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Visual Impairment

Sai Paranjpai's film "Sparsh" has been one of the most critically acclaimed films of the eighties and it garnered three national and three Filmfare awards. This film was originally a teleplay written and directed by Paranjpai titled "Raina Beeti Jaye" that was telecast on Doordarshan and was warmly received by the audiences. The film focuses on the sentimental story of a blind principal Anirudh (Naseerudin Shah) who falls in love with Kavita (Shabana Azmi) whose husband had died in an accident. They are to marry but Anirudh cannot get rid of the suspicion that Kavita is marrying him out of pity. The film's message is "disabled persons need much more than mere sweet words". The entire planning of the film "Sparsh" was undertaken in the house of Mr. Lal Advani, a well known dignitary associated with the welfare of the disabled since ages. He himself is visually impaired but has never let his disability rise above his abilities. As a positive critique of "Sparsh", he feels that in the film "Sparsh", the girl who has been shown marrying the blind principal should not have been shown as a widow since it gives a wrong impression that only a girl with a disadvantage would like to marry a blind person. It is possible that many educated and good family girls may marry educated and well placed blind men.

The issue of visually impaired was also dealt in a children's film "Netrheen Sakshi", directed by Nobendu Ghosh. This is the story of a blind adolescent studying in a normal school. In the class he is friendly with a sighted boy, Sunil. He is intelligent and gifted and likes to compose poems. He has an uncanny ability to identify people through their voices and footsteps. One day Ram hears the voice of his neighbour, Gopalan who lived alone and ran an antique shop upstairs. Then he hears a gunshot and running footsteps. He knows Gopalan has been murdered and that the killers are Boka and Ranga. When he tries to tell this to the police, they do not believe him. Later he is the one who proves instrumental in getting the culprits arrested.

Though the film rightly introduces the concept of integrated school but here much of the homework was needed to be done on the part of the director and story writer since the film has not focused on the issue of education. It has turned out to be an ordinary story of how he reaches police station in the end. Otherwise, projection of intelligent mind of Ram and his ability to recognize people which has been shown very appropriately in the film.

Similarly, a film like "Dosti" which was made in the sixties centres around the close friendship of two disabled - a crippled and a blind - persons. The blind boy helps his crippled friend continue with his studies and earn money by singing on the road. The film gives a message that physically disabled persons have strong sentiments for value of friendship. But, it is significant to mention here that music has been portrayed as the only media for the blind to earn money. But keeping in view the time frame when the film was made, one can say that at least he could earn his livelihood independently. Now it is time to show other careers, which have opened wide vistas of jobs for the visually impaired.

There are some foreign films also which have focused on visual impairment in the recent past. There are "Blind Fury" directed by Philip Noyce and "At First Sight" directed by Irwin Winkler and "Butterflies are Free" (made in USA). "The Colour of Paradise" directed by Majid Majidi is an Iranian film. All these four films have focused on visual impairment.

"Blind Fury" is an Americanized version of the Japanese Zatwichi series of movies. Nick Porker (Hauer) is blinded while fighting in Vietnam. Later, he is taken in by a Vietnameese villager who teaches him not only to rely on his hearing alone but also the art of sword fighting.

In 'At First Sight", Virgil, a blind man gets a chance at regaining his sight if he takes a chance on an experimental procedure. His architect girl friend is there to help him as the effects of the surgery takes hold and his sister is ready to help him adjust if it does not work. This movie is a journey from the dark to the light that shows us what such a change in one's life can really mean.

"Butterflies are Free" is the story of a blind boy who is in love with a girl next - door, who happens to be Goldie Hawn. They meet each other. The girl does not first realize that he is blind and then is really impressed with how well he copes. She helps him to update his image. It becomes clear from their conversations that he is trying to be independent from his wealthy, overprotective mother and become a successful singer/song writer. The profession chosen by the blind is once again portrayed as a singer. The attempt to strive out of an overprotective atmosphere is indeed a highly positive step.

"The Colour of Paradise" is the story of a small boy, Mohammed who returns home to his family after spending a year at the school for the blind. His widowed father finds him a burden and subsequently sends him off to work as an apprentice for a blind craftsman against the wishes of his son.

It is significant to note that in the foreign films the important aspect, that is rehabilitation and process of social adjustment have been touched well in all the four films. The negative attitude of family members has also been depicted well in "The Colour of Paradise". It needs to be mentioned that other aspects like educational /vocational problems of the visually impaired should also be shown on the screen. Further, more avenues on employment must be shown on the screen since only then the potential employers will accept the blind in open employment. It has been proved scientifically that on an average the productive skills of the visually impaired are either equal or more than their sighted counterparts employed in the same nature of job.

In "Anuraag", a Hindi film, the heroine Moushmi Chatterjee is a blind girl. Vinod Mehra falls in love with her. Finally, a small boy who is very fond of Moushmi donates his eyes and she is able to get back her vision. Almost the same thing has been portrayed in "Guddu" in which Manisha Koirala loses her eyesight because of an accident and against all odds gets her love. The importance of eye donation has been portrayed in the film.

"Kaasi" is a Tamil film on visual impairment. It is the story of a blind folk singer who has a paralyzed father, weak mother and two charming young sisters. Kaasi is always cursed for not earning and supporting his family.