Guzaarish, Hope, and the Search for Meaning at the End of Life

By: Nishant Kumar

Hope is often quiet, especially when life is filled with pain. Viktor Frankl described hope not as a simple feeling, but as an inner freedom tied to meaning. After surviving Nazi concentration camps, he observed that people who held on to a reason to live someone they loved, a goal, or a responsibility—were able to endure extreme suffering. For Frankl, hope was a choice to believe that life still had value, even in the darkest moments. These ideas connect strongly with the film Guzaarish.

The movie tells the story of Ethan Mascarenhas, a former magician who has been quadriplegic for years and petitions the court for euthanasia. Ethan’s life is marked by constant physical pain and complete dependence on others, yet the film does not portray him as lifeless or empty. He is intelligent, creative, humorous, and deeply connected to the people around him. Through his relationships especially with his nurse Sofia—the audience sees that even a life filled with suffering can contain love, beauty, and meaning.

Guzaarish captures the emotional complexity of euthanasia. Ethan’s request is not driven by despair alone, but by a desire for control and dignity. At the same time, the film raises uncomfortable questions: if meaning still exists in his life, should suffering justify ending it? This tension mirrors Frankl’s belief that meaning can survive even when the body is broken. Frankl argued that human beings are defined not by what they suffer, but by how they respond to it. The film does not offer a clear moral answer, just as Frankl did not offer simple solutions. Instead, both invite reflection.

They remind us that hope cannot be forced, yet society has a responsibility to support those who suffer through compassion, care, and presence. In debates about euthanasia, Guzaarish and Frankl’s philosophy urge us to look beyond medical conditions and listen to the full human story. Ultimately, hope is not only about staying alive it is about meaning. Whether through love, memory, or dignity, both Frankl and Guzaarish suggest that as long as meaning exists, life continues to speak, even in silence.