“Darsheel Safary now has new teeth and a girlfriend!” Wow….I too had some dental problem in childhood but no one made it news. Because, I had lived a normal childhood. Therefore, I had the liberty of keeping my secrets hidden.

Fame, money, rumours of a girlfriend is an overstatement for a child at an age of 13.  On the other side, children of that age lead a routine life revolving around school, cartoon films, Sunday outings, siblings, friends, homework, and may be a cute, school crush. Are we doing justice to these little souls who are shining stars of entertainment industry? And what about those children who can not make it to achieve stardom and surrender to dejection? Or those who become victim of physical assault because at that tender age; they do not know the difference between good and bad.

No, I am not against of entertainment industry; nor am I trying to discourage the talent. But the idea of execution needs an improvement so that parents do not impose their lost ambitions and aspirations on their child. The whole affair should be taken as a hobby instead of a trade-a means of income. Shuffling from one studio to other and skipping studies to do shifts is a violation of their basic right of Education. Did we ever think about the childhood of those children who portray an on-screen role of a child living a happy childhood? Do they get their share of content life in real? The answer is a harsh NO. Don’t they have a right to study, play, and indulge in all that happiness of childhood like everybody else does? Like we all did?

Not only Darsheel; Avika Gor and Avinash Mukherjee of Balika Badhu, Afsha Musani of SaReGaMaPa, Saloni of Comedy Circus, are few of them who don’t even realize what they have already lost behind the glitter of media.

Slumdog Millionaire, the movie, which bagged 8 Academy Awards i.e., Oscars, 7 BAFTA Awards, 5 Critic’s Choice Awards, and 4 Golden Globes, had three child artists Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail (Youngest Salim), Ayush Mahesh Khedekar (Youngest Jamal), and Rubiana Ali (Youngest Latika). After a few fashion shows and controversies we all forgot them. Did anyone think about their psychology while they had to return back to their below-ordinary life after all that attention, glamour and exposure?

Defeat is one thing which many of us can not accept. Let’s talk about the children who participate in reality talent shows and one child gets eliminated every week. Apart from entertainment had we ever thought about their state of mind and the permanent impact that they will have in their heart? Many of them even might leave that talent forever. How long they could endure when their friends bully them for that elimination? How would they feel after that extra attention has been snatched back from them all of a sudden?

Till now we were discussing about those stars only. Now let’s get into their family. There are cases where these children earn more than their parents. In that case are they matured enough to not to judge their parents and family on the basis of money? No….Probably they are not. Will they think of their parents any more than a “paid” assistant, accompanying them to the shoots? Their siblings, cousins, or friends may not be as lovely and smart as they are. As a result, most of the attention is automatically drawn to these little stars. In a long term prospect, are we ready for a biased and ignored childhood of the future of the nation? They might be very talented in other chores of life but their talent has been outshined by their own sibling, or cousin, or friend.

According to child psychiatrists, when a child is not given an exact exposure and attention then he may get affected by various personality related syndromes. Attention disorders, feeling of insecurity and fear, aggressiveness, are among those various critical disorders; which are being fostered in their personality knowingly or unknowingly or may be, sometimes, due to their unfavourable family circumstances.

I do not find myself matured enough to suggest a solution to this issue as a closing statement. But I am highly influenced with the idea of a health drink commercial in which the mother prepares her child to win and at the same time to lose with pride.

“इतना दर्द क्यों सहते हो?

क्या तुम सोच रहे हो कि लोग क्या कहेंगे?

कोई कुछ नहीं कहेगा|

और फिर हर बार जीतना ज़रूरी नहीं है|

वैसे भी तुम तो हमेशा मेरे नंबर 1 रहोगे|”

“Why do you suffer so much of pain?

Are you thinking about what others will say?

Nobody will say anything.

And, it’s not necessary to win every time.

In any case, you will always be my number one.

On that note, let’s pledge, “If we cannot repair the past; let’s make a fresh beginning.”