You see sometimes in your daily life, blind people struggle to cross the road. They hesitate to cross on their own until they find a help.
Just imagine if they have to walk into a supermarket to buy items that they would need. Shopping with the intention of being able to buy independently but at the same time the fear of pickingup the wrong item, unfortunately, compels them to seek assistance from the staff.
Without Braille script on products, blind people will have no freedom of choice. They will not feel safe to buy any product and thus, remain dependent.
And you may never know some might even cheat the visually impaired people for reasons known best to them.
A video called, ‘Azadi, Give me freedom’ is based on the life of people with visual impairment was released online on the World Sight Day on October 10, 2019. Video is in Konkani and shot in Goa, India.
For the protagonist, Kevin D’mello having to act as a blind person wasn’t easy. Before acting in the short film, he thought of enacting it in his real life, first, to get the feel of the character. Kevin went to the supermarket to buy Nestle milk pack. He closed his eyes and walked up to the milk section but since there was no Braille script on the product, he picked up Nandini instead.
Kevin understood how difficult it is for a blind person to live a normal life. He said, “I thought of practicing the role in the supermarket but since I couldn’t identify the difference between the Nestle and the Nandini milk pack with my closed eyes, I ended up picking up the later.”
“I wish my film is of some help to the blind people in bringing about change in congruence with their ease of life.”
If Kevin could face the inconvenience in buying his choice of products, imagine the rest.
Blind people are left with no choice but to buy products, which the shopkeeper gives them. It is time we make our fellow blind people independent with the inscription of Braille script on everyday use products.
P.S. Kevin gives credit to his friend and mentor, Kunal Malarkar
