The visually challenged community will no longer have to seek explanations while watching a film, as XL Cinema app’s Audio Description feature will empower their film viewing experience. The app, that started off to bridge the language barrier faced by cinema lovers across the globe, started working towards a greater cause just last year.
The app, originally giving users the power to choose a language from the available options (Tamil, Telugu, English, Hindi, and Arabic) and watch the movie in their desired language. Now is extending this power to visually impaired persons, but along with an enhanced description of the film.
Lauding the founders — Kunaal and Dipti Prasad — for their efforts on the eve of Independence Day, they were conferred with NCPEDP Mphasis Universal Design Award for breaking access barriers. It all started after Dipti realised that many of her friends, who are visually impaired and love watching movies, were always in a need of assistance.
“When we learned that there is a challenge in delivering audio description tracks in the theatre, we started to work on it. While certain movies can be explained in terms of what is unfolding at each moment, visually impaired people avoid going for action or comedy movies since those movies have a lot of acting and explanations can fall short,” rues Dipti, who handles the business part, whereas husband Kunaal looks after developing the software.
Since the app is already equipped with several languages, a user has only to sync the app with the ambient audio filling the theatre and choose the language they wish to see the movie in. The app is designed such that it syncs in 10-12 seconds with the movie, even if started from the middle. The app comprises two features — XL (extra languages) movies and AD (Audio description). While the former is for sighted people with language preferences, the latter is tailor-made for the visually challenged, since apart from having the language option, it is also equipped with closed captioning.
“We realised that if a feature is modified and made into audio, it can be used for a larger social cause. We met a few NGOs and visually impaired people to understand how exactly they use a mobile phone and how they understand the content in the theatre. They usually don’t get to know what is happening in the background or in the scenes where there is no dialogue,” explains Kunaal.
Their research also showed that PVR soon plans to bring in Assisted Listening Devices from Dolby and Sony for the blind, which are very capital intensive. To reduce cost, the couple promptly did a test run with the 2018 film Sanju that was watched in 50 countries using the app. After getting the producers onboard, they pre-uploaded an audio description of the film before its release, and upon syncing the app in the theatre, a visually challenged user could enjoy the movie.
“It tells you whatever is happening in the background. So if a dialogue is playing and ends, the audio description feature comes into play and explains everything. Like in Sanju, there is an arms deal going on, so it explains what is happening on the screen. This helps the visually impaired user correlate and put the pieces together,” says the software developer.
“In case of Andhadhun, if a blind person would have gone to watch the film without the application, someone would have to tell them that there is a dead body lying in front of Ayushmann Khurrana, as this is not mentioned via dialogues,” he adds.
Since then, they have uploaded audio descriptions for films like Andhadhun, RAW, Thackery, and the classic Sholay. To make it user-friendlier, the app can speak and talk back. Out of their 42000 users, the couple informs that around 14000 visually impaired people are using the AD feature.
While more than 6000 visually impaired people watched Sanju in the theatre using the app, the founders rue that many tend to delete the app when there is no new release.
“The only complaint from users is that there is no new content. That is because no producer is interested in collaborating for audio description as they think visually impaired people are not part of the mainstream. But the number of visually impaired people is huge. And since there is no content for audio description, visually impaired people think that movies aren’t a form of entertainment for them,” states Kunaal.
In order to change this belief, and keeping in mind The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill 2016 that says that all the electronic content should have an accessible version, the couple is working towards making this feature mandatory across theatres. The founders are also in talks with production houses, namely Viacom18, Sony and Fox, for their next movies. They also wanted to bring Mission Mangal on the app, but the producers backed out.
However, the couple believes that even the visually impaired need to start accepting technology. “I believe there are technological offerings available, but it’s just that the visually impaired people have to start using them. The community needs to change its perspective towards technology and needs to actively start making use of it,” concludes Dipti.
