# Paa (film)

**Paa** (पा) is a 2009 Indian Hindi-language comedy-drama film directed by [R. Balki](https://www.edgepedia.org/r-balki), in which [Amitabh Bachchan](https://www.edgepedia.org/amitabh-bachchan) plays Auro, a 13-year-old boy with progeria, a rare genetic condition that causes accelerated aging, while his real-life son [Abhishek Bachchan](https://www.edgepedia.org/abhishek-bachchan) plays Auro's father, the young politician Amol Arte.<sup>[1](https://www.hopeproductions.in/work/paa/)</sup> The production company Hope Productions describes it as the first film in motion picture history in which a real-life father and son play son and father on screen.<sup>[1](https://www.hopeproductions.in/work/paa/)</sup> The film won four National Film Awards at the 57th ceremony, including Best Actor for Amitabh Bachchan.<sup>[2](https://www.pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?lang=2&reg=48&relid=65776)</sup>

| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release | 4 December 2009, worldwide<sup>[3](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Paa?hl=en-IN&id=D99C0D27F857DDB3MV)</sup> |
| Director and writer | R. Balki, his second film after *Cheeni Kum* (2007)<sup>[1](https://www.hopeproductions.in/work/paa/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[4](https://www.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/slide-show-1-lunch-with-paa-director-r-balakrishnan/20091216.htm)</sup> |
| Central casting | Amitabh Bachchan as Auro; Abhishek Bachchan as his father Amol Arte; Vidya Balan as Vidya, Auro's mother<sup>[1](https://www.hopeproductions.in/work/paa/)</sup> |
| Key crew | Music Ilaiyaraaja; cinematography P. C. Sreeram; editing Anil Naidu; lyrics Swanand Kirkire<sup>[1](https://www.hopeproductions.in/work/paa/)</sup> |
| Prosthetic make-up | Christien Tinsley and Dominie Till, who won the National Film Award for Best Make-up Artist<sup>[2](https://www.pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?lang=2&reg=48&relid=65776)</sup> |
| National Film Awards (57th) | Best Actor (Amitabh Bachchan), Best Supporting Actress (Arundhati Naag), Best Make-up Artist, Best Feature Film in Hindi<sup>[2](https://www.pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?lang=2&reg=48&relid=65776)</sup> |
| Budget | About Rs 150 million (Rs 15 crore), produced by AB Corp and distributed by Reliance Big Pictures<sup>[5](https://www.mid-day.com/entertainment/bollywood-news/article/Standing-ovation-for-Big-B-at-National-Awards-night-99412)</sup> |

## Spoilers

### Story

Auro is an intelligent, witty 13-year-old who looks much older than his age because of progeria, a rare genetic defect that causes accelerated aging. He is a happy child, brought up by his single mother Vidya, a gynaecologist, and his grandmother. He accidentally discovers the identity of his father, Amol Arte, a young idealistic politician who has no idea Auro exists, and enters Amol's life, bringing his mother and father together.<sup>[1](https://www.hopeproductions.in/work/paa/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[6](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/paa/critic-review/paa-movie-review/)</sup> In the film's framing, Amol is out to prove that politics is not a bad word, and Auro's condition leaves him with the physical problems of a much older person while his mind remains that of a boy his age.<sup>[6](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/paa/critic-review/paa-movie-review/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[7](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/paa/)</sup>

The supporting cast includes [Paresh Rawal](https://www.edgepedia.org/paresh-rawal) as Amol's father Mr. Arte and Arundhati Nag as Vidya's mother, known in the film as "Bum"; Pratik Katare plays Vishnu, Auro's best friend.<sup>[8](https://www.boxofficeindia.com/cast_crew.php?movieid=148)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[9](https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/media/entertainment/big-b-best-actor-3-idiots-best-film-at-screen-awards/articleshow/5430188.cms)</sup> [Jaya Bachchan](https://www.edgepedia.org/jaya-bachchan), Amitabh's wife, calls out the opening credits as narrator.<sup>[10](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1532957/)</sup>

