My tuppence worth.....

Now, my take on Black:

Mediocre or no plot, nothing special, didn't even tug at my heartstrings. The opening credits acknowledge the Helen Keller Institute, so that's it for originality; it's very easy to see that it's loosely based on the life of Helen Keller herself. If you haven't watched it, don't hurry. Take your time. It's not worth all the superlatives and praises that have been heaped on it the past two weeks or so. Don't expect to see an iconic film.

What makes this film brilliant, though, are the performances. The direction. The cinematography. The treatment given to the subject. Sanjay Leela Bhansali has, undoubtedly, made a different film. That is what sets this film apart from all the other trash that rolls out of Bollywood. No histrionics, no boy-meets-girl-runs-around-trees, no songs, no villians. The cast is different, Shernaz Patel, Nandana Sen, Ayesha Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan and Rani Mukherjee.

It is without doubt that the lead roles could not have been essayed by anyone else other than the Big B and Rani Mukherjee. I cannot imagine a Preity Zinta or Aishwarya Rai or Sushmita Sen doing the role that Rani Mukherjee has done. Not even a Nandita Das or a Konkona Sen. Of course, an astonishing performance by Ayesha Kapoor, who dons the role of the young Michelle McNally quite effortlessly. And by selecting a supporting cast that's out of mainstream Bollywood, Sanjay Leela Bhansali has had the fortune to draw on some of the better talent to provide excellent supporting roles.

I'm not going to be surprised if Black doesn't win the Best Film award next year, though the Best Actor, Actress, Director and Cinematography are already sealed and signed. I will also go so far as saying that even Black is not the Oscar-winning entry that India has been so eagerly seeking so far, because it is not a unique film for international audiences. The jury will have no hesitation in relegating it to another has-been, because there have been more poignant and sensitive films that have won the Oscar. For Indian audiences used to the Bollywood formula however, it is a pathbreaking film. Sanjay Leela Bhansali should be given credit where credit it due, for daring to opt for a film that is simply a cinematographic treat, where the eyes are the target audience.