Interesting parallels can be drawn between "Million Dollar Baby" (MDB) and Sanjay Leela Bhansali's "Black". While the former won several Oscars, the latter is touted to win one too. Both films are not original, though their screenplays are brilliant.

MDB is based on a short story written by fight manager Jerry Boyd (pen name FX Toole), while "Black" drew inspiration from Helen Keller and The Miracle Worker. The relationships between the two main characters (Clint Eastwood, Hilary Swank and Amitabh Bachchan, Rani Mukerji) are that of teacher-student. Eastwood plays a reluctant teacher prejudiced towards women, while Bachchan is a willing master who adopts cruel measures to teach.

Both pairs come to discover that they share a common spirit. Finding solace in the other, they fight battles that demand more courage than they can gather. While Swank wants to be a boxer, deaf-blind Mukerji aspires to be a graduate. Eastwood isn't keen on taking up the responsibility, but Swank's determination forces him to give in. Bachchan also almost walks away, only to return.