Review : Black

Black is like its film-maker : different. A very off-beat topic for one; the story of a deaf-blind girl and her teacher. And no ordinary girl either – a wilful, spirited child this one. Her teacher; eccentric, strong-willed and persistent.A pair to match ,you’d say. The child Michelle McNally (played by child actor Ayesha Kapur) is deaf and blind as a baby. You see the sadness engulfing the parents as they get this news. As the child grows, she does not learn communication and as such remains in her own dark world, suffocating, we are told. Although her parents are rich, she grows up animal-like, caught alone.Unless supervised, her actions cause accidents, whereupon her father Paul (Dhritiman Chaterjee) decides to send her to an asylum. Catherine (Shernaz), her mother, protests and persuades Paul to try home tutoring first. Clutching at straws, she invites an eccentric teacher from Dehradun, Balraj Sahai (Bachhan) to teach Michelle. Sahai when he lands up, has firm and particular ideas on how Michelle is to be taught, which leads to a confrontation with the family, particularly Paul.

Mercifully, when Paul leaves for a few days, Sahai is able to commence his lessons, and for the first time Michelle understands what it is to communicate, leading to great joy in the home. Sahai stays to tutor Michelle (now played by Rani) for many years, and is instrumental in Michelle attempting to pass exams at a regular college. Michelle is independent and can look after herself, when Sahai leaves, after a regrettable encounter with Michelle.

When she meets him again, he needs her help….

This is a good film, carrying with it an aura of sadness. Bhansali shoots the entire film, in dark, muted tones. No splashes of sunlight, no vividness of colors here ! Rani delivers a sterling performance as Michelle, and Bachhan is good as Sahai. Shernaz Patel returns to the screen after Janam, and does well. The director wields his camera well, telling the tale with consummate ease, and the emotional charge required for such a moving story. Certain scenes, like the scene when Michelle understands what it is to communicate, are shot especially well, impressing upon the viewer all the pain underneath.

There are no songs, only a just about average background score to accompany theviewer through Michelle’s triumphs and tribulations. My only problem with the movie, is that the director overdoes it, i.e; he milks it for all its worth, to the point where sympathy is lost rather than gained. Other than that, a good watch.