Reviews & Ratings for
رنگ خدا (1999)

"To the glory of God"

Directed by acclaimed Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi (“Children of Heaven”), the film is nothing short of visual poetry. The movie revolves around a blind boy, so attuned with nature that he counts the sounds of birds and reads the leaves of plants. Set in the picturesque rural town on Tehran, Majidi weaves through various themes in the short 90 minutes duration of one of his masterpieces. The movie opens with “In the name of God”, a line so simple yet it prepares you for what you will explore in the film itself. Majidi enables the viewers to engage their senses and treat every scene in the film as a personal interpretation.

Mohammed is the blind boy studying in the city, his father reluctantly takes him back home during the summer vacation. Here we see him getting showered with love from his grandmother and sisters. But, his father Hashem sees him as a burden due to his blindness, and wishes to get rid of him so he can marry a rich woman who is ignorant about the existence of his blind son. Despite his son being a bright student, Hashem cuts his education short in an effort to conceal his existence. Unaware of his father’s intention we see Mohammed, frolicking in the field with his granny and attending the local school with his sisters, until his father decides to send him away to be a far-away blind carpenter’s apprentice.

The movie beautifully highlights the despair of the father, on losing his wife and having a blind boy who is seen as a bad omen in his society, he questions his god and curses his fate. On the other hand we see the love the grandmother has for the blind boy, she does not mull away in despair rather she chooses to trust her god’s will. One truly must have a heart of ice to not break down when Mohammed finally declares, “Nobody loves me because I’m blind.”

“The Colour of Paradise” will make you question your life, even with your sight intact. In Mohammed we see a boy who sees so much more than what we ever manage to see, and how even then he is reminded of his disability due to his inability to see god.
The film closes with a scene so simple yet so profound that the starting line of “In the name of God” will hold a whole new meaning for you. The cinematography by Mohammad Davudi, weaves magic and creates a personal space for the audience to experience the nature up close and personal.
Majidi has also brought the film alive by using a mellifluous soundtrack and adding subtle natural sounds – pecking woodpeckers, chirping cicadas, a football being kicked to add a realistic touch. The film proves to be a classic and a definite must watch for people who see more than what meets the eye.
And in the end, you’re bound to question: Who, in this world, are actually blind?