Hyderabad: As Black turns 19, megastar Amitabh Bachchan announced that his 2005 film is now available on Netflix. Helmed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, the critically-acclaimed film is marked with one of outstanding performances by both, Big B and Rani Mukerji. Remarkably, the megastar didn't even a penny for his role in the film.
On his X page, Bachchan shared the film's trailer and wrote, "It's been 19 years since 'Black' released, and today we're celebrating its first ever digital release on Netflix! Debraj and Michelle's journey has been an inspiration to all of us, and we hope it instills you with strength and compassion."
Black, inspired by Helen Keller's life, stars Rani as a blind and deaf woman, with Bachchan portraying her teacher, Debraj Sahai. For this role, Big B earned his second National Film Award for Best Actor. The movie also received two more National Awards for Best Feature Film in Hindi and Costume Design.
Bhansali has always been vocal about how insistent he was on having Bachchan in the lead. During a throwback interview, the filmmaker acknowledged the actor's significant contribution to the film and said that he would have shelved Black had Big B rejected the film. In teh same interview, Bhansali also said that despite working for free, Big B's commitment reflected his belief in the project. Bhansali expressed his eagerness to collaborate again, acknowledging the difficulty of finding a project that can match or surpass the impact of Black.
When praised for his performance in Black on Kaun Banega Crorepati 15, Bachchan attributed the credit to the film's writer and director, Sanjay Leela Bhansali. He highlighted the challenge of conveying emotions through actions and gestures.
"I had to communicate with Rani Mukerji through my actions, by signs and gestures. But how do I tell the audience what I'm trying to gesture? So, I had to say the dialogues plus make gestures too. I had to do both. It was Sanjay Leela Bhansali who thought it all out. So, the credit goes to him," said the 81-year-old actor.
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