Sparsh

This movie deals with people with handicaps – one is bitter due to blindness and the other is depressed due to heart break. Society tends to glorify blindness as a bigger handicap than heartbreak. The movie poignantly shows that both are debilitating and need a lot of work to overcome. Kavita and Anirudh are fortunate in discovering each other. Their individual handicaps first help them in working together, then bonding together and then tears them apart. A well-wisher has to step in ultimately to bridge the gap.

There are some endearing scenes with the kids and the dialog is very engaging. The sequence where Anirudh describes his perception of Kavita's beauty deserves special mention for its poetry. Both Naseer and Shabana excel in their minimalist style.

This film covered a similar subject which one of my favourite movies did 'Black', which I thought will maintain that position in my list. But I was wrong, I didn't know that a masterpiece has already been created. After a long time, I have seen a film whose dialogue's made me cry. And the ending could not have been better.

If there was any doubt that Naseer, in my humble opinion, is the best actor of our times, this movie lays those doubts to rest. Anirudh Parmar's character was (since it has been such a long time this movie was released) a challenge in two ways. Not only was Anirudh blind, but his handicap brought out the best of humanity in him. He chooses the noblest cause one of his handicap could undertake, to educate the less fortunate with the same handicap. Also, Anirudh's fierce pride as a productive human being had to be portrayed as such. Naseer not only stood up the challenge but overcame it as only he can. Which actor in the world (Dustin Hoffman included) could play a blind man, without wearing sun-glasses, as well as him playing Anirudh Parmar? For Naseer fans like myself, a definite MUST SEE!

I first heard about the director of this movie by a facebook post written by a fellow Sri Lankan movie lover. As mentioned in that post, the director Sai Paranjpye had received many acclaims for the movie and awarded many times. So without even thinking or researching (which I do before I decide to watch a movie if I haven't heard about it before) I downloaded it and watched it.

It was a slow start but I was amazed by Naseeruddin's acting and fell in love with Shabana's natural smile and eyes. And the plot was not a usual one to me.

To be honest, it took me sometime to fully attain to it but when I did, I couldn't took my eyes away. It was a great plot with great dialogs and characters. How she has captured the most inner feelings of the characters and how perfect the actors do their best to express it is truly amazing.

And even when I thought something might get wrong, well it doesn't. Everything was perfect and this became a movie which rushed tears in to my eyes.

Looking forward to watch more movies of the director. Hope they are available with English subtitles.

Sai Paranjape's films always deal with situations and characters, which one can easily identify with, and her 'Sparsh' is a nostalgic movie. The film upholds an important principle that the disabled want to live independently, to be accorded the dignity and respect other sectors of society are granted.They don't want sympathy, rather they want and need normal behaviour towards them.

Anirudh Parmar (Naseerudin Shah), a visually impaired young man, runs a school for the blind as a principal.He works towards making his students self-reliant and hates the society for pitying people like him.One evening, at a party, he meets Kavita (Shabana Azmi), a young widow, and offers her to teach in his school.

Reluctant at first, Kavita eventually joins the school. She starts enjoying the company of the blind children and they too feel comfortable with her. Gradually, Anirudh and Kavita fall in love and get engaged. However, after some time, Anirudh starts having doubts whether this marriage is going to succeed. He feels he is being demeaned, and pitied, and hence breaks their engagement. He even tells Kavita not to come to school anymore.However, Kavita, who really has love for blind children, translates famous stories for them in brail. Will Anirudh realize her passion and take her for what she is?

A method artist, Naseeruddin Shah studied the behavioral characteristics of blind and came up with an amazing performance, winning himself the National Award for Best Actor.

Apart from critical appreciation,'Sparsh' also won 3 Filmfare Awards.

(Best Director— Sai Paranjape Best Dialogue—Sai Paranjape Best Film—Basu Bhattacharya)

This was back in the 1970's, when Naseerudin Shah was heralded as one of the leading lights of the parallel cinema.His principal of a blind school, who forms a life-affirming relationship with Kavita, left a lasting impression.

Paranjape made a sincere attempt to tell both sides of the story, with a rare unsentimental equilibrium, dealing with the complexes embedded in the minds of both the characters.