Will you just be making money 'Paa' ?

The upcoming film titled ‘Paa’ has been creating a lot of news lately. Mr. Amitabh Bachchan is playing the lead role of a 13 yr old boy suffering from a rare genetic disorder called progeria, an abnormality marked by symptoms of premature aging in a child. Plainly, the idea of Mr.Bachchan playing a 13yr old is preposterous and when u see the trailer u’ll realize that there is an alien in the film! No wait, I’m sorry that’s the character Amitabh-ji is playing, the character of a progeric. I mean u have to doff your cap to what the make up artists have achieved here. Also, let’s not forget that Mr.Bachchan had previously made a fool of himself with few stupid films like Nishabd and Boom but with this new venture he really seems to have pushed the envelope with his acting skills.

However, the film is aimed at creating awareness about this disorder which is a jolly good and honest cause. NGOs and social workers are delighted, awaiting its release. In the recent past, movies like Black (Alzheimer's disease), Taare Zameen Par (dyslexia) and Ghajini (anterograde amnesia) have set the trend in exploring rare abnormalities and all of them have earned rich dividends. Sure these movies have created awareness of the disorders but I have not heard much about if they have brought a positive change in the mental outlook people. Differentially abled people are still looked down upon by the society and so do NGOs who house them often run out of funds. Tisca Chopra said, ''TZP has changed my life in the nicest way'' (i.e. she got lot more offers). That was not the purpose of the film. Or, maybe it was. Like Taare Zameen par, ‘Paa’ too will earn huge profits but I doubt if even a fraction of it will go towards the welfare of progerics (and there are quite a few of them in India). I feel that just like ‘Chak de’ it’ll be unable to raise concerns for the issue it’s addressing and everybody will only remember how smart SRK looked in stubble and not give a damn about the game. Clearly, all producers have picked the clue here. They know that choosing sensitive issues is the order of the day and is going to work well with the audience. Moreover, a star actor should be heading the role. So in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's next, "Guzaarish," Hrithik Roshan will be portrayed as someone suffering from paraplegia (can u believe that? Hrithik Roshan has spent his entire life in the gym and in dance classes, now he’s playing a paraplegic). In “My Name is Khan," Shah Rukh Khan plays an autist portraying Asperger’s syndrome where the victim has difficulty interacting socially.

I honestly wish ‘Paa’ does well at the box office. With Amitabh Bachchan, Paresh Rawal and a composer of the magnitude of Ilaiyaraaja, I’m convinced that a lot of hard work has gone into its development. But more than that I wish the film sends out a positive message about progeria and the disabled in general and takes that important first step (with all the money) towards their welfare. I wish it’s a film with soul and a heart at the right place.