REACTION PAPER

Catherine V. Conchada
Btte-Fsm-IC
Prof.Bunyi

I.Title: Every Child Is A Special

*Scipt Writer: Amole Gupte
*Setting:

School

*Characters:
-Darsheel Safary as Ishaan Nandkishore Awasthi: In looking for an actor to
play the central figure of Ishaan, writer Amole Gupte turned to Shiamak
Davar's Summer Funk workshops. Gupte had several boys informally audition
by explaining to him how they would react to scripted situations from the
film. Of his decision to cast Darsheel Safary, Gupte recalls that "it was a
tough call. But Darsheel has the mischief in his eyes to be Ishaan. Everyone
just naturally gravitated towards him."
-Aamir Khan as Ram Shankar Nikumbh ("Nikumbh Sir"): Gupte, who based
the character on his art teacher Ramdas Sampat Nikumbh, initially asked
Akshaye Khanna to play the role.
-Sachet Engineer as Yohaan Nandkishore Awasthi ("Dada"): Ishaan's elder
brother.
-Tanay Chheda as Rajan Damodran: Ishaan's classmate at New Era High
School.
-Tisca Chopra as Maya Awasthi ("Maa"): Ishaan's mother, who gave up her
career to raise her children. Chopra tended to speak softly during filming and
was subsequently required to re-record some scenes using automated
dialogue replacement.
-Vipin Sharma as Nandkishore Awasthi ("Papa"): Ishaan's "strict, hard,
dominating father". Part of the reason for Sharma's casting was his
"extremely strong and dominating" face that "exudes harshness." Described
by Khan as "naturally polite" and sensitive, Sharma was instructed to lower
his voice to sound "harsh" and "dominating".
-Girija Oak as Jabeen, Nikumbh's co-worker

-Bugs Bhargava and Shankar Sachdev as Sen Sir and Tiwari Sir: Two teachers
atEra High School, whose attitude towards Ishaan softens as his grades
improve and he wins the art contest. The roles are caricatures of teachers in
general.
-M. K. Raina as the principal of New Era High School.
-Lalita Lajmi as herself in a cameo role. It was her first appearance as an
actor.

II. Summary:
The movie, Every Child Is Special, was about a certain child named Ishaan
Awasthi. Ishaan was a talented child; he can think outside the box and paint
with such passion and creativity. But he was not understood by his teachers;
he was only thought of as a mischievous and a very naughty boy. He was
often called an idiot, duffer, lazy and crazy, even his parents didn't
understand him. They only thought that the boy was misbehaving because
he did not want to go to school. It is perhaps the structure and restrictions of
the normal expectations of the school system that rub him the wrong way,
because one day, after having been punished by being sent by the teacher
to stand in the hallway, he goes AWOL and wanders the streets, savoring the
exciting sights of tourist-film India. He appears to be somewhat hyperactive.
If his parents attempted to have him tested, it may be that he never sat still
long enough to get a diagnosis. After finding out that Ishaan will be kicked
out of school after the school year, his parents decided to send him to a
boarding school where Ishaan suffered more from his strict teachers. These
incidents crushed Ishaans confidence in him and he became depressed, very
depressed. He did not speak to anyone, not even to his mother or his
brother. No one would even try to help him because they did not try to
understand him.
Luckily he met Ram Shankar Nikumbh, the temporary art teacher, saw
himself in Ishaan, he stayed persistent to help Ishaan in his studies and his
life. Through his unconventional teaching methods and graceful presence,
Ishaans attention was caught up. Ram did everything to understand Ishaans
problem in reading and writing, he consulted Ishaans parents and told them
that Ishaan has dyslexia, wherein he finds it hard to recognize letters and
numbers. I love when he told Ishaans father that in the Solomon Islands,
villagers dont chop down a tree when they want to clear land, but curse and

hurl abuses at it, and the tree withers and dies soon after. Ram helped
Ishaan in every way, first he gave Ishaan a confidence boost so that he will
not be afraid to express himself, and then, he also gave Ishaan lessons in
writing, reading and in math. Ram taught Ishaan using different methods; he
made learning fun by applying games to his lessons. Gradually, Ishaan begun
to improve in his studies, he has now little trouble in reading, he can write
properly and can solve math problems. Teaching should not only be done in
one way; we should use different ways to teach our students because each
and every one of us has a unique and special talent. It is also good to
understand the needs of our students; let them be free free to imagine,
free to learn in their own special way. Listen to your students opinions and
learn from it.
Somehow the movie touched in an exceptional way and it broke my heart
seeing that the dear people that child thought would understand him were
the very ones who judged him and failed to understand his problem. But I
cannot really judge the parents though, all they wanted was the best for their
child that is why they tried so hard to push him and discipline him at the
same time. It tugs the heartstrings and at the same time gives hope that
having dyslexia is not a desperate and in hopeless situation. To help the
students, family support, teachers patience and love is needed, so with the
interesting and enjoyable teaching and learning strategies should be
employed. The theory of multiple intelligence in education plays an
important role here and that can be a vessel in informing the teachers and
most importantly the parents for them to assist their children. With time,
patience and care, he ultimately helps Ishaan find himself and the harsh
father realized his childs worth and needs.

