Do not remake a classic [Miracle worker] just to insult it with such sub-standard product! That is what I have to say after watching[read bearing] Black on star gold on Sunday!It was all hype no gas...
Is Black a world-class cinema and the great ’’crossover’’ film that many Indian critics have hailed it to be? Hardly. It is highly derivative, laden with excesses and at the core, somewhat dishonest and manipulative. As a director no doubt SLB is intelligent {?}and methodical man who knows the art of filmmaking. He is quiet clear at the outset what kind of a film he wants to make and sticks closely to his vision.
The film for the most moves on a singular track but one feels that something is missing!.
Bhansali states in the credit lines that the film is inspired by Helen Keller’s life. If that is so, where is the need to tag on the Alzheimer angle and the sibling rivalry, except to squeeze out those extra drops of pathos and melodrama? For Bhansali there has to be more masala – therefore the blatant departure from Keller’s actual life.
The few passing moments of tension between Amitabh-Ayesha is too monotonous and cyclic The kissing scene between Rani-Amitabh is forced in the narrative that takes away the sheen from Rani’s character!.The amount of depth, realism and research that SLB has put into the film deserves a standing ovation..but after a point drama gets so taxic and whole environment looks so unreal and cyclic , you fail to connect with the film! The relation that Rani-Amitabh looks aritificial and fake!.The screenplay is also below expectations. .SLB drags the film unecessarily and even the climax could’ve been cut short.
In which time and place is this story set? Why do the characters speak in English? Okay, maybe they are Anglo-Indians. So how come both their English and Hindi is so chaste and perfect? At the script level, the film falters with the crucial device of the Alzheimer’s Disease. The intention was to create a parallel between Debraj helping the young Michelle out of her helplessness and now the grown up Michelle doing the same to her Alzheimer-stricken teacher. But unfortunately Alzheimer’s is an incurable disease that traverses a irreversible path. How is Michelle going to help her teacher? No answers are provided. No doubt, the film produces quite a few moments of gut-wrenching beauty and poignancy, but for the most part it leaves you uninvolved.
To all those who are not aware what I am saying watch “ the miracle worker” (black & white one) starring patty duke & anne bankroft. Well it is many decades old based on Hellen keller’s life .Black is just a poor copy of this movie .Also by just changing the female teacher in to a male teacher we are aspiring to bag OSCAR[in vain!] .
Our country has numerous inspiring stories too pertaining our social issues, why not bring that to world attention . my opinion about this movie is not about how well made it is ….it is all about “ being original”
dull!