Like Stars on Earth

Ishaan Awasthi is an 8-year-old boy who has trouble following school, though he is assumed by all to hate learning, and is belittled for it. His imagination, creativity, and talent for art and painting are often disregarded. His father, Nandkishore Awasthi, is a successful executive who expects his sons to excel, and his mother, Maya Awasthi, is a housewife frustrated by her inability to educate Ishaan. Ishaan's elder brother, Yohan Awasthi, is an exemplary student in whose shadow Ishaan remains. One day, Ishaan and his parents are called by Ishaan's principal to discuss his failures in class. Fed up of hearing Ishaan's failures and lack of improvement, Nandkishore sends Ishaan, mid-term, to a boarding school. Alone there, he rapidly sinks into a state of fear, anxiety, and depression, which is only worsened by the teachers there and their strict and abusive regime. His only friend is Rajan Damodaran, a physically disabled boy who is one of the top students and resides with his family there, as his father is part of the school's board. Ishaan contemplates suicide one day, but Rajan prevents him. Ram Shankar Nikumbh, a cheerful and optimistic instructor at the Tulips School for young children with developmental disabilities, joins the boarding school's faculty the same day, replacing the authoritarian Mr. Holkar, the school's former art teacher. Ram's teaching style is markedly different from that of Holkar's, and he quickly notes Ishaan's unhappiness that day after he fails to draw anything during the class. He reviews Ishaan's work and concludes that his academic shortcomings are indicative of dyslexia. Ram then visits the Awasthis in Mumbai, where he is surprised to discover Ishaan's hidden interest in art. Flustered, he demonstrates to Maya and Yohan how Ishaan has extreme difficulty in understanding letters and words due to dyslexia, and his poverty in sports skills stems from his poor motor ability. Nandkishore labels it as an intellectual disability and dismisses it as laziness. Back at school, Ram brings up the topic of dyslexia in a class by offering a list of famous dyslexic people. He comforts Ishaan, telling him how he struggled as a child as well. Ram obtains the principal's permission to become Ishaan's tutor. With gradual care, he works to improve Ishaan's reading and writing by using remedial techniques developed by dyslexia specialists. Eventually, both Ishaan's demeanor and his grades improve. One day Nandkishore visits the school and tells Ram that he and his wife have read up on dyslexia and understand the condition. Ram mentions that what Ishaan needs more than understanding is that someone loves him. Outside Nandkishore sees Ishaan reading from a board. With teary eyes, he is unable to face his son and walks away. At the end of the school year, Ram organises an arts and crafts contest for the staff and students, judged by artist Lalita Lajmi. Ishaan's work makes him the winner and Ram, who paints Ishaan's portrait, is declared the runner-up. The principal announces that Ram has been hired as the school's permanent art teacher. When Ishaan's parents meet his teachers on the last day of school, they are left speechless by the transformation in him. Overcome with emotion, Nandkishore thanks Ram. Before leaving, Ishaan runs toward Ram, who lifts him high up in a hug.