Unheard Music

Deaf Rainbow Films is a group of hearing and speech impaired young people that makes short films to address life's issues in a sensitive manner

It takes all five senses to experience the world, right? Wrong. When one of the senses does not work, it’s not a deficit but an opportunity for imagination to take over, creativity to flourish and talent to find a proper showcase. Ask Syed Farooq.

People with a physical deficiency are often demoralised and perceive themselves as someone inferior to ‘normal’ people. Normal people who are without doubt flawed in other ways. At such a time, if someone of their ilk became someone their own and helped them find wonderful life, it is nothing but human triumph at its best.

Meet Syed Farooq Nizam, a man who not only overcame debility but held the hands of many others like him to give them a shot at a creative life. An opportunity to explore new horizons. In fact, a chance to reach the rainbow, so to speak.

Deaf Rainbow Films was founded in 2014. Its objective is to provide a platform to talented members of the deaf community in the Indian context, make movies that will inculcate family values, patriotism, managing complex relationships and being environmentally sensitive.

The films made by them are typically of 10 minutes duration. It is a vibrant group of over 20 energetic, talented between people in the age group of 20 to 45.

Syed Farooq, a Hyderabadi in his late thirties, is a commerce graduate and holds a Diploma in Indian Sign Language from NIHH, Kolkata.

In a conversation in sign language, Farooq explains that there are around 18 million hearing and speech impaired people in India but they are a neglected lot when it comes to creative opportunities, empowerment and recognition of their talent.

“‘Mute’ is not the absence of voice but it is an inability to speak normally like others normally do. There are so many deaf and mute kids who need support and a platform to show their talent to the world. They are an asset in our society and not a liability for their parents,” Farooq points out.

Deaf Rainbow Films tries to fill this gap, organising acting workshops and scripting exercises and engages young people in film-making.

“Though our film industry has some examples representing the story of the hearing and speech impaired community, we have always been portrayed as a comical lot. They mock us, never value our talent.”

From Koshish in 1972 to Black in 2005, the films made on the community are indeed a handful. “What most people don’t know is that Black was a huge success and, of course, a sensitive portrayal, but it used American Sign Language (ASL). And hence the import was lost on most Indians who communicate in Indian Sign Language (ISL),” Farooq points out.

Deaf Rainbow Films also organises personality development classes, teaching them confidence and hones the talent of youngsters.

“My mother never gave up on me. She was the one who coached me first in communication. In gatherings, she would explain to me the general conversations in sign language and encourage my siblings also to do the same. She inculcated an inclusive atmosphere at home.

My family never let me feel left out,” Farooq recalls with pride. That should be the spirit of all parents with kids whose faculties are impaired to prevent them from feeling isolated. Syed Farooq is married to a woman with hearing and speech impairment and has two daughters. Needless to say, the lovely family works as a team.

This group consists of the core team of Mohit, Rakesh, Rohit, Karima, Harjeet, Guneet and Anuragh. They all work in various organisations so they usually meet up every Saturday and Sunday at Lamakaan, Banjara-Hills to work on shooting films.

In the last two years, the group made over 10 films which are a fusion of Voice and Sign Language. They are presently managing funds from their own but hope to do it on a larger scale once tey have external support.

“We have shown these short films in private gatherings and during large events held for the hearing and speech impaired. We are concerned by the copyright issues due to which these films are still not made available on public domain. But work is going on in this direction and very soon we wish to launch a YouTube channel,” the team explains.

There are also efforts to have an exclusive reality show to be shot in Mumbai. Interestingly, none of the members of the group comes from a film or media background but have learnt the art through their own observation skills.

The movies made by Deaf Rainbow films look very professional but are actually shot with ordinary cameras by members who have no formal training in film making except Mohit who is a qualified Bachelor of Fine Arts in visual communication.

It is not just dreams that remain unfulfilled for this community but life is also full of constraints on a daily basis. Yet, the group leaps right over all obstacles and has created a canvas, a screen, a stage and a showcase for itself. And savours life’s unheard music, the way no one else can.

By: Usha Turaga-Revelli