of Sitare Zameen Par is its honest and emotional portrayal of neurodivergent children. The film sheds light on how the education system often overlooks the emotional and psychological needs of students who don’t conform to conventional learning patterns. It calls for a shift in how we perceive intelligence and success, encouraging both educators and parents to prioritize empathy over performance. A powerful line in the film, “Bachpan ka matlab sirf marks nahi hota… khushi bhi hoti hai”, sums up this sentiment perfectly—it emphasizes that childhood should be about joy, curiosity, and self-discovery, not just grades and achievements.
A beautifully written article titled “Sitaare Zameen Par: A Neurodiversity Lesson for Parents” echoes this message. It discusses how the film serves as a mirror for parents and teachers, urging them to look beyond academic performance and appreciate the uniqueness of every child. The article highlights the importance of shifting from a result-driven mindset to one of understanding and unconditional support. Just like the film, the blog reminds us that children are not problems to be solved, but people to be nurtured—with patience, love, and acceptance.
By the end, he becomes an ideal teacher—not one who teaches from books, but from the heart. His change inspires us to look beyond marks and behavior.
"A good teacher believes in the child even when the world doesn’t."
3. How does it compare with R.K. Narayan’s story “Crime and Punishment”?
While both the film and the story deal with a child’s struggle under pressure, their tone and conclusions are quite different.
In Crime and Punishment, R.K. Narayan presents a small boy being physically punished by a private tutor who believes that strict discipline will improve performance. The child, however, responds with clever lies and excuses to avoid being beaten. The story ends with the tutor feeling helpless and defeated, realizing that punishment has not worked. But there’s no resolution—just a sense of failure and silence.
In contrast, Sitare Zameen Par takes the same core issue—misunderstood children—and shows a positive, healing alternative. Instead of leaving the child broken or fearful, the film offers hope. The sensitive teacher chooses connection over control, guiding the boy toward self-acceptance and academic progress through alternative learning techniques.
While Narayan’s story reveals the problem, the film offers the solution.
Here’s a comparative summary:
| Aspect | Crime and Punishment | Sitare Zameen Par |
|---|---|---|
| Tone | Ironical, unresolved | Emotional, transformative |
| Adult Authority | Punitive tutor | Compassionate teacher |
| Resolution | Child becomes manipulative | Child gains confidence |
| Message | Punishment fails | Empathy heals |
Both works thus complement each other—one shows what goes wrong when fear dominates, the other what goes right when empathy leads.
4. What did I feel or learn after watching the movie?
Watching Sitare Zameen Par was an overwhelming experience. It not only moved me emotionally but also made me rethink what it means to be a student, a teacher, or even a human being.
I learned that:
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Children don’t fail. It’s the system that often fails to reach them.
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True teaching is not about making a child conform, but about helping them discover their own light.
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Punishment may create fear, but only love creates change.
This scene especially moved me. It reminded me that compassion and empathy are the real goals of education. The way both teams merge in celebration, dancing and smiling together, breaks down every label of “special” and “normal.” It was a celebration not just of victory—but of inclusion, acceptance, and unity. It teaches us that life is not a competition to beat others, but a journey where we uplift each other.
The most unforgettable moment for me was when the teacher presents the child’s artwork in front of the entire school. It is not just an academic moment—it is a moment of emotional liberation. The boy’s face, once filled with fear and shame, now lights up with pride.
It made me think: How many such children are around us—unnoticed, unheard, unappreciated?
The film reminded me to listen more, judge less, and always look beyond appearances. Whether in classrooms, homes, or friendships, people carry silent struggles. A little kindness can be life-changing.
Conclusion: From Red Marks to Rising Stars
➡️ Sitare Zameen Par and Crime and Punishment both hold a mirror to our society’s treatment of children, especially in educational spaces. Where R.K. Narayan’s story shows the failure of old-school discipline, the movie shows the power of progressive, empathetic teaching.
The real beauty of Sitare Zameen Par lies in its belief that every child is a star, even if they don’t shine in exams. The job of adults—parents, teachers, society—is not to extinguish them with expectations, but to help them glow with guidance.
“Woh har bachcha jo padhai mein peeche hai, shayad kisi aur raaste se duniya ko aage le jaane wala hai.”(“That child who lags behind in studies might be the one to lead the world in another way.”)
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