Another woman centric movie from Bollywood. I am beginning to think that there is a wave or something for such a stream of woman centric movies coming out of Bollywood used for so long to mushy romances or violent action movies with male leads stealing the show.
My advice before I expand, go see the movie if you can.
Take a teenaged girl keen to show off her singing talent and to become a professional singer from an orthodox Muslim family, her mother who encourages her, teenage school romance, domestic violence, patriarchy, misogyny, feticide, eccentric music director, etc, and mix it all together in a story that is very believable and you get Secret Superstar.
Excellent acting by all the cast, super direction, photography and tight editing gives a great viewing experience and keeps playing with the viewers’ emotions all the time. I had a couple of viewers sitting in the row just before me who were constantly weeping and wiping their eyes or saying ooh and aah at various stages of the screening. A novel experience for me. I too was affected but not to that demonstrative extent.
What I liked most about the experience is the very believable yet small role played by the superstar Aamir Khan who has allowed all the rest of the cast to show case their talent while keeping his own role small but effective.
I reiterate, go and see it if you have not already seen it.