Audiences go gaga over 'Taare Zameen Par', 'Welcome'

By Prithwish Ganguly

MUMBAI (Reuters) - A child with dyslexia and a trio of matchmaking gangsters wooed the Bollywood box-office over the weekend with audiences giving the thumbs up to both ''Taare Zameen Par'' and ''Welcome''.

Billed as a toast to children and childhood, ''Taare Zameen Par'' is actor Aamir Khan’s first outing as a director and delves into the world of a special child whose talent is only understood by a sensitive teacher.

The film, an example of how Indian filmmakers are moving from escapist sagas to more prosaic issues, saw many in the audience identifying with the problem of stiff parental expectation and academic competition.

"I could see many people in the hall wiping their tears," said 21-year-old student Aarti Joshi.

But there were some complaints about the film's sluggish first half and the director's obsession with depicting the minutiae of the child's world.

"Aamir has gone out of the way to present every single detail of Ishaan's thought pattern which could have been cut down," said businessman Akash Sharma.

Despite its flaws, ''Taare Zameen Par'' seems destined to stay in public memory with critic Nikhat Kazmi of The Times of India even recommending a mandatory viewing for all parents and schools.

Actor Darsheel Safary, who plays the 8-year-old protagonist, came in for special praise.