Koshish

What happens when a deaf and dumb guy with a blind friend falls in love with a deaf and dumb girl. Marriage and a child. A great tale of survival against all odds. Rather a great tale of living once life fully against all odds. It deals with lives of the lesser blessed with great dignity. The way they live, the way they bring up their child, the way they find solutions to their problems, shows the immense possibilities in man.

The narrative is not typical of a movie. It feels more biographical and has breaks but still the storyline is strong enough for us to overlook those things. The end is strong, touchy. Trying putting yourself in the place of his son and see if you can conform with the movie.

There are very few movies that would leave a lasting impression on your mind long after you have left the movie theater like "koshish" will do. Two of the most talented actors- Sanjeev kumar and Jaya Bhaduri, brings the courage and agony of the two handicapped but strong willed persons. The movie brought national awards to both of these actors. Gulzar directs and writes the dialogues of the movie which are a treat in themselves.

One of Gulzar's finest works (well, in his case every film is one of the finest) is called Koshish. This is a realistic tale of a deaf couple, played to perfection by Sanjeev Kumar and Jaya Bhaduri. The film shows how handicapped and limited people learn to live life to the fullest despite and against their difficulties and defects. They suffer but they love life and try to see their cup as half full. The film follows their life experiences during a period of 25 years or so, presenting their fears, their love, their ups and downs, and their struggle with the tough reality, always overcoming the obstacles with a smile.

Only two hours long, this cinematic piece is thoroughly beautiful and moving. Sanjeev Kumar and Jaya Bhaduri bring two accomplished performances much ahead of those years, played with impressive simplicity and ease. Kumar leads the show, and Bhaduri provides great support. Dina Pathak is also very compelling as Jaya's mother. The film has several heart-breaking moments, which I won't reveal here. It may seem too dark at points. It is naturally devoid of songs or comedy and is very focused, which makes it a tad too serious, but it's artistic and brilliant and should appeal to any sensitive cine-goer.

Review By Kamal K

koshish ....for me it is one of the all time classic. Every scene unforgettable....the background music compliments the emotions .....superb acting by all the characters. The real hero is the director. I also congratulate the producer for making a movie which is not considered to be a commercial. Its sad the movie is not given its due or exposure it deserves. It must be shown repeatedly to present generation as the theme of the movie is reality all the times.

Koshish is also a research and rights based organization, the focus has been particularly on Women and children keeping in view the vulnerabilities they have in conflict zones. A rights-based approach ensures that entitlements are available to all children without any discrimination. Koshish has conducted several studies in some of the remotest areas of the valley, which have shown interesting insights and the need for these issues be highlighted.