THE UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE OF KINDNESS
It is often said that hard things are put in our way, not to stop us, but to call out our courage and strength. The inspirational saying is perhaps most appropriate for people with disabilities.
“ನಾಂದಿ” (‘Nāndi’, which means ‘Prologue’) is a
1964 Kannada film. The
romantic drama, a cult classic, revolved around the plight of people with
speech and hearing disabilities. The landmark movie received widespread
critical appreciation for its sensitive handling of a heart-wrenching topic.
The male protagonist, Murthy
(Dr. Rajkumar) is a school teacher, who is blissfully wedded to Nirmala
(Kalpana). Misfortune strikes the couple when Nirmala dies while giving birth
to a child. Widowed Murthy decides to marry Ganga (Harini), who suffers from
speech impairment. The rest of the story is about the trials and times; the
travails and triumphs of the two.
N. Lakshminarayan has written
and directed this drama, one that most certainly will touch a chord with you.
The simple, single-threaded storyline has a stirring appeal. The plot is pendulum-like;
the ups elevate you to euphoria and the downs drown you in despair. Genius Vijaya
Bhaskar’s music is lovely, as always;
the songs are evergreen classics. On
the technical front too, the flick fares fine.
Dr. Rajkumar, an epitome of excellence, is warm and tender with his rendition. But,
Harini has delivered a knockout
performance; she emotes effortlessly with her expressive eyes. Kalpana and
Udaykumar are SUPER in their cameos. Veterans Ashwath, Dinesh, Vadiraj, Balakrishna,
et al have supported excellently.
The drama
is an ode to the indomitable human spirit and resilience; it celebrates man’s
ability to overcome mopes and misery with hope, love and faith. It reiterates
that ‘kindness is the language
which people with disabilities can see, hear and understand.’
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