What Dreams Are Made Of. Review on Iqbal

They say it is the inevitable metamorphasis of everything around in the world, which attracts the attention of the public. But every art form, as it gathers momentum and popularity, eventually transforms into a business, focussing very selectively on what has already worked. Offering what people have liked in the past is a standard technique of most manufacturers, but even artists fall into that trap once the golden ball of fame and fortune starts bouncing up and down at a reachable distance. And with this businessification, if you will, comes the inevitable degradation of the art form, reducing it merely to what is called the ''Entertainment Industry''. The hands of money are quite pudgy after all.

But every now and then when the whole world seems to be running towards certain chaos, there is someone who stands out and does something out of the way, something which brings back the old values and ideals that have gone forgotten somewhere in the past. And that is when you get Iqbal.

It is the same old cliche that has been repeated time and again by hundreds of people worldwide. There have been poems and books on the power of will-power, of how a strong burning desire and willingness to strive can bring out the best out of anyone. And then it is the same old cliche of how all that can happen against all odds, no matter how seemingly crippling they are. This is just another ''formula'' in the offering, the success of the underdog's will power story. And in the hands of the old cliched and unintelligent exponents of film, it would have been just another stereotyped movie that has nothing new to offer but a few different names.

But give it in the hands of the able few and the same old cliches, put forward simply and without any pretences whatsoever, and they come out looking unique. We don't need brand new cliches after all. We just need people smart enough to make them sound new.

Naseeruddin Shah knows how to make his character look his character, unlike the horribly popular Khan's and Bacchan's who play the respective Khan and Bacchan in every movie they make. It becomes necessary to mention that, yes, this character was played by Mr. Shah because otherwise the audience will easily make the mistake of assuming that the character is playing himself.

It is a severe handicap, not knowing the names of the entire cast. But that does not stop me from praising them with all my heart (just like deafness couldn't stop Iqbal from shining as a fast bowler in cricket).

The storyline is unassuming, simple and straightforward, with no pretences. There is no need for pulling major dramatic sequences, stressing on emotionally intense moments or making things oppressively dark. The screenplay is a profound statement. The story of a disabled man's success is not a story of somehow lessening the darkness of his life. It's about pretending it's not all that Black after all. And this message comes out clearly.

Otherwise, how else do you expect that the movie continues to dwell in the realms of jolliness throughout? The music flies into the higher octaves with beat that make you swing inwardly to it and words that make you realize what Iqbal is all about... Happiness and enjoying what he wants to do, doing it no matter what... What with Iqbal's father being staunchly opposed to his playing cricket, in spite of knowing what a brilliant talent lies in him... The poverty of his family and the very fact that Iqbal is deaf! Everything makes for a wonderful opportunity to labor and create scenes that would make old ladies scrounge for extra hankies and tissues.

But there are no tissues, no hankies and no tears. Just a simple story of a young boy who wants to play cricket, finds a coach somehow and plays it. Yes, he's deaf and his father is anxious. But he does it any way, against all odds. And he's enjoying his way to success, like most really successful people do. Why make it look like overcoming a tragedy? It's more of an effort create a new and happy world.

Well done, chaps!