Cinema equals escapism for most film-makers. Some, however, know that cinema is a medium for visual expression. And these film-makers give us movies that speak to us through that medium. And then, there are rare souls who consider cinema as an art-form and create stunning works of art that make you want to stand up and applaud.

With ‘Black’, Sanjay Leela Bhansali attempts to recast himself into one of those rare souls. And to his credit, he succeeds. ‘Black’ is like a master artist’s first masterpiece… maybe not yet perfect, but getting there!

Do not let the title, ‘Black’, mislead you into conjuring up notions of a morose, painful film about disabilities. Far from it, the movie is all about perseverence, belief, hope and dignity. Rather than a negative, melancholy strain that this movie could’ve degenerated into, a positive note rings clearly through the narrative and performances.

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