Black

"My name is Michelle McNally"

"The older child of an Anglo Indian family based in Shimla"

"This story is about me and my teacher"

"A story about two people left incomplete by god... "

"who have fought a battle with fate... "

"and made the impossible; possible"

"The world in my story is different... "

"where sound transcends into silence... "

"and light into darkness"

"This is my world"

"Where nothing can be seen nor heard"

"There is only one name for my world... "

"How long can you live in this darkness?"

"A few moments... hours... days?"

"For 40 years I've lived in this darkness... "

"for 4 years I've given my final B.A. exam... "

"and for twelve years; I've gone to this church; every Sunday"

"But that Sunday was special"

"I felt God would answer my prayers... "

"... my only prayer was... "

"... that my teacher would come back to me"

"My prayers take long to reach God... "

"and He takes long in granting them"

"Even that Sunday I didn't find my teacher"

"That evening Sara and I were returning home... "

"... when suddenly... "

Wait...

Michelle; just wait for me; ok?

Oh my God!

MICHELLE! MICHELLE!...

MICHELLE! Your prayers have been answered...

it's DebrAj... he's there near the fountain;

It's true; I promise; yes promise! Come! Yes. Yes

"That day my teacher came back to me... "

"after 12 years I recognized him... "

"but he had forgotten everything... "

"even me"

"I am writing this story for him... "

"to my teacher: Debraj Sahai"

He doesn't remember anything?

Surely there must be something we can do.

Sara; Mr. Sahai has Alzheimer's disease.

He has forgotten everything. It's a very scary void.

Mr. Sahai has even forgotten his bed.

He has forgotten words; even forgotten how to speak.

No doctor. I refuse to believe this...

he must remember something...

otherwise; after all these years; to find him at our house...

and Mr. Sahai can never forget Michelle.

Like a duster wipes the words of a blackboard...

the disease has slowly wiped out all his memories.

A few words or instances might spark some memory...

but Alzheimer's has no cure.

What is Michelle doing?

She wants to read to him her life story; in Braille.

Maybe by touching those words he might remember something...

Michelle believes that this miracle will happen.

Science doesn't believe in miracles.

It is impossible for him to remember anything...

Impossible is one word that Mr. Sahai never taught Michelle

And what you call impossible...

she will make possible.

"You were written in my destiny... "

"when I was 2 years old"

"That night suddenly all happiness left us... "

"when my life entered a black vaccuum"

Michelle... my beautiful baby.

You're not sick anymore... now you can play in water.

Look who has come! Papa! What has the doctor told papa?

The doctor has said that Michelle can't see or hear.

What did you say?

Our Michelle has gone blind and deaf.

Look at me! Michelle!

"I was like an animal"

"Children loved playing pranks on me. "

"So did God. "

Mrs. Gomes! Who has tied these cans on Michelle?

Shh... calm down Michelle; calm down; baby calm down.

Fire! Fire! Mrs. McNally. Fire!

Help Mrs. McNally Help. Mrs. McNally

For eight years... every day a new accident

Hurting someone with a knife; or breaking her own head!

She could have burnt the whole house down.

With Michelle; we can never be happy.

What are you trying to say?

We will send her to an institution.

You mean a mental asylum?

How can you think that?

Cathy; I love her just as much.

But I still want to send her away.

She could cause irreparable damage.

No. I'm sorry. I don't agree.

There is no other solution.

I have no more patience left.

Sara! Oh my God!

Enough of this...! This child will be the death of us.

Paul; leave her!

She will not stay her another moment. She almost... killed Sara.

Let her go!

It's not her fault. For God's sake!

Try and understand her.

She is suffering.

She is suffocating in her own darkness.

My baby is suffering

There's this school in Dehradun...

where children like Michelle are given special training.

If you let me; I can write for a teacher...

We do not need a teacher...

We need a magician.

I don't want to hear anymore that there is no cure for our Michelle.

One Last time Paul.

Maybe this is the teacher who is the magician...

who will bring light into our Michelle's life.

Debraj.

Ah; Ms. Nair. Come into the light.

What are you doing; Debraj? You've just had your eyes operated.

And now what are you doing holding a dying bulb?

This bulb is dying; Ms. Nair. I need to stand by it

Am I right?

It's... it's dying.

You've been drinking again all day. Haven't you; Debraj?

No; no...

Trying to find a sign for light. For my deaf and blind children...

whose light has been taken away from them.

Light... LIGHT!

Just spell it; Debraj. L.I.G.H.T. Light

Ah! The difference between a teacher... and a magician.

You make me so angry sometimes Debraj.

Angry... Angry

Stop this bullshit

Bullshit Bullshit Bull. Bull.. Bull.. shit Bull.. shit

I do not have time for your talks. I have some very important news for you.

Three guesses... if it's my termination letter; put it in the third drawer.

If it's my last salary; then it goes here in my pocket...

and if it's a notice to vacate this room then throw it in the dustbin.

And. on your way to any of these Ms Nair... could you please

fetch me my... eye:drops... from that table over there. Thank you.

You may have three guesses Debraj...

but you have only one choice. This letter.

An eight:year girl; in Shimla; Michelle.

She can't see; she can't hear and her parents don't understand her.

You are their last hope Debraj.

Otherwise they will put her in the asylum.

You are the best teacher I know. She needs a teacher; you need a job.

Look up

What do you see in this eye; Ms. Nair?

A great love for me.

You need to get your eyes checked.

And this one? : Nothing

Her name is Michelle; isn't it?

I can see everything clearly.

A beautiful morning...

snow covered streets...

and that little girl...

a lost soul; directionless.

I will give her wings made of words; Ms. Nair.

I will teach her how to fly.

You couldn't do anything for yourself and you're out to change others' lives

What happened; do your eyes hurt?

No; not my eyes...

my heart hurts...

listening to your cruel words...

it hurts... it hurts!

that after spending thirty years in this school...

I'm just an unseen unheard entity.

When I saw the school for the last time...

my students were waving to me in the wrong direction.

Waving to me in the wrong direction Ms. Nair.

Oh! It.. it.. it.. hurts...

it hurts.

"Destiny had put together two strange soul: mates. "

"I was left incomplete by god... "

"and you were a battle: weary warrior. "

"I was waiting in my darkness... "

"and you were bringing the flickering light. "

Right. Where's the girl?

This is all we needed. An alcoholic teacher.

Mmmm... Interesting. Playful; bit of a brat.

And very pretty...

Yes. Yes... someone new... a new buddy.

You like my glasses; don't you? Well... you can have them...

here... there you go.

Happy?

Teacher... Tea... cher

Mr. Sahai; she understands?

No; she's just imitating me.

Good... good girl

What is she doing?

That's her sign for me. Her mother

Oh; she's strong. : I'm really sorry; Mr. Sahai

It's alright.

What's this! What is this bell for?

This is her identity

If she is lost. we find her through its sound.

Take it off!

When you think; that your child is an animal...

what do you expect of others? : It's your job to make her human.

How do you plan to do this?

These Fingers; Mr. McNally.

They're eyes of the blind...