Daily Times

‘Aladdin’ is a tale from the Arabian Nights. A love story between a commoner and a princess, it talks of the heroic deeds performed by the so-called market boy. Aladdin is no fool. He is a hero and a hero in the real sense of the word. He is like Robin Hood, a person who takes from the rich and gives to the poor unlike the supernatural heroes of the sci fi world who also perform heroic tasks but who have special powers.

It is a tale of magic and true love like ‘Cinderella’, ‘Beauty & the Beast’ and so many other Walt Disney classics.

Just like in Cinderella the protagonist which means from the ash of cinders is like Aladdin a commoner. You all know the story and what happens at the end is no surprise. Cinderella who is mistreated by her stepmother and sisters turns into a princess by the fairy godmother who grants her the wish to go to the ball. She is changed into a beautiful girl, but the truth is that she has a beautiful heart and that is what eventually wins the heart of the prince who in search of this beautiful girl finally comes to her through the glass slipper she leaves behind.

Similarly, in Beauty and the Beast too the beast who is a prince trapped by a witch into a beast becomes a real price by the kiss of love. As beauty serves the beast with devotion and purity of heart irrespective of how ugly or harsh he was a she is rewarded as she dares to kiss the awful beast and so surprised by the gift of god in giving him the most beautiful man who loves her a lot and vice versa.

Aladdin and jasmine to come together by the true kiss of love a love so pure, a love so devoted. Jasmine a princess falls in love with this orphan who people calla street rat. It is his honesty, his kindness, his generosity that attracts jasmine. Despite going through the process of looking at different suitors all rich but dumb wits it is the charm and wit of Aladdin that bring the two together. As Jasmine rejects the rich dumb wits Aladdin gets hold of the genie that is trapped and promises him three wishes the third one of setting him free.

The genie tells Aladdin of many important truths of life. Do not change on the inside. If she already likes you why change. People see what they are told. Aladdin must open the door to Jasmine’s heart, and you can only do this by being natural The way through her heart is the way through her mind.

As Jasmine says maps are the way through which she sees the world Aladdin opens for her the doors to show her a whole new world a world beyond books and maps.

And this is where the song comes in.

A whole new world a dazzling place I never knew.

I’m like a shooting star I’ve come so far I can’t go back to where I used to be!

The ride on the magic carpet a ride up in the sky, a ride of joy of being carefree, of going out into nature, looking t the stars and moon, the sun and the earth from above the heavens a hypnotic ride, that makes you forget all worries and tensions a ride simply of joy and nothing else.

As Aladdin finally sets the genie free and returns to who he really was that is the highest point of beauty as the audience spills into tears. There is a world beyond!

The book tells us that here is a world beyond material things, a world of wonders, a world of kindness and humility, a world of true love!

It is the soul that is important money comes and goes but respect comes with outdoing the competitors. Sometimes it’s just best to let things be. Worrying about money and material things will only push them further away. Do your best and reward comes in the most unexpected ways.

It is true one can’t do without money but if your partner loves you dearly the simple act of putting a smile on his face or a gift of flowers or cooking a nice meal for him or her will win the heart. And as you let go of your fears and face the most daring situations, so you emerge successful! The Walt Disney classics give the same message in each tale- be it Lion King, Bambi, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Robin Hood, Little Red Riding hood, Snow White or whatever other stories from the Walt Disney classic books!

The moral of the film is that true love overcomes all obstacles! No matter what a rollercoaster ride life is, it is through the bond you share that life will become easy and fun!

The writer can be reached at beenishmhmd@gmail.com