| Sparsh | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Sai Paranjpye |
| Written by | Sai Paranjpye |
| Produced by | Basu Bhattacharya |
| Starring | Naseeruddin Shah Shabana Azmi Sudha Chopra Om Puri |
| Cinematography | Virendra Saini |
| Edited by | Om Prakash Makkar |
| Music by | Kanu Roy |
Release date |
|
Running time | 145 minutes |
| Language | Hindi |
Sparsh (transl. Touch) is a 1980IndianHindi feature film directed bySai Paranjpye. It starsNaseeruddin Shah andShabana Azmi playing the characters of avisually impaired principal and a sighted teacher in a school for the blind, where they fall in love though soon their complexes tag along and they struggle to get past them to reconnect with the "touch" of love. The film remains most memorable for the subtle acting of its leads, plus the handling of the issue of relationships with the visually disabled, revealing the emotional and perception divide between the worlds of the "blind" and the "sighted", epitomized by the characters.[1][2] The film's release was delayed by almost 4 years. It won theNational Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi.[3]
The film won numerous awards includingNational Film Award – Best Actor for Shah, while Paranjpye won forBest Screenplay. At theFilmfare Awards, it won the top two honours: that ofBest Movie andFilmfare Award|Best Director, plus aBest Dialogue Award for Paranjpye. Further, Azmi was nominated forBest Actress, which she eventually won for the filmBhavna.
This film is about theblind, in particular about the lives and feelings of blind children and the principal of their school.Sparsh refers to the sensation and feeling of touch upon which blind people rely in the absence of sight.
The story opens with Anirudh Parmar as theprincipal of Navjivan Andhvidyalay, a school for the blind that educates about 200 blind children. Anirudh has a dark and lonely existence for the most part. One day, while on his way to the doctor, he hears a lovely song and ends up mesmerized at the singer's door instead of going to the doctor.
The voice belongs to Kavita Prasad, a young woman recentlywidowed after three years of marriage. Kavita, too, prefers a secluded existence. Her childhood friend Manju, is the only ally she has.
Manju throws a small party where Kavita and Anirudh meet. He recognizes her from her voice. During the conversation, he mentions that the school is looking for volunteers to read, sing, teach handicrafts and spend time with the children. Kavita is reluctant, but she is urged by Manju and her husband Suresh to strongly consider it. Kavita decides to volunteer.
As Kavita spends more time at the school, she begins forming a friendship with Anirudh. The friendship grows stronger over time and they become engaged. But their personalities and feelings are different. Anirudh is of strong character. He firmly believes that the blind need help but not pity or charity. (When once, in his office, Kavita attempts to assist him with coffee, he gets enraged at the thought of his guest offering to overcome his obvious difficulty with hospitality.) Kavita, recently bereaved, looks to the school (and Anirudh) as a way towards an ideal, one of sacrificial service. Anirudh gets wind of this and assumes Kavita is simply seeking to fill the void in her life with this form of service. He assumes she accepted his wedding proposal, not out of love, but as a sacrifice towards a way out of her dark life. During this time, Anirudh's blind friend Dubey laments that his recently deceased wife was not happy in their marriage.
Anirudh is shaken, confused, and disturbed by all this. He breaks off his engagement (but does not mention the reason to Kavita). She accepts his decision.
Kavita, now a salaried employee of the school, continues to help the children. The initial coldness between her and Anirudh gives way to friction and eventually, over a series of events at the school, brings up the feelings they were not able to discuss before. The situation spirals downward and one of them must leave the school.
The film ends with Anirudh and Kavita being touched by the depth of their feelings for one another and finally seeing a way out.
Much of the film was shot at the Blind Relief Association inNew Delhi and the character of Anirudh is modelled on Mr Mittal, who was the headmaster of the Association.[4]
| Award | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27th National Film Awards | Best Feature Film in Hindi | Basu Bhattacharya andSai Paranjpye | Won | [3] |
| Best Actor | Naseeruddin Shah | Won | ||
| Best Screenplay | Sai Paranjpye | Won | ||
| 32nd Filmfare Awards: | Best Film | Basu Bhattacharya | Won | [5] |
| Best Director | Sai Paranjpye | Won | ||
| Best Dialogue | Sai Paranjpye | Won | ||
| Best Actor | Naseeruddin Shah | Nominated | [citation needed] | |
| Best Actress | Shabana Azmi | Nominated | [citation needed] |
Sparsh's music is by veteran music directorKanu Roy and lyrics are by Indu Jain.[6]
| Song | Singer (s) |
|---|---|
| "Concert" (Sarod) | Amjad Ali Khan |
| "Geeton Ki Duniya Men Sargam" | Sulakshana Pandit |
| "Khali Pyala Dhundhla Darpan" | |
| "Pyala Chhalka Ujla Darpan" |