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We all love to watch baby actors enacting various roles on screen. So sweet, we exclaim, when they charm us with their baby innocence and childlike acting. Hollywood films ET, the Peter Pan series films, Baby's Day Out, Home Alone, Paper Moon, Sixth Sense, and closer home in Hindi cinema, Masoom, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Main Aisa Hi Hoon, Bajrangi Bhaijan,wouldn't have been the same without their cherubic angels stealing our hearts. But what about the child actors thrust under the limelight at such a young age? How do they cope with the loss of their childhood innocence and their freedom to enjoy the little joys of life? We know for a fact that Hollywood star Drew Barrymore resented her being forced into stardom at such a young age. MacCaulay Kulkin became a maladjusted adult when he grew up. So many Hindi child stars could not retain their stardom as adults and slipped into depression and anonymity. How does the child cope with the glare of the harsh arc lights day in and day...

“You are so clumsy…can’t do anything properly!” “What a fool you have made of yourself!” “I knew you couldn’t do it. What a loser you are!” “She/he is so beautiful/intelligent/smart/successful. And look at you? A complete zero.” Do these statements sound familiar? Rings a bell, doesn’t it? I think you will recognize them as some things you have told yourself at some time or other. Yes, these are a part of the self-talk we carry on all the time with our self in our minds. Communication within our mind is unfortunately mostly on these patterns. Self depreciating, criticizing, accusatory, our talk with ourselves is never encouraging. This is primarily because most of us suffer from poor self images. Low self confidence and constant comparison with others are a deadly cocktail we brew in our minds, leading us to be unduly harsh on ourselves. Can you remember when was the last time you actually patted yourself on your back for something? Chances are long back or never....

Really liked Nil Batte Sannata, a Hindi film I saw recently with my relatives. After a long time there was a film that all of us really enjoyed and warmed up to - everybody from me to my eight year old niece. Though the film attempts to convey the rather serious message of girls' education, it does not come across as heavy handed or dull. Laced with witty humour and stellar acting, the film is an entertaining watch. Almost everybody acts well, and convincingly. The pace is just right. The director, Ashwini Iyer Tiwari, keeps a tight grip on the proceedings, delivering the message with gentle sarcasm and humour. Image source: www.india.com A carefree, willful teenager rebelling against her mother's constant nagging to study and become somebody, is something most adolescents would identify with. The fact that the mother is a single parent, working as a maid in people's homes and sweating it out to secure her daughter's future, is something the girl hardly cares ab...