Bring Out the Child in You With These Films

Chennai: Our lives are replete with stories from our childhood, and on the eve of the Children's Day, we walk down the memory lane with some of the best children's films made in the country.

IANS lists seven such critically-acclaimed films.

"Masoom": Based on Erich Segal's novel "Man, Woman and Child", Sekhar Kapur's directorial debut was about a family man, his illegitimate son, and its repercussions on his family. It was lauded for the performances of child actors Jugal Hansraj, Urmila Matondkar and Aradhana. The 1983 release won eight Filmfare Awards.

"Anjali": Mani Ratnam's heart-warming tale, released in 1990, was about a dying child born with deformity and the emotional trauma of her family. Revolving around a protagonist played by Shamili, the film also focused on the deceiving nature of society and its perspective on disability. It won three National Awards.

"Halo": The 1996 National Award winning film by cinematographer-filmmaker Santosh Sivan brilliantly captured the innocence of seven-year-old girl Sasha, played by TV artist Benaf Dadachandji, who embarks on a quest to find her lost puppy through the streets of Mumbai.

"Bala Ramayanam": The 1998 Telugu mythological film by Gunasekhar was a smart recreation of the "Ramayana" with as many as 3,000 child actors. It had immense impact on the younger generation and helped them understand the significance of the Hindu epic. Junior NTR, a popular Telugu actor today, played Lord Rama in the film.

"The Blue Umbrella": Vishal Bharadwaj's 2005 film on Ruskin Bond's story is about the relationship between a child and her fantasies. The film dealt with allegorical dreams. Starring Shreya Sharma as the little girl and Pankaj Kapur as the old man, the film bagged the National Award for the best children's film.

"Taare Zameen Par": Aamir Khan's 2007 directorial debut about an eight-year-old boy suffering from dyslexia was emotionally engaging and heart-warming. It touched the right strings of the audiences, thanks to Darsheel Safary's outstanding performance as a dyslexic child and Aamir's role as an understanding teacher.

"Stanley Ka Dabba": A wonderful drama about teacher-student relationship, Amol Gupte's film showed how peers misuse their position and exploit children. The director worked with 170 child actors and some critics regarded the 2011 release as a trip back to the innocence of childhood.