Secret Superstar is one of the finest films in recent times that makes you laugh, cry and at the end you go home with a feel-good emotion and give your mother the tightest hug ever.
The film is about an emotional journey of a teenage girl Insiya Malik from a middle class family of Vadodara who attempts to hurdle her way past some monumental challenges to pursue her dream of becoming a famous singer.
As an Aamir Khan film, you always expect it to be different from others and socially relevant at the same time - 'Secret Superstar' being no exception. Promoted as a film about women empowerment, it does not only revolve around that topic but also speaks volumes about various other social issues such as domestic violence, female foeticide etc that no mainstream cinema has ever dared to put lights upon.
Drawing a completely refreshing plot line, debutante Director Advait Chandan has shown some really good directorial skills for his first film. Maintaining a watertight screenplay, the film never lets you shift your focus and keeps you on the edge rooting for Insiya. A few sequences might seem to be little dragged out and could have been edited for perfection.
When it comes to acting, all the lead actors - Zaira Wasim, Meher Vij, Raj Arjun have given their career best performances. Zaira as Insiya is charming and her acting in the singing sequences look extremely believable with her lip-syncs and guitar movements being spot on. Meher Vij as Najma plays mother to Insiya and delivers a memorable performance. Raj Arjun is the stand out performer in the film. He was totally convincing as the demon of a father and makes the audience hate him bad. Tirth Acharya as Chintan too has done a great job as Insiya's supportive friend. Aamir Khan, as music director Shakti Kumar, in his 20 minutes role of a never-seen-before character truly plays 'dal me tadka' and gives the audience some rare bursts of laughter.
Music of the film is very simple, soulful and extremely situational. They tend to grow on you each time you hear and makes a definite impact during the sequences on big screen. The only different song in the album is 'Sexy Baliye' which comes during the end credits and the quirkiness of it makes the audience standing on the aisle till the very end of it.
Overall, the film leaves a long lasting impact on your heart letting the story teller succeed in his attempt. The usage of social media shown as a medium of expressing hidden talents is very relevant in today's time. The mother-daughter bonding as shown in the film is one of the major highlights. The depiction of teenage love makes you blush and takes you back to your school memories.
Lastly, there are many such secret superstars like Insiya in our societies who get suppressed due to various social issues and don't get enough exposure. Here's one for them to keep believing in their dreams. Secret Superstar is a definite must watch for people of every age group.
