“Shrikant” is a 1987 Hindi film featuring Rajkumar in the lead role. The movie revolves around the life of a blind man, Shrikant, who faces numerous challenges due to his disability. Rajkumar delivers a powerful performance, portraying Shrikant with sensitivity and depth. The film explores themes of resilience and determination, showing how Shrikant overcomes obstacles and finds strength in his adversities. The supporting cast includes talented actors who contribute to the film’s emotional narrative, making it a memorable piece in Indian cinema.
Srikanth is a classic rags-to-riches saga that is enriched enormously by the director’s refusal to employ the standard tropes of the genre. Not only does he keep the storytelling simple and ship-shape, he also ensures that the craft that has gone into the project – cinematographer Pratham Mehta and editors Debasmita Mitra and Sanjay Sankla do their jobs to perfection – does not overshadow the essence of the narrative.
Most films on physically challenged people end up narrating our perception of an incomplete existence, not realising that all of us are sailing in a broken boat and that communication is a two-way process. Director Tushar Hiranandani’s biopic of the visually-impaired industrialist Srikanth Bolla shuns cloying melodrama to tell an inspirational story that is not only witty and winsome in parts but also probes the mental architecture of a visually impaired person in some measure. And, along the way, the film slips in an important message to not treat a person with a disability as special or garbage – but simply engage with him or her as an equal. However, after a point, the biopic becomes a lesson that the makers want to teach to the people of an ableist world, with a smirk.
A movie that doesn’t put the main character of the biography on a pedestal, going against the norm. Not only does it highlight the greats of the character while heroising him, but also is not afraid to show the grey areas and flaws of the same in the most honest way possible with no sugar coating. There’s no typical dramatic fall & rise and fall & rise, it just flows naturally & authentically in a believable manner.
Great casting and great acting by all of them involved, with no unnecessary glamour & diagetic song sequences & larger than life portrayals. Even during slight moments of cinematic exaggerations, it’s believable rather than overly dramatic, because of the way it has been shot and edited & because of the direction of natural performances, even from the side characters with barely any screen-time.
I love how the film doesn’t ignore or forget to acknowledge the other characters who played a part in supporting the growth of the main character, almost reminiscent of the Hollywood film Wonder (2015). I even love how it doesn’t shy away from calling spade a spade, be it even the flaws in the system in the country that needs attention to be worked on. After 12th Fail, this is another solid film that gets things right & strives to be authentic with great ambition and production value as Hollywood. Good improvement for a Bollywood film for striving to strike that balance lately.
The end of this movie doesn’t fill you with unnecessary temporary pity & want to compensate, but actually manages to bluntly change your vision towards differently abled, whether it made you emotional or not, and that’s a great output for me. Making a person seem like a person who was able to achieve and bring about the necessary changes through the right means, & not some overly celebrated hero of fiction with insurmountable plot-armor. Despite the subject matter & encounters with some very important people with stature, it still manages to keep it simple, & this is what this movie is able to achieve effectively; while also not failing to celebrate the spirit & essence of that person. Much needed!