Michelle
McNally (Rani Mukerji)is the daughter of an Anglo-Indian
family, who becomes deaf and blind after an illness
she gets at the age of eighteen months. She is a bright,
intelligent girl who lives in a world of black silence
with no way of reaching out. This frustrates the young
girl's mind, which urges to communicate. This frustration
leads her to be destructive, violent and given to
rages. But her destiny has something else in store.
Two soul mates are about to meet.
48-year-old
Debraj Sahai (Amitabh Bachchan) is an eccentric, alcoholic
man who is consumed by his profession of being a teacher
to the deaf-blind. The school at which he teaches
asks him to leave because of his drinking and failing
eyesight. The principal of the school, who is an old
friend of Debraj, believes in his ability and sends
him to the McNally house to teach the eight year old
girl Michelle McNally.
Debraj's
arrival at the McNally home is far from auspicious.
He arrives in a state of being drunk, angry and rude.
On
encountering Michelle, Debraj realizes that the only
way to tackle her is to shock her, be
aggressive with her and at the same time tender. Michelle
is not like the other students, so ordinary methods
do not apply to her.
His
unorthodox approach is met with opposition from the
father and Michelle, who with her fiery nature gives
back as good as she gets. In spite of all this Debraj
succeeds and miraculously she makes the connection
with name and meaning and learns her first word. But
this is not the end; there is still a long way in
this extraordinary journey and several battles to
fight.
Debraj's
dream for Michelle is for her to lead a normal life,
which includes going to a normal college with normal
students. But obstacles are in her way as Alzheimer's
attacks Debraj and he slowly forgets everything, all
words, and all meanings.
The
roles have reversed now. Will Michelle be able to
perform the miracle of making Debraj remember even
one word through his Alzheimer's and most importantly
will Michelle be able to fulfil Debraj's dream of
graduating, wearing a black robe?
