Reciepent of the President's prestigious Golden Lotus award and India's official entry to the 2005 Academy Awards, Shwaas - the film which has given a new lease of life to Marathi cinema - is sure to leave you misty-eyed.
Hailing from a remote village in Konkan, a seven year old boy Parshuram (Ashwin Chitale) and his grandfather (Arun Nalavade) come to Mumbai, armed with only a letter of reference from their local doctor. Parshuram is diagnosed with a rare and fatal cancer of the eyes, and the only way out is an operation, which will save his life but leave him blind forever.
The story is handled in an extremely sensitive and restrained manner. Debutant director Sandeep Sawant proves his skills especially in the silent flashback scenes. Arun Nalavade is outstanding, while Ashwin Chitale is simply superb in his heart-wrenching potrayal of the young boy, who has to come to terms with a bitter reality.
A must-see that's so good, it deserves a second visit!