How a blind man saw

How a blind man saw

Little did Sonali Kulkarni think it possible when she met Naseer Khan and Rohit Nayyar in Hotel Marriott in Mumbai that a movie with visually challenged Naseer Khan as a sharp-shooter. 'Shadow' produced by Naseer Khan himself, is the first time a blind person is playing the lead role of a person who can see.

If films are to be a grand spectacle, then this film promises to be so. The USP of this action thriller is that stunts like jumping from a car on fire, riding the jetski, shooting a man in an airplane and jumping into the sea with a jetski, ridding a horse, racing a car and bike in different sequence are performed by Naseer without the aid of a double.

Naseer Khan plays the lead role of Arjun Sherwat, a serial killer whom the police is not able to nab for six months. Sanjana (Sonali) is the cop who is entrusted with the task to capture The TV reporter Sheetal Pradhan (Hrishita Bhatt) who is in love with another reporter Rahul(Milind Soman) passes a report to the cops about the next target of Arjun Sherwat. Sajana shoots down Arjun, only to know in a short while that real the Arjun is still alive and kicking.

The movie is not just a motivator for visually challenged. “It should be a motivator for all those who are down in life” says Naseer. The movie is but an extension of the personal triumph of Naseer, who has

Naseer whose hometown is Kanpur , was born with cataract. Though being operated several times he could only regain 15 to 20 per cent sight of one eye. At the age of eight a house tutor was arranged for his basic education. Later he completely lost all eye sight, after dropping in and out of school several times. He learned to repair electronic goods,then went on to leather tanning business(and became one of the best known tanneries in Kanpur), became the first blind person to pass all the four Microsoft certification and stated Computer education centres(IIHT and Inset chains are owned by him), and later ventured into real estate, detergent, and cosmetic business.

Stepping into the Tinsel Town, he faced difficulties as all new-comers would. Besides, acting itself posed an unique challenge to him. Nasser says that it was almost impossible to keep his chin down while saying a dialogue. He used to tie a strap around his neck to keep the chin down while sleeping and he tried to practice it even when talking to people otherwise. The movie, half of which was shot in Thailand captures very beautiful locales; some very perilous locale for shooting. There is a particular water-fall scene and he walking amid several lions which would give even seasoned actors jitters. But Nasser managed it with ease. Sonali says it all through “trust” he places in others. According to her the reason for his success is his success is nothing but trust.

Siting along with his co-star Sonali Kulkarni and director Rohit Nayyar in the Gold Class lounge of Spice Cinema in Noida for the press conference of his film, he grabs the microphone as it is passed to him without fumbling for it. Director Rohit says that such was the energy while shooting for the film that many scenes were done in a single shots. “This gives the movie more natural feel”, he adds.

“Just before entering the conference room Naseer told that I am looking very beautiful today” quips Sonali.