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The attempt on the part of film-makers to look at the position of persons with disabilities in society started with "Deedar", though it too had an element of sensationalism,what with Dilip Kumar preferring to lose his eyes rather than see his beloved in the arms of another man. But then Dilip Kumar’s acting and the plot of the film which used disability cautiously ensured that the film became a hit.

And then came "Dosti" and this too was very well appreciated by the audience. However a real attempt to give a glimpse into the complex world of the hearing impaired and their relationships in society was attempted by Gulzar in "Koshish" who wanted to advance the concept of inclusive society. Sanjeev Kumar and Jaya Badhuri in the lead roles did an excellent job and the film to this day is a landmark in the history of disability cinema in India.

"Sparsh", another film made with a great deal of sensitivity looked into the complex world of a visually impaired person and it too was a hit with the audience. Another landmark film was "Anjali" revolving around the treatment that society metes out to a mentally challenged girl and how even the family members have to undergo a great deal of trauma because of rejection. Then came films like "Khamoshi" and "Tera Mera Saath Rahe" which were marketed differently. In fact, "Khamoshi" made by Sanjay Leela Bansali was branded as a musical though the storyline revolved around the two main characters – Nana Patekar and Seema Biswas – both of whom are hearing impaired.

Thus, it can be said that there have been two trends in film-making in so far as Bollywood films are concerned. While film-makers have used disability as a comic interlude or as giving a dramatic twist to their script with scant regard for the rights of a large group of people who are ostracized by society because of their handicap, there have been some film-makers who have been able to build a tale around the insensitivity of society towards people with disabilities. However, not many film-makers are successful in telling it with poignancy and sensitivity.

The following are some of the stereotypes that films have been perpetuating over the years:

Disability as a comic interlude – often you have characters in the film who are disabled just because the audience can enjoy at his or her expense. A classic example of this is the recent Bollywood release, "Mujhse Shaadi Karoge" in which Kader Khan appears with a new disability everyday and regales the audience. He even puts up a board outside his house saying he is blind today, he is deaf and so on.

Disability as an object of pity – There are innumerable films which reinforce the pity element. This is the most common emotion surrounding a disabled character in a film.

Disability as requiring a patronizing attitude – The hero patronizes the disabled character in the film. While it shows the disabled person in poor light, it enhances the former’s heroism.

Disability as dramatic convenience – Sometimes, disability is used to give a twist to the script and storyline as in the film "Koyla" where Shah Rukh Khan loses his speech only to regain his voice in the end when burning coal is thrust into his mouth and this introduces a twist in the film as he goes all out to avenge his enemies.

Disability as heroism – There are some films which project persons with disabilities as heroes and super-heroes. This too is an unrealistic portrayal.

Disability as a liability – use of the terms like "bechara", "andha" , "langda" are found aplenty in films denigrating a person with disability as a liability and as an unproductive member of society.

Disability as a burden – This too reinforces the stereotype that they are unproductive members of society.

Disability as a medical problem – Many films reinforce this stereotype and hence even suggest miracle or quick fix solutions. This too is fraught with danger as disability is an irreversible condition and can be reversed only if there is early intervention.

Disability as science fiction – In "Koi Mil Gaya", Hrithik Roshan plays a mentally challenged character who is cured by an alien world. While this may be entertaining to the audience, it can send a wrong message to children.

So, what we need is a close analysis of films – both in Hindi as well as in regional languages – to see whether they advance the cause of persons with disability or denigrate their position in society. In terms of films made in regional languages, an example can be given of some of the Malayalam films made by Vinayan like "Karumadi Kuttan" and "Vasanthiyum, Lakshmiyum Pinne Gnanum" which looks at the lives of persons with disabilities and the extra-ordinary talents they possess. Vinayan is perhaps the only film-maker in the country who has been consistently making films exploring the theme of disability, though he too has been criticized for sensationalizing his films.