*Social Relavance Moral Lesson:

Every child is special. Every child has his own personality. Every child tries to
endeavor and focus best in his life. Primarily, every child has his own
dreams. But the main factor to ponder is, for us to understand his dreams.
And the truth is, we lack stability, patience and understanding as far as the
child is concern.

III. Reaction:

*How to releive stress?

Tips to Manage Stressful Situations

It might surprise you to learn that the conception of biological stress is a fairly recent
discovery. It wasn't until the late 1950s that endocrinologist Hans Selye first identified
and documented stress. While symptoms of stress existed long before Mr. Selye, his
discoveries led to new research that has helped millions combat stress. Weve made
overcoming stress easy by compiling a list of the top 10 ways to relieve stress.
Listen to Music

If you're feeling overwhelmed by a stressful situation, try taking a break and listening to
relaxing classical music. Playing calm music has a positive effect on the brain and body,
can lower blood pressure, and reduce cortisol, a hormone linked to stress.
We recommend cello master Yo-Yo Ma playing Bach, but if classical really isnt your thing, try
listening to ocean or nature sounds. It may sound cheesy, but they display similar relaxing
effects to music.
Call a Friend

If you're feeling overwhelmed, take a break to call a friend and talk about your problems.
Good relationships with friends and loved ones are important to any healthy lifestyle,
and there's no time that this is more evident than when you're under a lot of stress. A
reassuring voice, even for a minute, can put everything in perspective
Talk Yourself Through It

Sometimes calling a friend is not an option. If this is the case, talking calmly to yourself
can be the next best thing. Dont worry about seeming crazyjust tell yourself why
you're stressed out, what you have to do to complete the task at hand, and most
importantly, that everything will be OK (trust us, it will be).
Eat Right

Stress levels and a proper diet are closely related. Unfortunately, its when we have the
most work that we forget to eat well and resort to using sugary, fatty snack foods as a
pick-me-up. Try to avoid the vending machine and plan ahead. Fruits and vegetables
are always good, and fish with high levels of omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to
reduce the symptoms of stress. A tuna sandwich really is brain food.
Laugh It Off

Laughter releases endorphins that improve mood and decrease levels of the stresscausing hormones cortisol and adrenaline. Laughing tricks your nervous system

into making you happy. However, bursting into a fit of giggles at your desk may not be
the most appropriate way to deal with stress. Our suggestion: watch some classic
Monty Python skits like "The Ministry of Silly Walks." Those Brits are so hilarious,
youll soon be cracking up, rather than cracking up.
Be Mindful

While most of the tips weve suggested provide immediate relief, there are also many
lifestyle changes that can be more effective in the long run. The concept of
mindfulness is a large part of meditative and somatic approaches to mental health and
has become en vogue in psychotherapy. From yoga and tai chi to meditation and
Pilates, these systems of mindfulness incorporate physical and mental exercises that
prevent stress from becoming a problem in the first place. Try joining a classmany are
free to try on the first day.
Exercise (Even For a Minute)

Exercise doesn't necessarily mean power lifting at the gym or training for a marathon. A
short walk around the office or simply standing up to stretch during a break at work can
offer immediate relief in a stressful situation. Getting your blood moving releases
endorphins and can improve your mood almost instantaneously.
Sleep Better

Everyone knows stress can cause you to lose sleep. Unfortunately, lack of sleep is also
a key cause of stress. This vicious cycle causes the brain and body to get out of whack
and only gets worse with time. Make it a point to get the doctor-recommended seven to
eight hours of sleep. Turn the TV off earlier, manage your time, and do your best to get
into bed. It may be the most effective stress buster on our list.
Learn More About Stress Relief

Stress is an unavoidable part of life, but that doesn't mean you should ignore it. Too
much untreated stress can cause potentially serious physical and mental health
problems.
The good news is that in many cases, stress is fairly manageable. With some patience
and a few useful strategies, you can reduce your stress, whether it's family
stress or stress at the workplace.