Published: Jan 21, 2015, 10:25 PM (IST)
Edited: Jan 21, 2015, 10:28 PM (IST)
“I lost sight in one eye, but I did not lose sight of my ambition,” inspiring words from the great Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, whose courage, determination, and desire helped him become one of the most respected cricketers and captains of all times. He overcame the loss of vision in one eye due to an accident and achieved what many have not even with full eyesight!
A person rarely gets an opportunity to meet such motivating and lionhearted individuals. Varun Pruthi, a Delhi-based actor-filmmaker started an audiovisual initiative where he met a remarkable person who does not need eyes to love the gentleman’s game. The actor came across this blind man who takes on commentary of an India-Australia match for the video series, talking in perfect English even when he does not know the language! Along with his commendable insight on the ‘ongoing game’, he also makes the sound of a ball hitting the willow and the noise of the stadium with his mouth, much to the delight of his audience.
Another moving story in the form of a video is that of Abbas Anand, a blind singer from Baltistan, who is seen imitating an English commentator to perfection without even being familiar with the language!
Zimbabwean commentator Dean Du Plessis has created a niche for himself with his accuracy, sharp sense of hearing, a hard drive for a brain and the fact that he is sightless astounds his listeners who cannot believe that he is visually impaired. Careful listening of the sharp crack on the bat, the spin of the ball, and cries of excitement or frustration facilitates his ability to provide quality commentary.
Learning about such people tells us that life does not come to a standstill when you hit rock bottom; the fact that we pick ourselves up and work towards our goals helps us overcome the obstacles.
