There was recently some buzz surrounding a film on Jawahar Lal Kaul, a visually challenged individual who chose to shine light through the darkness of his own limitation and dive into social work. As he relentlessly strove to improve the lives of those around him in Kashmir, Kaul earned the prestigious Padma Shri award, one of India’s highest civilian honors.
Kaul’s unwavering commitment and struggle inspired Bilal A Jan, a documentary filmmaker from Kashmir, to craft a film about the man who lost his eyesight under tragic circumstances. An attack of smallpox at the tender age of five left Kaul visually impaired, but he refused to let this setback define his life’s narrative.
In a telephonic conversation, Bilal A Jan passionately detailed what drove him to direct J.L. Kaul: A Man of Action. “I was moved by the unending struggle of Kaul not just because he hails from Kashmir, but because of his sheer enthusiasm for social work, even with the challenge of visual impairment. His goal-oriented nature and unbreakable spirit amidst numerous internal and external conflicts have not dimmed his vision of the world,” remarked Jan.
The film features a series of significant locations. It was shot in Srinagar, Amritsar, and Delhi—places where Kaul had established impactful initiatives. One of his most notable achievements was founding the Training and Rehabilitation Centre for the Blind in 1967 in Delhi. Today, under the umbrella of the All India Conference of the Blind, which Kaul founded, there’s a modern school for visually impaired children, an audio library, and facilities that include Braille equipment, banking services, and pension schemes for the elderly.
Completing the 30-minute documentary was no small feat, taking a full year to wrap up. The reasons for this lengthy gestation period were primarily financial constraints and the unique challenges of working with a visually impaired protagonist. “The biggest challenge was to find a financier. The second challenge was interacting and understanding the life and struggle of a visually impaired man, while also managing other visually impaired individuals during the filming process. For me as a director, it was my first undertaking on a subject revolving around disability.
. My previous works mainly focused on broader social issues,” Jan explained.
Moreover, the geographical separation posed another hurdle. Kaul, the focal point of the film, resides in Delhi, with his work spanning different parts of India. “Kaul sahab’s contributions are dispersed across the nation, so I had to cover multiple locations. The shooting took place in phases rather than in one continuous stretch,” Jan added.
The film, produced by the National Film Development Corporation in Mumbai, has garnered international attention. It has been selected for the 16th International Documentary Film Festival of Kerala, scheduled in the short documentary focus section. The festival kicks off on July 21 and represents a kind of homecoming for Jan. His prior work, Daughters of Paradise, was also showcased at the Kerala Film Festival in 2018.
Jan speaks with a profound sense of pride and respect for Kaul, whose story of overcoming immense adversities serves as an inspiration, not just for Kashmiris but for anyone facing life’s formidable challenges. The documentary aims to shed light on Kaul’s relentless efforts to create an inclusive society and the meaningful changes he brought about for the visually impaired community.
Such projects underscore the power of cinema as a medium to inspire and educate. Jan hopes that J.L. Kaul: A Man of Action will resonate with audiences worldwide, bringing wider recognition to Kaul’s laudable contributions and encouraging others to view disability through a lens of empowerment rather than limitation.
By presenting Kaul’s life in a detailed, vivid manner, Jan has achieved more than just fulfilling a directorial role; he has immortalized the incredible journey of a man who chose to defy his fate and light the path for others. As the documentary reaches more viewers, it is anticipated to spur discussions on the importance of support and recognition for the differently-abled, and how their lives can be transformative both for themselves and for society.
Ultimately, Kaul’s story is a testament to human resilience and the indomitable spirit that drives individuals to transcend their limitations, proving that true vision lies not in the eyes but in the heart.
