Video Editor: Phelian
Let's admit it: Bollywood does not have a great track record for disability representation that is kind to the disabled community. More often than not, film franchises like Golmaal and Houseful treat disability as a banal punch line, actively diminishing the struggles of people who live with a mental or physical disability.
At a time when Western portrayals are just waking up to authentic representation - here's looking at you, Special (a criminally underrated comedy created by and starring a queer disabled artist, Ryan O'Connell) - there's a sea of films that are so ableist that you could cringe till it hurts.
The inclusion of disabled people on both sides of the camera is a dire requirement in Indian films. It's high time the community gets to tell their own stories, without having ableist caricatures mar their fight.
But here are four films which have managed to scratch the surface with their multifaceted portrayals of disabled protagonists:
1. Koshish (1972)
Directed by Gulzar, the National Award-winning film flaunts a stellar lead cast of Jaya Bachchan and Sanjeev Kumar as a deaf and mute couple trying to raise their son. Their soulful depiction of disability still stands strong - fifty years on.
2. Wheel Chair (1994)
Another National Award-winning offering, Tapan Sinha's Wheel Chair is a story of a paralyzed physiotherapist helping a woman navigate through her life after surviving sexual assault. The cast brings two of Bengali Cinema's choicest actors, Soumitra Chatterjee and Laboni Sarkar together.
3. Guzaarish (2010)
Sanjay Leela Bhansali's rousing film on a paraplegic former magician filing a petition for euthanasia is also one of Hrithik Roshan's finest works. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is captivating as his nurse and platforms the often unsung voices of primary caregivers.
4. Margarita with a straw (2014)
A personal favorite, Shonali Bose's film is a riveting tale of a young bisexual woman with cerebral palsy. Kalki Koechlin skillfully plays a livewire Laila who refuses to be beaten down in an ableist world. Sayani Gupta as her blind lover offers a multilayered depiction of disabled folk's sexuality and desires.
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