The Silent Heroes

Synopsis

The film follows a group of disabled children who set out to conquer the Himalayan mountains with their teacher. The children believe that through mountaineering, they can conquer not just their fears, but their disabilities as well. They are determined to prove that although they may be challenged, they are not disabled. However their trek leader doesn't believe this, as she believes them to be as capable or equal as hearing children, and actively tries to discourage them from continuing on throughout the course of the trek. When the leader is wounded and unable to proceed any further, the children fear that this will mean the end of their trip and their dreams of scaling the peaks and proving their worth to the world. Eventually, the children show tremendous mettle and skills in spite of the odds they face.

Production

Filming took place in extreme surroundings and harsh conditions, and temperatures dropped as low as -12 °C. Despite safety precautions, the roads leading to the filming locations were blocked and the children’s commute sequences were filmed in challenging conditions. The rafting sequence over the river Ganga was one of the most difficult tasks, as the water was at freezing temperature. Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui has praised the child actors, particularly Khwaish Gupta, stating that "her determination has offered all of us a ray of learning to be inspired by".

Cast

Reception

The Hindu panned the movie, writing that "good intentions are not enough for good cinema" and that their "appreciation of the film or the lack of it rides on the way the makers have been milking the fact that its child actors are hearing and speech impaired and that they shot in tough conditions in the Himalayas." The Daily Star wrote a similar review, as they felt it was "a perfect example of how being myopic can play down noble intentions."

In contrast, The Statesman praised The Silent Heroes, stating that Bhatt "obviously managed to extract good performances from the children, who are a treat to watch. Their sincerity comes through in each scene. In fact they outshine their older and professional co-actors."