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Like Stars on Earth

Like Stars on Earth

2007

PG

Director

Aamir Khan

Runtime

162 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

Ishaan Awasthi is an eight-year-old whose world is filled with wonders that no one else seems to appreciate. Colours, fish, dogs, and kites don't seem important to the adults, who are much more interested in things like homework, marks, and neatness. Ishaan cannot seem to get anything right in class; he is then sent to boarding school, where his life changes forever.

Where to Watch

Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

6.7/10

Good


Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Minimal

Gender Representation

Fair

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Fair

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Excellent

Disability Representation

Excellent

Strengths

  • Provides a sophisticated and empathetic portrayal of neurodivergent agency.
  • Critiques the oppressive nature of standardized, meritocratic educational systems.
  • Avoids 'inspiration porn' by focusing on the environment as the disabling factor.

Areas for Improvement

  • Lacks representation of LGBTQ+ characters or non-cisnormative identities.
  • Maintains traditional gender hierarchies with a dominant paternal authority figure.
  • Operates within a relatively homogeneous cultural and socioeconomic setting.

AI Analysis

Like Stars on Earth is a powerful examination of neurodivergence that succeeds by reframing dyslexia not as a deficit, but as a different way of experiencing the world. By centering Ishaan’s artistic agency, the film avoids common tropes of tragedy or pity. However, the film's social framework is quite traditional. It operates within a patriarchal family structure and a homogeneous cultural setting, offering little representation for LGBTQ+ identities or significant subversion of gendered power dynamics. Ultimately, the film's strength lies in its systemic critique. It challenges the rigid, performance-based metrics of modern education, advocating for empathy over standardized competence.

How are these scores produced? →

Featured in

  • Best Disability Representation in Film
  • Best Religious & Cultural Representation in Film

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