Emotions, Mistakes, and Second Chances: A Blog on Story and Screen
This blog task is given by Trivedi Megha Ma'am. It is part of our short story 'Crime and Punishment' by R. K. Narayan and we watched 'Sitare Zameen Par' movie which have same morality concept. Let discuss about both.
Brief Introduction of R.K.Narayan :
His most famous works include Swami and Friends, The Guide, and Malgudi Days. He was part of a trio of great Indian writers in English, along with Mulk Raj Anand and Raja Rao. Narayan received several honors, including the Sahitya Akademi Award and the Padma Vibhushan. He passed away in 2001, leaving behind a timeless literary legacy.
Though R.K. Narayan's short story bears a heavy title, Crime and Punishment, the narrative unfolds in a humorous yet critical tone, highlighting everyday moral and social misjudgments. The story subtly critiques three key figures — the teacher, the parents, and the child — each guilty of their own symbolic "crime."
1. The Teacher's Crime: Violence and Role Neglect
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The teacher’s most direct "crime" is slapping the child out of frustration when the boy stubbornly answers incorrectly.
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However, the deeper crime lies in the failure to uphold the true role of a teacher — one who should remain composed, patient, and educationally responsible even in the face of difficulty.
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His physical reaction reflects a loss of self-control and an abandonment of pedagogical duty, betraying the very values he's meant to embody.
Punishment: Emotional blackmail by the student, humiliation, and exhaustion. He’s forced to play games, tell stories, and even chase the child around the garden, ultimately compromising his dignity and authority.
2. The Parents' Crime: Over-Pampering and Psychological Misjudgment
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The boy’s parents — highly educated in psychology (the father even did his M.A. thesis on child psychology; the mother studied it for her B.A.) — are ironically guilty of failing to apply real wisdom.
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Their "crime" is over-pampering and overprotecting their child to the point of making him emotionally manipulative and undisciplined.
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They lecture the teacher daily, discouraging discipline, believing that any restriction damages a child for life — a dangerously naive interpretation of child psychology.
Punishment: They unknowingly raise a child who becomes unpleasant, manipulative, and disrespectful. Their over-indulgence robs the child of emotional maturity and moral grounding.
3. The Child’s Crime: Manipulation and Arrogance
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The child is not innocent either. His "crime" is manipulating authority, using the threat “I will tell my mother” as a weapon.
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He deliberately refuses to study, commands the teacher, and blackmails him into playing and storytelling — knowing his parents will always side with him.
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He becomes a miniature tyrant, arrogant and emotionally untouchable due to the excessive freedom and pampering at home.
Punishment: Although not immediate, the child's punishment is internal — he grows into a spoiled, socially unfit individual, unable to handle boundaries, authority, or correction.
Conclusion: Irony of Crime and Punishment
In Narayan’s story, the title Crime and Punishment is deeply ironic. No courts, police, or jails appear — only small domestic crimes with psychological punishments:
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A teacher punished by loss of authority,
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Parents punished by raising a difficult child,
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A child punished by his own unpleasant nature.
The story gently critiques modern parenting, flawed education, and unchecked childishness — all under the guise of normal, everyday life.
Now I would like to talk about ' Sitare Zameen Par '' movie review according to my perspective.
Major Points of Sitare Zameen Par (Beginning Section)
The opening of Sitare Zameen Par introduces a flawed and frustrated protagonist — a short-heighted basketball coach whose failures in both playing and coaching have turned him bitter and reckless. This choice is bold and effective, as it immediately breaks the stereotype of a heroic, larger-than-life sports figure. Instead, we are shown a man who is insecure, ego-driven, and emotionally unstable.
1. The Coach as a Flawed Human Being
His short stature becomes a subtle metaphor for how he is treated by others — looked down upon, underestimated, and mocked. Instead of resilience, he reacts with anger, pride, and inferiority, revealing deeper emotional cracks. The audience is not expected to admire him — at least not yet — and this sets the stage for a more realistic and gradual transformation.
