Review of Black (2005) by Ritvik K — 07 Mar 2008

This is a movie which you can not categorize anywhere. It has a place of its own, which can tentatively be called Pain-Sublime. Rays of light pierce the black darkness of the protagonist's life and permeate into our lives to bathe us in a feeling of rapturous contentment rarely experienced in cinema before.

Black has created a new definition for Hindi Cinema. This movie proved once and for all that to make a nice movie you don't really need sex, comedy, & formulas. There is only one formula for a nice movie. A nice script, a passionate director, and some nice work from background team. This piece of art by Bhanshali is going to remain as one masterpiece for all times to come. This story is inspired from the life of Hellen Keller.

Black unfolds emotions that has never been felt in Hindi Cinema before. This movie takes out the pain that has never been experienced by anyone before too.

Debraj Sahay (Amitabh Bachchan) is the guide to Michelle McNally (Ayesha Kapoor) a deaf and blind child by birth. She doesn't understand anything. So Debraj has to start her life from scratch. Slowly Debraj guides her from black to a colorful world through his eyes. She discovers her identity. She starts feeling emotions. She is no more suffering from inferiority complex.

The movie starts to show the black & dark world of Michelle with Debraj. Then Debraj tries to strike a cord with Michelle. But it is not easy. Michelle is a difficult child who wouldn't listen to anything or anybody. But then difficult and possible are two different words. Debraj makes Michelle sees the light inside the darkness and in the process he goes blind. Now it is Michelle's turn to make him see the light. Those few moments in the movie are very heart touching.

Bela Sehgal as the editor has done an incredible job. Hats off to Bhanshali to gives life to his vision. Also a hearty congrats to all those technicians who have contributed to the movie in some way or other. The movie belongs to only two persons Amitabh and Rani. I believe this is Amitabh's best movie till date. No one else will be able to match his caliber in the recent times to come. Rani acts and looks as if she is born that way. Bhanshali has been known to create magic in his movies and he has proved that in Black.

There is a scene where Michelle asks Devraj to kiss her as she wants to fulfill her sexual yearning. There are numerous scenes which are simply unforgettable.