The first screening of "Black" has made a stunning impact, with Jaya Bachchan rating it as husband Amitabh Bachchan's career best.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali's film was specially screened this week for the Bachchan family, Rani Mukherjee's family, the director, his mother and their close associates.

Sources say Bachchan and the entire clan sat frozen in their seats for a long time after the film. Then everyone proceeded at around 2 a.m. for dinner to the Bachchan residence, still unwilling to exchange a word.

Says Jaya Bachchan: "This is something we've never experienced before. 'Black' just ends all discussion. It's the kind of movie experience that raises the scale of our cinema so high that you cannot classify its merits.

"All I can say is 'Black' proves Sanjay Leela Bhansali one of the best filmmakers not only in India but also in the world.

"Both Abhishek and I instantly thought of Guru Dutt's 'Kaagaz Ke Phool' after the film. Rani's performance is truly, truly outstanding. As for Amitji, I rank it his career's best along with Hrishikesh Mukherjee's 'Anand' and Sudhendu Roy's 'Saudagar'.

"It's been a long, long time since I saw pure cinema. I just can't get over it."

Bhansali is both elated and apprehensive. "Black" was cleared Tuesday by the censor board without a single cut. "Now it's just a matter of days, not even weeks, and I've become too edgy for words."

Speaking of words, Pritish Nandy Productions' "Shabd" is being released Feb 4 along with "Black". In fact a special screening of "Shabd" was held the same evening as "Black". And now both the films will have their premieres on the same night.

Says Bhansali: "I wish 'Shabd' all the best. After all it stars my friend Aishwarya Rai. I want her to do well in life. My only regret is she won't be able to attend the premiere of my film."