## Production

**Casting and writing.** Balki has said the idea of reversing the roles of the real-life father and son came to him after watching Amitabh and Abhishek interact at the Bachchan home. His first draft was a light, humorous father-son film; after Amitabh Bachchan came on board and stressed the emotional element, Balki discarded that draft and wrote a fresh screenplay weaving in the progeria angle.<sup>[11](https://indianexpress.com/article/news-archive/web/the-makeup-was-the-difficult-part/)</sup> Balki said Bachchan agreed to play the role "about .000001 seconds" after hearing the one-line premise.<sup>[11](https://indianexpress.com/article/news-archive/web/the-makeup-was-the-difficult-part/)</sup> Sunil Manchanda, producer of *Cheeni Kum*, was attached from the start, and AB Corp, the [Bachchan family](https://www.edgepedia.org/bachchan-family)'s production company, joined as a second producer at Amitabh Bachchan's insistence.<sup>[12](https://filmibeat.com/bollywood/features/2009/balki-interview-031209.html)</sup> Mid-Day reported the film as produced by AB Corp with Abhishek Bachchan as producer, and distributed by Reliance Big Pictures.<sup>[5](https://www.mid-day.com/entertainment/bollywood-news/article/Standing-ovation-for-Big-B-at-National-Awards-night-99412)</sup>

**Make-up.** The prosthetic transformation of the roughly six-foot, sixty-plus actor into a child was the production's central technical challenge. Christien Tinsley, known for *The Passion of The Christ*, and Dominie Till, known for *King Kong*, created the make-up, which reviewers credited with removing every trace of Amitabh Bachchan from the character.<sup>[13](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/bollywood/paa-movie-review/articleshow/5297628.cms)</sup> The National Award citation for Best Make-up Artist praised the "authentic, detailed creation of a heart-warming character stricken by a fatal disease".<sup>[14](https://nfaindia.org/images/pdf/57th%20National%20Film%20Award%20Catalogue.pdf)</sup>

**Locations and music.** Balki shot the film largely in England, mostly at Cambridge and Oxford University, as he had his debut *Cheeni Kum*; he told interviewers it was his favorite shooting location.<sup>[15](https://www.cinema.com.my/movies/details.aspx?search=2009.6243.paa.11667)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[16](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/bollywood/big-b-starrer-paa-to-release-on-childrens-day-2/)</sup> [Ilaiyaraaja](https://www.edgepedia.org/ilaiyaraaja), who had also scored *Cheeni Kum*, composed the music, with lyrics by Swanand Kirkire; reviewers singled out the theme track and the song "Udhi Udhi Ittifaq Se", rendered by Shaan and [Shilpa Rao](https://www.edgepedia.org/shilpa-rao).<sup>[4](https://www.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/slide-show-1-lunch-with-paa-director-r-balakrishnan/20091216.htm)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[15](https://www.cinema.com.my/movies/details.aspx?search=2009.6243.paa.11667)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[17](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/movie-reviews/paa/movie-review/5297226.cms)</sup>

**Release.** The film opened on 4 December 2009, a date Balki chose as a tribute to [Children's Day](https://www.edgepedia.org/childrens-day), calling the film one about "the child within the man and the man within the child".<sup>[16](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/bollywood/big-b-starrer-paa-to-release-on-childrens-day-2/)</sup>