2. Drunk Driving: A Symbolic Fall
The moment he drives drunk after an argument with a senior coach is not just a legal mistake — it is a moral collapse. This act shows his inability to process failure constructively. From a critical point of view, this scene captures the fragile masculinity and emotional immaturity of a man who equates respect with success and cannot handle rejection.
3. Court’s Punishment: A Moral Opportunity
The decision by the court to send him to coach children with disabilities is interestingly poetic. Realistically, this type of judgment is rare — but symbolically, it works. It’s not punishment in the traditional sense, but a forced confrontation with humility, patience, and human vulnerability — all things he lacks. It’s a redemptive setup, where his ego will be tested not by competition, but by compassion.
Coach's First Days with Disabled Children
When the coach first enters the special school, his lack of sensitivity and understanding is immediately . Referring to the children as “mental” reflects his own ignorance — a deeply problematic attitude shaped by societal prejudice. This language is not just offensive; it reveals his emotional immaturity and lack of empathy, even after facing punishment.
Critical Insight:The use of the word “mental” highlights how common ableist language remains in society — even among educated adults. The film uses this moment to confront that ignorance directly, making the audience uncomfortable for a reason.
Mismatch and Misunderstanding
For the first few coach is visibly disconnected from the children. He tries to treat them the way he treated his previous players — with harsh commands, discipline, and impatience. But these children function differently. They ask many questions, take longer to understand, and require a completely different approach — one based on patience, repetition, and emotional trust.
This mismatch reveals a deeper issue — the coach is not just unequipped technically; he is emotionally and psychologically unprepared. His world has been about speed, aggression, and performance. These children move at a different rhythm — one he cannot hear yet.
Support from the Coach’s Mother :
As the coach begins understand and respect the children, his mother notices the change in him. She plays a silent yet important role by encouraging his efforts and supporting his emotional growth. Her presence adds warmth and guidance at a time when he is learning to let go of his ego.
Feminist View in Sitare Zameen Par (Short Critical Perspective)
Though Sitare Zameen Par focuses on a male coach’s journey, it quietly highlights the strength of women in the background:
1. The Coach’s Mother – A Silent Warrior
After being abandoned by her husband, the coach’s mother raises her son alone, with strength and dignity. She does not remarry or depend on anyone. Her support is emotional, not dramatic — but it is her resilience that shapes the coach’s foundation. She represents the often invisible strength of single mothers in society.
2. The Coach’s Wife – Modern and Independent
3. Golu – A Brave Girl in the Team
Among the children the coach trains is Golu, a brave and determined girl. Despite her disability, she shows strong leadership and confidence on the basketball court. Golu’s presence challenges the gender bias in sports, proving that girls with disabilities can be bold, competitive, and inspiring.
Climax of Sitare Zameen Par
As the story moves into its climax, Sitare Zameen Par takes a bold, unconventional turn. The basketball team is ready for the final match in Mumbai, but the school authorities declare they have no funds to send the disabled children. This is not just a financial hurdle — it’s a blow to the children's dreams, reinforcing how often the disabled community is left behind when resources are scarce.
The Struggle for Funding: Society’s Neglect
The lack of money for something as significant as a national-level match reflects how systemically underfunded and undervalued special education and inclusive sports programs are. It's a sharp critique of how children with disabilities are denied opportunities, even when they prove themselves capable.
Critical Lens:This moment is not just about money. It shows how society often praises disability success stories only in theory, but fails to invest in them in practice.
Coach’s Wife as a “Fake Police” – Morally Gray but Symbolic
In a surprising and somewhat comic-dramatic twist, the coach’s wife dresses as a police officer and conducts a fake investigation at a hotel where one of the disabled students works. This student — a talented player — had dropped out of the team due to lack of recognition from a former coach who failed to appreciate his performance.
