From Taare Zameen Par To Iqbal: Bollywood Films That Didn't Reduce Disabilty To A Joke 

There are numerous subjects to which Bollywood has largely been unjust. Be it the representation of the transgender or LGBT community, or street harassment of women, Bollywood films often reduce the weightage of these issues by trivialising them or the people whom they impact. One such issue is disability. While we have seen many poignant films on this issue, disabled individuals have largely been shamed and subjected to humiliation and mockery in Hindi films.

In the Golmaal series (2006–2017), Tushar Kapoor plays Lucky, the protagonist's mute friend. His character's disability is mostly used for comic effect, as seen by the countless one-liners mocking his incapacity to speak. Mushtaq Khan's famous monologue "Meri ek tang nakli hai," (I have a fake leg) from Welcome (2007),  or Kader Khan's shifting disabilities in Mujhse Shaadi Karogi and a character named Bufferia (because he stammers) in the recent Bachchan Pandey prove that Bollywood refuses to learn a lesson in empathy.

 However, in recent years, there have been a few films that have taken a positive initiative in portraying the journey of a disabled person. These films not only create awareness but also urge people to check on their laughs when they watch films that do not treat the subject kindly.

If you haven't already, here are some Bollywood films on disability to watch:

Zubaan (2015)

Margarita with a straw (2014)

Image Source: Screenshot of a scene form the film

Margarita with a Straw features Kalki Koechlin as Laila, a young woman with cerebral palsy, who moves to America for her college education and matures as a result of her complicated relationship with a visually challenged girl named Khanum, played by Sayani Gupta. Khanum's fiercely independent personality and positive attitude toward her own impairment fascinate Laila. Laila eventually gathers the strength to tell her mother about her bisexuality and relationship with Khanum.

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Barfi (2012)

Barfi! is a romantic comedy film set in Darjeeling and Kolkata of the 1970s and follows Barfi Johnson (Ranbir Kapoor), a deaf and mute young boy who forms a special bond with two young girls, Shruti Ghosh (Ileana D'Cruz) and Jhilmil Chatterjee (Priyanka Chopra), his autistic childhood friend. The film was chosen as India's official entry for the 85th Academy Awards' Best Foreign Language Film category. The film was applauded for its sensitive portrayal of not one but two specially-abled individuals.

Guzaarish (2010)

Released in 2010, Guzaarish tells the story of Ethan Mascarenhas (Hrithik Roshan), a quadriplegic former magician. Following the tragedy which changes his life, Ethan begins working as an RJ at Radio Zindagi, a local FM station. His show offers enchantment, optimism, and happiness to every listener and caller with his irrepressible wit and humour, making it difficult to believe that he has been paralysed for the past fourteen years due to a spinal injury. The film primarily dealt with the subject of euthanasia.

My Name Is Khan (2010)

Karan Johar's My Name Is Khan is set in the United States and follows Shah Rukh Khan's character, Rizwan Khan, a Muslim man with Asperger's syndrome, on a mission to meet US President Barack Obama. After his stepson, Sameer, is killed in an assault that his wife, Mandira (Kajol) holds him responsible for, Khan embarks on a journey influences numerous ordinary people who come in contact with him.

Paa (2009)

Image Source: Filmibeat.com

Released in 2009, Paa focuses on the bond between a youngster with a rare genetic illness known as progeria and his parents. This R Balki directorial is inspired by the 1996 Hollywood film Jack. Amitabh Bachchan plays the role of a bright and clever 12-year-old child who suffers from progeria and lives with her mother played by Vidya Balan. The story revolves around how he brings his estranged parents together, before his death due to his condition.

Suggested Reading: From Dhaakad To Darlings: Women-Centric Hindi Films To Watch In 2022

Taare Zameen Par (2007)

Taare Zameen Par follows Ishaan (Darsheel Safary), an eight-year-old dyslexic boy, through his life and fantasy. Despite his artistic abilities, his parents decide to send him to a boarding school due to his low academic performance. Ishaan's new art teacher, Nikumbh (Aamir Khan), soon discovers that he is dyslexic and works with him to help him overcome his reading difficulties.

Fanaa (2006)

Zooni Ali Beg (Kajol) is a blind Kashmiri woman who travels for the first time with her friends to Delhi to participate in a Republic Day event. There, she meets Rehan Qadri (Aamir Khan) a New Delhi tourist guide. The two fall in love, but are separated by a terrorist strike. Despite being a commercial romantic film, Fanaa was applauded by fans for not making fun of Zooni's disability and treating it with sensitivity.

Black (2005)

Poster of the film Black

Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Black revolves around Michelle (Rani Mukerji), a deaf and blind woman, and her connection with her teacher, Debraj (Amitabh Bachchan), an alcoholic teacher who subsequently suffers from Alzheimer's disease. The film received multiple honours, including eleven Filmfare Awards, the most for a single film at the time, and three National Film Awards.

Iqbal (2005)

Iqbal is a coming-of-age sports drama that follows Iqbal (Shreyas Talpade), a cricket-crazed deaf and mute youngster from a remote Indian town, as he strives to overcome obstacles in order to become a national level cricketer and realise his dream of playing for the Indian team. The film won the National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues.