Shwaas

Shwaas Marathi , The Breath is a Marathi film, released in 2004. It was Indias official entry to the 2004 Oscars and was ranked 6th in the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film category. Its storyline is based on a reallife incident in Pune. A lowbudget of Indian rupee 30lakhs 3million, Shwaas won the National Award for best film in 2004, nearly 50 years since a Marathi film Shyamchi Aai last earned this title. Directed by debutant Sandeep Sawant, it was shot indays at Sindhudurg, Konkan, Pune and at KEM Hospital in Mumbai. The postproduction took one and half years to complete. Shwaas was acknowledged as a significant turn for Marathi cinema which had been going through a low patch. After its success, it was released in Hindi, Bengali and Tamil languages.

A villager Vichare brings his 8yearold grandson Parshuraam also known as Paarsha to a doctor in Pune to diagnose the childs eyes. They are accompanied by Paarshas maternal uncle Diwakar. On the first day Vichare is asked to sign the usual papers before admission in hospital. Upon asking, he learns that the papers say the doctor would not be responsible if anything goes wrong. Vichare, the rustic grandfather finds these terms unacceptable. A medical social worker, Asawari, quickly comes in and explains the practice to Vichare. She calms him down and accompanies them during the first appointment with the doctor. Dr. Sane quickly diagnoses child as a victim of retinoblastoma a rare retinal cancer. After consulting with other colleagues in US and UK doctor finds that only way to save childs life is to perform an operation that will leave the child blind. As per rule, doctor explains this and insists child be informed of this before surgery. He cannot be operated without this knowledge as it was against ethics. Asawari Amruta Subhash who helps the doctor in convincing the grandfather and the grandson, tries to keep track of Vichare and persuades him not fall prey to other doctors promising false medicines. She tries to befriend Parshya to explain him what is going to happen. However, she finds it is too difficult to explain to him that he will turn blind.The film then depicts the grandfathers struggle to accept the reality that the only way to save his grandson is at the cost of his eyesight. He tries to come to terms with the situation and his personal agony is shown in scenes, like taking second opinion, explaining his grandson the reality and his desire to show him everything possible before his grandson loses his eyesight. For some reason, the surgery has to be postponed by a day. That afternoon, grandfather and grandson disappear from the hospital ward and a frantic search follows. Confronted by an angry surgeon on their return, the grandfather states quite simply

Source: Wikipedia