Blind , deaf and Mute.People and objects in their lives are just smells, a sensation, a warm hug, a rough touch, a soft kiss, a cold splash , a painful sharpness, a soothing coolness!Their ideas have no colour, shape or name and no expression.There are no words as theirs is a soundless and lightless world – it is all a silent darkness. I do not know if it is black or gray or a muddy brown – anyway how does it matter what colour infinite sadness is? To be sitting in front of the sea and feel it only as a cool touch, not to be able to be awed by the majesty of a mountain except feel it as a hard surface under your body;not to be moved to tears by music and yet to be alive? Did God forget to say “let there be light” when he created them?
I hung my head in shame for all those times I had complained about my lot – every day of my healthy life has been a blessing and I am not sure I will have enough days left to say thanks for all the simple blessings that I have so far taken as given.
Now I know what Purandaradasa meant when he sang:
Narajanma bandaga Naalige iruvage
“Krishna” ena barade?*
(When you have been blessed with human existence and have the power to speak can you not say Krishna's name?)
I hung my head in shame for all those times I had complained about my lot – every day of my healthy life has been a blessing and I am not sure I will have enough days left to say thanks for all the simple blessings that I have so far taken as given.
Now I know what Purandaradasa meant when he sang:
Narajanma bandaga Naalige iruvage
“Krishna” ena barade?*
(When you have been blessed with human existence and have the power to speak can you not say Krishna's name?)
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I thought making the best of what you have, to constantly push the limits, to fight and overcome adversity ( the Oscars love that theme) is what the movie was about. It is possible that in view of other people's inabilities, our own may seem trivial & teach us not to crib and complain; however, it is the old King Bruce story thematically, in my opinion. For me, the movie was not about what I have or have not, but what attitude I bring to whatever I have.
I did not like the movie all that much. For me, the lavish sets & the gorgeous shots overshadowed the anyway moderate performances.
There is this other movie called "Thoda saa roomaani ho jayein", you could think of Nana Patekar as a Bachchan parallel in terms of characterization, you know, idiosyncratic, dreamer type. Now for me Patekar to gether with Kanwar created magic, something which in my opinion did not happen with black.
My knowledge of cinema isn't really much, but for me the best way to capture intensity of human emotions is letting it be in the nude.
S!
Souvik, thanks for the comment. Althought he blog was inspired by the movie, these were the emotions the character of michelle stirred in me. It was not meant to be a comment on the movie. I liked the movie in spite of all the Bansali loudness - perhaps because a situation as terrible as michelle's deserves a screaming narration as the gifted ones are too indifferent to notice their silences.
Loved the post, especially 'krishna enabarade' part of it! Its so true that we take so much for granted, and forget to remember what we are blessed with. I also wonder if visually challenged (I think thats the 'politically correct' word to use in this context) would ever dream, and if yes, how/what would that be?
Bhansali has been trying to make movies with difficult subject like this (remember Khamoshi?) but I personally feel that he is yet to hit a perfect chord. He is trying, at least!
Absolutely!