Bollywood Movies With Deaf Characters In Lead Roles

As I decided to write hub on weekly topic 'Deaf Awareness Week' , I realized that deafness is something to which I have never given much attention. Strangely I haven't met any deaf person in my life accept for my brief visit to Institute run by government which works for various disability including deafness. It was in year 2003 when I visited the institute to get visiting cards printed for my start up. The institute runs vocational courses where they teach printing , gruh udhyogs . They also have commercial wing where cards , leaflets , pamplets , invitation cards are printed and money is reinvested in the institute. That was my only interaction with deaf people.

Then I looked at bollywood .Only few movies came to my mind which had deaf character in important roles. Blind characters still have been part of movies more than deaf and mute ones. Generally deaf and mute characters play small roles where they witness some murder and get kidnapped or characters who become mute(not deaf)due to some shocking incident to regain their voice in climax but a deaf character playing lead in very very rare. Some have used deaf characters to make comedy scenes out of it , while some have made all out comedy movies out of it but sincere effort towards the challenges deafs face , their concerns , their worries , their trimphs have been rare.

Here by I am listing down four beautiful movies which has had deaf characters in the lead or equally powerful roles. All four are wonderful movies and are sincere effort from makers of the movies.

1) Koshish : 

What happens when you bring extremely talented gulzar , finest actress jaya bhadhuri and none other than sanjeev kumar together to work in a sensitive story . Answer is movie called koshish. Gulzar's koshish is story of deaf and mute couple jaya bhadhuri and sanjeev kumar. Their challenges , their quest to live life and their journey. It is considered to be one of landmark movies of bollywood.

2) Khamoshi: The Musical :

Sanjay leela bansali's debut movie as director was hailed by critics but it failed in box office. The movie was nicely made and have good story. Nana patekar and seema bishwas play deaf and mute couple. Seema gives birth to girl child (manisha koirala) who can speak and hear. Seema's also gives birth to a boy who too can speak and hear. The story evolves around relationship of daughter and her parents. It had some great songs like 'aaj mein upar' ,'Bahon Ke Darmiyan'.

3) Black :

Rani mukherjee is having all time career low currently with no movies in hand and one ad in her kitty. One of most talented , versatile and powerful actress of all time , rani has been written off by critics and declared that her time is over in bollywood. Would she bounce back?. Well only time can tell but in her long career rani did some best works and among the list ,one name which stands tall is 'Black'. Black is one of best movies ever made and Rani did role of her life in the movie. The movie is story of a deaf,mute,blind girl , her journey and her relationship with her guru (amitabh bachchan). The first half of the movie was adapted from Helen Keller's autobiography The Story of My Life. Rani does exceptional job in the movie. 

4) Iqbal :

While the above three movies dealt with deaf,mute people and their challenges in terms of life,marriage,relationship,studies , iqbal is different movie than above three. It has sports theme and deaf,mute character in the lead. Story of a boy who dreams of playing for India .  Cricket is religion is India and to get into 11 in nation of more than billion people is really tough. Shreyas talpade plays the leade character while naseerudin shah playes his coach. The movie was nicely made with different story. It shows extra ordinary dream of deaf youth belonging to poor family . It is story of trimph of talent against all odds. The movie ends with shreyas wearing blue jersey of Indian cricket team.