In one scene Shakti Kumar (Aamir Khan) tells Insia (Zaira Wasim): “Tum jaise talented bacche soda mein bubbles ki tarah hote hai, woh aise hi upar aate hai, apne aap, unhe koi nahi rok sakta (Talented children like you are like bubbles in soda, they come up by themselves, nobody can stop them).”
This one line sums up Wasim's success in Bollywood. After bagging the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as young Geeta Phogat in Dangal (2016), the 16-year-old actor is back with yet another enthralling performance. If you were floored by the way Wasim's played the character of a young schoolgirl-turned-pehelwan who challenged and wrestled boys twice her size in Dangal, then you'd see the nuances of a fine actor who will convince you that her world is real and will connect with you from the start. Fifteen minutes into the film and you are already on an emotional roller-coaster. And, by then, if you are still not sure then Meher Vij portrayal of teenaged Insia's loving and sensitive mother Najma will remove all your doubts.
Advait Chandan’s debut directorial Secret Superstar focuses on the dreams and ambitions of 15-year-old Insia from a middle-class Muslim family in Vadodara. At home, she shares a deep bond with her loving, caring and supportive mother Najma and is a typical easily-irritated elder sister to adorable Guddu (Kabir Sajid). Passionate about music, Insia dreams to be a singing superstar one day. She writes her songs, creates music for lyrics and sings them as well. But her conservative, cold father Farookh Malik (Raj Arjun) wants her to focus on just studies and get some good grades because “ek anpad gawar ladki se kaun shaadi karega (who would marry an illiterate girl).” For him only Guddu is worth showering love and attention on because, well, he is the couple's only boy child.
Insia is not the only one who feels trapped in the family. Najma too is bearing the burden of being a wife to a violent and temperamental Farookh. Still the ever-smiling Ammi does her best to give Insu and Guddu small joys of life and supports her young daughter's dream to be a singer, secretly. Grappling with extreme emotions of anger, desperation and desolation, Insu finds support in her classmate Chintan Parekh (Tirth Sharma), who adores her. Sleazy and controversial music director Shakti Kumar (Aamir Khan) gives Insu a chance to break free from her shackles. Floored by her talent and zeal to excel, Kumar gives her not only a professional footing but also connects her to her plan to save her mother from the abusive marriage.
If that sounds like the beginning of a long-stretched melodrama, then worry not. The tight script and logical approach to the situation ensures that film remains as practical as it can, and exceptional performance by the cast keeps you glued to the seat till the end. The climax is predictable but still you feel the joy in seeing it shape the way it does.
The film scores on many counts—script, music, and of course a stellar performance by the cast. In one scene, roughly a minute-and-half long, where Insu records her first YouTube video, you see her singing and playing her guitar wearing a burkha that shows only her eyes, and Wasim still holds your gaze. Her eyes reflect the emotions in the lyrics and her finger strum the guitar strings effortlessly. You might not see her sing, but you know it is her song. If those are not the signs of an amazing acting talent then very few things are. In a breath-taking performance Meher Vij leaves you wondering why you haven't seen her on big screen more often. Though just 31-year-old, Vij plays a mother to a teenage daughter with conviction and ease. Aamir Khan sticks to the script allowing well-deserved screen time to all other characters. However, wherever he appears, he steals the show. It is a treat to watch Khan as loud and flamboyant music director. His performance looks so effortless that at some point you think, perhaps he is just having fun as Shakti Kapoor.
Overall, an excellent film that will make you smile through tears.
Caution notice: If you have the emotional range of Aamir in real life, then carry your own box of tissues. This film would melt your heart.
Film: Secret Superstar
Director: Advait Chandan
Cast: Zaira Wasim, Aamir Khan, Meher Vij, Raj Arjun
Rating: 4/5
