After a long time, the Indian film industry is seeing a different kind of flick, called Black! One simply has to go beyond the conventional imaginative frontiers, in order to come up with a brilliant piece of work like this.
I’d read a number of reviews, interviews of the director of this film Sanjay Leela Bhansali, and a poignantly anxious as well as morally repugnant critique review of the same, by Anurag Kashyap, in the Tehelka weekly. Bhansali said, ’’If you do not find any flaws, do not criticize it.’’ Kashyap says, ’’Black urges you, ’I’m sensitive, look at me, and be moved’!’’
I’m sure the viewer would respond to both the men appropriately! When I saw the movie, I found a heteroclite creation, far better from being called extraordinary! Theatrical performances of all the actors, specially that of the one playing the lead’s (Michelle McNally’s) childhood role: Ayesha Kapoor. The Big B, too, is formidable. The storyline, as evidently is inspired by the life of Helen Keller. The difficulties which special children come across, while dealing with even the daily trifles of life are visibly shaking.
The scenes where the kid Michelle calls her parents out, and later, that of Michelle’s younger sister (Serah) confessing her stand toward the elder one, and later on, when the teacher(Debraj Sahai) reads out the blind, deaf and mute feelings of the elder sister are the best parts of the film. The film also effectively addresses the quandary experienced by special people, when it comes to relationships, and intimacy. Finally, optimism relives when the teacher feels the water, in the climax, with her student.
The sets are occidental, with a European touch. The music invariably reminds me of Amelie, and some other French, Polish films.