## Reception and awards

Indian critics responded strongly to Amitabh Bachchan's performance. Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama gave the film 4 out of 5 and called it "an amazing experience", praising the father-son bonding in the second half and noting that the film never presents Auro as different from other children.<sup>[6](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/paa/critic-review/paa-movie-review/)</sup> The Times of India gave it 3.5 out of 5, writing that the film works "only because it is so different" and that Auro steals the film.<sup>[17](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/movie-reviews/paa/movie-review/5297226.cms)</sup> Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express was more reserved, rating it 2 out of 5 and finding the script weighed down by obvious statements even while praising the grace of the Auro character and [P. C. Sreeram](https://www.edgepedia.org/p-c-sreeram)'s cinematography.<sup>[7](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/paa/)</sup> Overseas reception was mixed according to [Google Play](https://www.edgepedia.org/google-play)'s summary of Metacritic and Rotten Tomatoes data.<sup>[3](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Paa?hl=en-IN&id=D99C0D27F857DDB3MV)</sup>

At the 57th [National Film Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-film-awards) for 2009, announced in September 2010, *Paa* won Best Actor (Amitabh Bachchan, Rajat Kamal and Rs 50,000), Best Supporting Actress (Arundhati Naag), Best Make-up Artist (Christien Tinsley and Dominie Till), and Best Feature Film in Hindi.<sup>[2](https://www.pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?lang=2&reg=48&relid=65776)</sup> Bachchan received the Best Actor award from President Pratibha Patil at a ceremony where the audience gave him a standing ovation; it was his fourth National Award, after *Saat Hindustani*, *Agneepath*, and *Black*.<sup>[5](https://www.mid-day.com/entertainment/bollywood-news/article/Standing-ovation-for-Big-B-at-National-Awards-night-99412)</sup> The film also won two [Filmfare Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/filmfare-awards), Best Actor for Bachchan and Best Actress for Vidya Balan, her first, and four IIFA Awards including Best Performance in a Leading Role (Male) and two make-up honors.<sup>[18](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/movie-details/paa/movieawards/61294684.cms)</sup> At the 16th annual Screen Awards, *Paa* took five trophies, including Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Child Actor for Pratik, and Best Supporting Actress, while *3 Idiots* was named Best Film of 2009.<sup>[9](https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/media/entertainment/big-b-best-actor-3-idiots-best-film-at-screen-awards/articleshow/5430188.cms)</sup>

The Best Actor decision drew debate in Kerala's film press, where commentators argued Mammootty's three performances that year, in *Pazhassi Raja*, *Palery Manickyam*, and *Kutti Srank*, had stronger claims, and that Bachchan's role spoke as much of the make-up artist's craft as of the actor's.<sup>[19](https://www.nowrunning.com/news/malayalam/is-amitabhs-paa-superior-to-mammoottys-triple-feat/34766/story.htm)</sup>

## Progeria and medical portrayal

The film's depiction of progeria drew attention from doctors. A [Hindustan Times](https://www.edgepedia.org/hindustan-times) report quoted physicians arguing that films should portray serious medical conditions such as progeria accurately rather than dramatize them.<sup>[20](https://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/bollywood-films-tell-only-half-the-story/story-UzKMPbXHZJtaayYO1V2Z9J.html)</sup> A later academic review of the film's portrayal of the condition credited Amitabh Bachchan's performance with displaying the struggles of a progeria patient.<sup>[21](https://72dragons.health/assets/trending_topics/pdf/Paa%20A%20Distinctive%20Portrayal%20of%20Progeria%20and%20Its%20Struggle_reedited-2.pdf)</sup> Reviewers also compared the premise to other aging-disorder films: Time Out saw the film as an homage to [Robin Williams](https://www.edgepedia.org/robin-williams) in *Jack* (1996) rather than Brad Pitt in *The Curious Case of Benjamin Button*, while the Times of India review argued it was not inspired by *Jack* at all.<sup>[22](https://www.timeout.com/movies/paa)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[13](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/bollywood/paa-movie-review/articleshow/5297628.cms)</sup>

