The entire nation waited with bated breath, as Shwaas, our official entry to the Oscars this year, made its journey to the US. Will it, won’t it, was the question being asked and hotly debated. The only other film in recent times, to have generated an equivalent amount of interest was Lagaan, a few years ago. Unfortunately, as we know, Lagaan did not win. Now that Shwaas has also lost out, our hopes have shifted to Black. Shwaas, however, has already won a staggering 31 awards in various categories, including the National award this year for the best film and best child actor, the Star Screen awards, the Maharashtra State awards, the Maharashtra Kala Niketan awards, Alpha Gaurav awards etc, etc. Let us take a look at the film and its prospects.
Shwaas (meaning breath) is the story of Parshuram, a small boy hailing from a remote coastal village of Maharashtra. Parshuram has a medical problem—he cannot see properly, his eyes hurt, and he has double vision. The local physician refers him for diagnosis and treatment to one of the leading doctors in the city, Dr. Sane. Parshuram’s father, a bus conductor, is indisposed, and it is his grandfather, Vichare, who accompanies him to the city. The grand father browbeats the doctor into seeing them, in spite of not having an appointment. A series of tests prescribed to diagnose the boy’s ailment brings the relatively uneducated but street-smart grandfather, face to face with the rather mechanical and occasionally apathetic medical world, as he moves from one test to another. The reports confirm the doctor’s suspicion, that the child has a rare condition, wherein both the boy’s eyes are afflicted by cancer. To save the boy’s life, the doctor must remove both the eyes, thus rendering the boy blind for life. The entire story is about how the boy, his grandfather, his parents and the doctor cope with this Hobson’s choice, this rather cruel twist that fate has dealt them.
Many a times in real life, one is faced with such situations, where one does not know which is better—the disease or the cure. Modern medicine cures, but not before claiming its pound of flesh. Anecdotal reports of people facing such a dilemma, where one is forced to give up an organ of the body, be it eye, a limb, a lung, a kidney or a breast, in exchange for one’s life are fairly common. Very often the question that is raised is “Is life worth living’ in such circumstances”? And invariably, the answer is yes, for man is an optimist and a survivor, and will fight to preserve his life, under any circumstances. Films are often a reflection of what happens in real life, and Shwaas also draws heavily on a real life story, that took place in a hospital in Pune. Shwaas is about survival against all odds, and is a film that spreads the message of hope. Shwaas could be anybody’s story, but in the end, it is a story of man’s triumph over fate and destiny. Shwaas shows us the light at the end of the tunnel and directs our attention at the proverbial silver lining. The fact that in this film, it’s a child who is the victim makes it all the more touching and sad. But the film also highlights another fact—that children are much more perceptive and much more intelligent than what adults believe them to be. Also, the film shows that children cope exceeding well with life’s problems, and that children also heal faster and more completely than adults do, in their minds and hearts.
Shwaas also focuses on the medical profession, but the director is quite neutral and non-judgmental, on the doctors and the hospitals. It brings to fore the working of large hospitals and of successful doctors who work there. Shwaas throws light on a doctor’s life, which is extremely demanding and difficult, with patients, phone calls and the family, clamoring for attention at the same time. But Shwaas also brings out the human aspect of doctors, and thus we see that Dr. Sane, in spite of having limited time, agrees to be the one, who will inform and mentally prepare the child for the eventuality that is expected. Towards the end, even the doctor and the medical social worker, who are working on the case are shown to be human, as they too are moved to tears by the child’s plight. It is a common belief that doctors are an unemotional lot, and are totally unmoved by the patient’s discomfort and distress, but Shwaas endeavors to dispel this notion.
The film itself however is technically average, with a very ordinary background score. Director Sandeep Sawant makes his debut with this film, and he has also written the screenplay and dialogues. He has used a real life story based on the experiences of a cancer surgeon, Dr. Shailesh Puntambekar. The research that has gone into the making of the film, in terms of hospital workings, the hospital environment, a doctor’s daily routine and schedule, and the language and customs of the people living in the Konkan region of Maharashtra, the psychology of the grandfather vis a vis the grandson and his illness, are excellent and without a fault. What raises the film to an extraordinary level, however, is undoubtedly the powerful heart warming story, and the above average performances. Arun Nalawade as Vichare, the grandfather is excellent, displaying the inner turmoil that is going on in his mind, as he is the one who must decide the fate of the very grandson on whom he dotes, and whom he loves more than anything in this world. Sandeep Kulkarni as Dr. Sane gives a remarkable performance as an onco-surgeon, who must first convince and counsel the grandfather, the grandson and then proceed to perform the surgery that will take away the boy’s sight. His mannerisms, the sweet talks that he gives his patients, the restrained manner in which he handles his wife, and the chaos around him are done admirably. Dr. Sane is so convincing and authentic, that every patient will wish for a doctor like him. But ultimately the show belongs to the boy Parshuram enacted by child artist, Ashwin Chitale, who is sincere, vulnerable, and spontaneous, and very often brings tears to your eyes.
Some of the scenes in the film remain etched in your mind, even after you exit the theatre. Dr. Sane trying to counsel the boy with the help of words and games, telling him that blindness is after all not so bad is very moving. The grandfather’s fear and anxiety, on being asked to sign a consent form, of which he understands nothing, is palpable. And the frantic search for the missing grandfather and grandson in the hospital, and the grandfather’s outburst against Dr. Sane, where he explains why he took Parshuram away from the hospital for a day, are brilliantly done. The film shies away from melodrama and focuses on the human aspect instead. It will give hope to millions of cancer survivors the world over, and any film that can affect the lives and minds of millions across the globe, irrespective of caste, creed, sex and nationality, definitely deserved to win an award at the Oscars. One of the primary aims of good cinema is to educate, create awareness and relay a message to the audience. In these terms, Shwaas does exactly that. A brilliant effort, and the makers deserve all the applause, and more.