From 'Hichki' to 'Zero,' how Bollywood depicts rare syndromes in cinema

Cinema is not just a make-believe world anymore. It often tells real stories of people, actual incidents, or social causes. Many films have depicted lead actors battling diseases like cancer (Anand, Kal Ho Naa Ho, or Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, more recently), disorders like amnesia or psychological conditions. However, many movies have also brought to the forefront conditions that are unheard of. Here are some of them.

HICHKI (TO RELEASE ON FEBRUARY 23)

TOURETTE SYNDROME

Rani Mukerji plays a teacher who suffers from Tourette Syndrome, which is a kind of Tic Disorder that involves involuntary and repetitive movements (motor) and vocalisations (vocal/phonic). The sufferer makes sudden movements (like blinking) or sounds (clearing throat repeatedly), which they can’t control. In Siddharth P Malhotra’s film, Rani is ridiculed and rejected because of her condition but she overcomes it while teaching a group of teenagers who are shunned by the society.

ZERO (DECEMBER 21)

DWARFISM

Shah Rukh Khan’s next outing has the actor playing a vertically-challenged guy. Though filmmaker Aanand L Rai has expressed his apprehension at calling it a ‘dwarf’ film, it does include the condition that’s characterised by stunted growth. In most cases, dwarfism is caused by metabolic and hormonal disorders like growth hormone deficiency. SRK will be seen as a dwarf who people will love to hate.

SHUBH MANGAL SAAVDHAN (2017)

ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION

Bollywood went bold with a condition that would make anyone awkward to discuss. Ayushmann Khurrana played Mudit Sharma, a young man who suffers from Erectile Dysfunction. Even though the condition, which makes it difficult for a man to have an erection during sexual intercourse, is common, it has found its way to the big screen as the main theme for the first time.

GUZAARISH (2010)

QUADRIPLEGIA

The Sanjay Leela Bhansali directorial starred Hrithik Roshan as a quadriplegic, a person who is paralysed from neck down. He was seen as an illusionist-turned-RJ, who legally fights for mercy killing.

MARGARITA WITH A STRAW (2014)

CEREBRAL PALSY

The slice-of-life movie directed by Shonali Bose is about a young woman, Laila, who suffers from cerebral palsy, which is a set of neurological conditions that affect impaired muscle coordination and movement. Kalki Koechlin played Laila, who struggles with normal activities of her daily life and sexual discovery, convincingly.

MY NAME IS KHAN (2010)

ASPERGER’S SYNDROME

Shah Rukh Khan was shown suffering from Asperger’s Syndrome, which is a form of Autism. It often makes the person interpret language literally. In the movie, when Rizwan Khan’s (SRK) stepson is killed in a racially-motivated attack, his wife Mandira (Kajol), in a fit of fury, blames him for the death and asks him to personally tell the President of the US that Khan is not a terrorist. Rizwan takes her at her word and sets out to meet POTUS.

GHAJINI (2008)

ANTEROGRADE AMNESIA

There have been a number of films on amnesia, but this one dealt with Anterograde Amnesia a condition wherein the sufferer fails (partially or completely) to form new memories following the incident that caused amnesia. To remember events, Aamir Khan, who played a business tycoon, was shown taking help of Polaroid photographs and permanent tattoos on his body to avenge the death of his ladylove played by Asin.

BLACK (2005)

ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

The critically-acclaimed Amitabh Bachchan and Rani Mukerji starrer dealt with Alzheimer’s Disease. AB played a deaf-blind girl Michelle McNally’s (Rani) teacher. As the story progresses, Big B is shown suffering from Alzheimer’s, which leads to him being institutionalised as he loses memory and ability to speak. After Black, another film, U Me Aur Hum, starring Ajay Devgn and Kajol, portrayed the actress as suffering from the disorder too.

PAA (2009)

PROGERIA

A rare genetic disorder, Progeria accelerates the ageing process. In this R Balakrishnan film, Amitabh Bachchan played 13-year-old boy, Auro, who suffers from the condition that makes him five times older than his actual age. As he reaches his 13th birthday, Auro’s health deteriorates and he succumbs to his physical defects caused by the disorder.

TAARE ZAMEEN PAR (2007)

DYSLEXIA

This Aamir Khan directorial was about a kid’s struggle with Dyslexia — a learning disability that makes fluent and correct reading difficult for the child. Darsheel Safary played Ishaan Awasthi, who excels at art but is packed off to a boarding school when he fails academically. His teacher Ram Shankar Nikhumb (Aamir) uses remedial techniques to help him improve his grades. The film raised awareness of the condition and prompted many parents to seek help for their Dyslexic children.