Some of silver screen's most endearing stars are pint-sized. On Children's Day, here are ten films that starred a junior brigade.
Some of silver screen's most endearing stars are pint-sized. On Children's Day, here are films that starred a junior brigade
Bhoothnath Returns (2014): A ghost and a spirited child take on a powerful and corrupt politician. Parth Bhalerao and Amitabh Bachchan delivered a wholesome entertainer with a powerful social message in the film which inspired children to be the harbingers of change in society.
Hawaa Hawaai (2014): Partho Gupte won hearts as the tea-stall boy who aspires to be a skating champion and is helped in his mission by his friends and skating coach (Saqib Salim).
Maleficent (2014): The Sleeping Beauty fairytale got a whole new interpretation where the evil fairy queen (Angelina Jolie) is actually a good-girl-gone bad after being deceived by the man she loves.
Mr India(1987): Anil Kapoor's invisible man was all but overshadowed by the exuberant and fun-loving bunch of orphans that his character looks after.
Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998): The movie would have remained incomplete without the little Anjali who goes on to unite her father Rahul Khanna with his childhood friend Anjali Sharma. And whoever can forget her young friend – the little sardaar who keeps counting stars throughout the movie.
Masoom (1983): Urmila Matondkar and Jugal Hansraj started out as child stars in Shekhar Kapur's movie adaptation of novel 'Man, Woman And Child'. Naseeruddin Shah and Shabana Azmi played the adult leads.
Chillar Party (2011): The movie about a gang of innocent children who stand up to a politician and save a street dog's life got a lot of appreciation for exposing the dichotomy between classes in Indian society. The film bagged the National Film Award for Best Children's Film for that year.
Stanley Ka Dabba (2011): Amole Gupte's heartwarming film is centered around Stanley who never carries his lunch box to school and is warned by his school teacher to quit once he finds out. The movie ends with the revelation that the child is an orphan who works in a restaurant.
Taare Zameen Par (2007): Aamir Khan's directorial film revolved around the magical Darsheel Safary who played the role of a dyslexic boy who blossoms under his teacher, played by Aamir.
The Sound Of Music (1965): This classic starred Julie Andrews as governess to the seven very difficult Von Trapp children. Through music and song, she helps them develop a close relationship with their distant and stern father.
Harry Potter (Series began in 2001): Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson brought to life the magical world of Hogwarts in the biggest children's film franchise ever.
Home Alone (1990): Macaulay Culkin starred as Kevin, left behind by his holidaying family and having to deal with the housebreaking “wet bandits,” in the famous Home Alone and its sequel.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005): Freddie Highmore played Charlie Bucket, the shy, soft-spoken boy who gets an opportunity to visit a storied chocolate factory run by the decidedly eccentric Willy Wonka, played by Johnny Depp. The movie was director Tim Burton's adaptation of the classic Roald Dahl book.
Matilda (1996): Another Roald Dahl favourite, Mara Wilson starred as the neglected little girl with telekinetic powers.
Mary Poppins (1964): Julie Andrews played a magical turn-of-the-century nanny to two little children neglected by their workaholic father and suffragette mother.
Hum Hai Rahi Pyaar Ke (1993): In an Indianised version of The Sound Of Music, child stars Master Sharokh, Kunal Khemu and Baby Ashrafa played merry hell with uncle Aamir Khan before forming an alliance with the runaway Juhi Chawla.
E.T (1982): Steven Spielberg's heartwarming tale of an alien befriended by 10-year-old Elliott, his two siblings and their friends who band together to help E.T go home. Drew Barrymore, all of 6, played Elliott's little sister Gertie.
The Chronicles Of Narnia (2005 onwards): Georgie Henley, William Moseley, Anna Popplewell and Skandar Keynes starred as the Pevensie children in the film series based on C S Lewis' magical world of Narnia, people with talking animals and accessed through a wardrobe.