Here, the film uses a mix of humor, trickery, and social justice. The hotel manager, who had been harassing the student, becomes the target of the fake sting — and the team gets the money they need for travel.
Critical Question:Is this morally right? No. But it raises an important ethical conversation:When the system fails the vulnerable, do the underdogs have the right to bend the rules for justice?The film seems to say yes — especially when it’s for a greater cause: empowering those who are always ignored.
The Student Who Left: Recognition and Emotional Need
One of the most important points in this climax is the story of the student who left the team because he didn’t receive a medal, even though he performed well. This is heartbreaking, because it shows how deeply recognition matters, especially to children with disabilities who are often overlooked and undervalued.
Psychological Insight:This moment tells us that performance alone isn’t enough — children need appreciation, visibility, and emotional affirmation. When those are denied, the damage runs deep.
Critical View: The Ending of Sitare Zameen Par
Unlike typical sports films that glorify victory, Sitare Zameen Par offers something more meaningful. The team finishes as runners-up, not champions — but instead of disappointment, the children are joyful, proud, and fulfilled. This is a refreshingly mature message in a world obsessed with first place.
Runners-Up, But Real Winners
The children's positive attitude shows they have learned the true spirit of sportsmanship. They are not defeated — they are uplifted. Their journey from being underestimated and ignored to competing nationally is in itself a huge victory.
Critical Insight:The film breaks the “winning is everything” narrative. Instead, it teaches that belonging, effort, and dignity matter more — especially for children who rarely get the chance to shine.
Coach’s Emotional Growth
The coach, who originally saw this job as a punishment, now struggles to say goodbye. His short three-month punishment stretched into four months, showing how deeply involved he became — not just professionally, but emotionally.
He entered the school bitter, angry, and self-centered. But by the end, he learned more from the children than he taught them. His growth is not just external (better career, promotion), but internal: he became a better human being.
Symbolic Message:The real “stars” (sitare) are not those who win medals, but those who light up others’ lives. And the coach, once aimless and broken, now finds purpose through these children.
A Joyful, Balanced Celebration
The children celebrate with joy, not bitterness. There is no jealousy, no regret, no blame — just shared happiness. The coach, parents, and children together experience a kind of healing. The ending avoids drama and instead gives us quiet emotional truth.
Critical Strength:The film closes on a tone of hope, inclusion, and maturity. It celebrates human connection over competition, and emotional transformation over trophies.
Short Review – Crime and Punishment (Story + Movie)
In R.K. Narayan’s story, the teacher slaps a spoiled child. The real crime, though, is the parents’ over-pampering, which turns the child into a manipulator. The teacher forgets his role; the punishment is emotional — fear and regret.
In Sitare Zameen Par, the coach drinks and drives — his punishment is coaching disabled children. At first rude and insensitive, he learns empathy through them. The children don’t win gold, but they win hearts — including the coach’s.
Message:True punishment is not pain — it's the chance to reflect, change, and grow.
What message does the movie give about the role of teachers and parents?
The movie Sitare Zameen Par shows that both teachers and parents must guide with empathy, not ego.
Teachers should not just focus on winning or discipline, but must understand the emotional needs of each student.
Both the story and the movie deal with the theme of child behavior, adult failure, and emotional growth, but in different ways:
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In R.K. Narayan’s story, the teacher loses control and slaps a pampered child. The parents are overprotective, and the child learns to emotionally blackmail.
It shows how over-pampering and teacher frustration lead to unhealthy outcomes. -
In Sitare Zameen Par, the coach starts with arrogance, mocks disabled students, and sees his punishment as a burden. But through time, he learns from the children and becomes a better human being.
It highlights the power of empathy, patience, and emotional transformation.
References :
Narayan, R. K. Malgudi days. Penguin Publishing Group, 2006.
Prasanna, R. S., director. Sitaare Zameen Par. 2025. Aamir Khan Productions, 2025.
Thank You..
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