Black

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"An unending darkness... A world of shadows... A ray of light that found its way... A teacher's dream... A student's miracle... A valiant journey... From ignorance to knowledge... From darkness to light... An extraordinary story of an ordinary life."
  • NR
  • 2005
  • 2 hr 2 min
  • 8.1  (35,774)

In the movie "Black," Amitabh Bachchan portrays Debraj Sahai, a stubborn teacher who has lost his sight and hearing. He becomes the instructor of Michelle McNally (played by Rani Mukerji), a girl who was born deaf and blind. The movie is set in Shimla, India, during the 1960s, and chronicles the journey of Debraj and Michelle as they work together to overcome the obstacles of Michelle's unique condition and ultimately achieve her goal of pursuing higher education.

As the movie begins, we are introduced to Debraj Sahai, a once brilliant teacher who, after a series of unfortunate events, has lost both his sight and his hearing. He is then hired by the McNally family to tutor their daughter, Michelle, who was born blind and deaf. Michelle is initially very frustrated and unable to connect with anyone around her, including her family. Her parents are upper-middle-class citizens who are unable to understand Michelle's condition and struggle to adapt and help her cope. After a lot of trial and error, they discover Debraj, who they believe will not only be able to educate their daughter but also help her connect with the world around her.

At first, Debraj believes that teaching Michelle will be an easy task, simply requiring the right teaching materials and patience. However, he quickly realizes that he has bitten off more than he can chew. Michelle is completely unresponsive to anything he says or does, causing him to question his own abilities as a teacher. As he spends more time with Michelle, he becomes increasingly frustrated and doubtful of his own abilities. This leads to a lot of contentious moments between Debraj and Michelle, as well as between Debraj and Michelle's parents, who are disappointed with his initial lack of progress.

Despite the challenges, Debraj is persistent and ultimately is able to break through to Michelle. Together, they develop a unique language of their own, using touch and movement cues to communicate with each other. This allows Debraj to teach Michelle the basics of language, mathematics, and general knowledge. However, as Michelle's education advances, so does the complexity of the lessons she requires. Debraj increasingly struggles to keep up with her level of learning, putting a strain on their relationship and causing him to doubt himself as a teacher. He also begins to worry about Michelle's future without him, and whether or not she will be able to live a fulfilling life.

The relationship between Debraj and Michelle is further complicated by their vastly different backgrounds. Debraj comes from a lower economic class and is viewed with disdain by Michelle's upper-middle-class parents. Additionally, Debraj is a very stubborn individual who is unwilling to accept any help or guidance from anyone, including Michelle's parents. These societal differences highlight the inherent inequalities present in India at the time, and make it difficult for Debraj and Michelle to achieve equality in their relationship.

While the story of Debraj and Michelle is at the forefront of the movie, "Black" also tackles a number of larger themes. One of the most prominent is the idea of overcoming adversity. Both Debraj and Michelle confront significant obstacles during the course of the film, and must find ways to overcome them to achieve their goals. Debraj has to learn how to teach without his sight and hearing, while Michelle has to learn how to communicate and exist in a world with no physical contact. Through persistence and determination, they are able to transcend their limitations and achieve things that they never thought were possible.

Another theme explored in "Black" is the power of education. Debraj is initially skeptical about Michelle's ability to learn, but over time comes to realize that she is capable of achieving great things. Additionally, the McNally family is shown to be somewhat ignorant about Michelle's condition, which hampers her early development. However, as Debraj begins to teach her, they also begin to understand the value of education and how it can transform Michelle's life.

Overall, "Black" is a poignant and emotional movie that tackles a number of serious themes. The performances of Amitabh Bachchan and Rani Mukerji are particularly noteworthy, as they bring a great deal of chemistry and heart to their roles. While the movie can be difficult to watch at times due to the emotional and challenging subject matter, it is ultimately a very rewarding experience that showcases the power of persistence and the importance of education.

Black
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Description
  • Release Date
    2005
  • MPAA Rating
    NR
  • Runtime
    2 hr 2 min
  • Language
    Hindi
  • IMDB Rating
    8.1  (35,774)
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