## Legacy

Vidya Balan's role as a single mother in *Paa* is cited as the start of a run of woman-led films that carried her through *The Dirty Picture*, *Kahaani*, *Tumhari Sulu*, and *Mission Mangal*, breaking the stereotype of the conventional Hindi heroine.<sup>[23](https://femina.wwmindia.com/magazines/2020/may/FF_May_2020_issue_Mobile.pdf)</sup> The film also marked the return of AB Corp, Amitabh Bachchan's production company, which had been declared bankrupt in the 1990s.<sup>[15](https://www.cinema.com.my/movies/details.aspx?search=2009.6243.paa.11667)</sup> As of recent checks, the film is not available on major streaming platforms in India.<sup>[24](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/paa)</sup>

## References

1. [Paa, Hope Productions](https://www.hopeproductions.in/work/paa/)
2. [57th National Film Awards for the Year 2009 Announced, Press Information Bureau](https://www.pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?lang=2&reg=48&relid=65776)
3. [Paa, Google Play Movies](https://play.google.com/store/movies/details/Paa?hl=en-IN&id=D99C0D27F857DDB3MV)
4. [Lunch with R Balakrishnan, Rediff.com Movies](https://www.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/slide-show-1-lunch-with-paa-director-r-balakrishnan/20091216.htm)
5. [Standing ovation for Big B at National Awards night, Mid-Day](https://www.mid-day.com/entertainment/bollywood-news/article/Standing-ovation-for-Big-B-at-National-Awards-night-99412)
6. [Paa Movie Review by Taran Adarsh, Bollywood Hungama](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/paa/critic-review/paa-movie-review/)
7. [Paa, The Indian Express (review by Shubhra Gupta)](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/paa/)
8. [Paa, Box Office India cast and crew](https://www.boxofficeindia.com/cast_crew.php?movieid=148)
9. [Big B best actor, '3 Idiots' best film at Screen awards, The Economic Times](https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/media/entertainment/big-b-best-actor-3-idiots-best-film-at-screen-awards/articleshow/5430188.cms)
10. [Paa (2009), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1532957/)
11. [The make-up was the difficult part, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/news-archive/web/the-makeup-was-the-difficult-part/)
12. ["Paa will not even have a trace of Amitabh" – Balki interview, Filmibeat](https://filmibeat.com/bollywood/features/2009/balki-interview-031209.html)
13. [Paa: Movie Review, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/bollywood/paa-movie-review/articleshow/5297628.cms)
14. [57th National Film Award Catalogue, National Film Archive of India](https://nfaindia.org/images/pdf/57th%20National%20Film%20Award%20Catalogue.pdf)
15. [PAA review, Cinema Online Malaysia](https://www.cinema.com.my/movies/details.aspx?search=2009.6243.paa.11667)
16. [Big B starrer Paa to release on Children's Day, Bollywood Hungama](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/bollywood/big-b-starrer-paa-to-release-on-childrens-day-2/)
17. [Paa Movie Review {3.5/5}, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/movie-reviews/paa/movie-review/5297226.cms)
18. [Paa Awards, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/movie-details/paa/movieawards/61294684.cms)
19. [Is Amitabh's 'Paa' superior to Mammootty's triple feat?, Nowrunning](https://www.nowrunning.com/news/malayalam/is-amitabhs-paa-superior-to-mammoottys-triple-feat/34766/story.htm)
20. ['Bollywood films tell only half the story', Hindustan Times](https://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/bollywood-films-tell-only-half-the-story/story-UzKMPbXHZJtaayYO1V2Z9J.html)
21. [Paa: A Distinctive Portrayal of Progeria and Its Struggle](https://72dragons.health/assets/trending_topics/pdf/Paa%20A%20Distinctive%20Portrayal%20of%20Progeria%20and%20Its%20Struggle_reedited-2.pdf)
22. [Paa review, Time Out](https://www.timeout.com/movies/paa)
23. [Femina magazine, May 2020 issue](https://femina.wwmindia.com/magazines/2020/may/FF_May_2020_issue_Mobile.pdf)
24. [Paa streaming, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/in/movie/paa)

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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Indian films (individual works) › Hindi films of the 2000s › Drama films*

*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*

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