The film is high on emotions
SECRET SUPERSTAR Direction: Advait Chandan Actors: Zaira Wasim, Aamir Khan, Meher Vij Rating:
In a Mumbai studio, a foulmouthed musician struggles with a song. It’s a tune he composed a decade ago, but his producer doesn’t care for it much. Deep down, he too knows it’s a mere remix of his earlier work. And then he hears a voice, the voice. It inspires him and he delivers a song with this new artiste, somebody who isn’t willing to show her face. A secret superstar. Insiya (Zaira Wasim) is a quietly rebellious young girl from middle-class Vadodara, struggling with her rage, her mother’s fearfulness, and her father’s physical abuse. She and her mother, Najma (Meher Vij) dream of a time when they’ll stand on their own. Then the vulnerable teen catches the attention of Shakti Kumaarr (Aamir Khan), a brash, twice-divorced Bollywood musician.
Secret Superstar proceeds at leisure. Running over 150 minutes, it has ample time to establish the setting and lay out its characters one by one. The dad is a straight-out baddie; sadly, we all know the type. Kumaarr is a charmer, superficial and self-obsessed, but endearingly so. Insiya’s character is intriguing and evocative. Her eyes have stories to tell. When she punches a wall in anger, you feel her frustration. Sadly, most of the other characters are flat.
A subplot involving young love between Insiya and a friend starts out cute but soon becomes distracting. Ironically, in the story of an aspiring musician, the songs are loud and lack melody. The predictable climax doesn’t help. Its biggest asset is Aamir Khan. His superb comic timing stands out. Take Aamir out, and you’re left with a melodramatic public service message on domestic violence. Secret Superstar will make you laugh and cry. Just don’t expect any exceptional storytelling.