By
Sharada Iyer
Away from the world of glitter, glamour, designer clothes, manufacturers and star energy, director Kiran Rao takes us on a pleasant experience right into a world of cinema only a few would dare to tread as we speak. Set in 2001, towards the backdrop of a village in Madhya Pradesh, each body is ideal on this heart-warming satirical story which mainly revolves across the lives of two brides and is an ideal amalgam of humour and irony.
On the face of it, although ‘Laapataa Women’ or ‘lacking women’ because the title conveys narrates the story of two brides who go lacking quickly after their marriage ceremony resulting from sudden circumstances, however beneath this story the narrative additionally exposes how the ladies in rural India unknowingly find yourself dropping their very own id bowing to the diktats or norms laid down by our patriarchal society. In a method, the ladies in our nation typically lose themselves by letting go of who they have been earlier than their marriage to change into the particular person they’re anticipated to be after their marriage.
The straightforward plot begins when the groom- Deepak, is departing along with his new bride- Phool, after the marriage ceremony to his village. She is suggested very strictly to henceforth cowl her face utterly along with her ‘ghoonghat’ or veil, by no means to raise it in public and study to stroll solely trying down. The couple in some way handle to board the prepare and are quickly squeezed right into a sometimes crowded compartment filled with folks pushing and pulling one another. Sarcastically there are two extra newly-weds travelling by the identical compartment carrying very comparable outfits and all three brides trying nearly similar with veils overlaying their faces.
As anticipated, when the station arrives in the midst of the night time, our hero pulls the sleeping bride and will get down and covers the remainder of the journey holding her hand with out seeing her face. After reaching dwelling when her mother-in-law requests the bride to point out her face, the groom and his total household are in for a shock because the bride is a brand new face unknown to them. Her title is Pushpa Rani.
So, whereas the household is questioning how their son might have been so silly to deliver dwelling another person’s spouse, the absurdity of the customized of carrying a veil hits the viewer in a refined and hilarious method. That is the form of template maintained all through the narrative which turns into the largest plus-point of the movie and engages the viewer from starting to finish. We’re invested within the characters questioning what’s going to occur to them at each step.
In the meantime the actual bride Phool, who had been left sleeping within the prepare wakes as much as the surprising reality of not understanding the place her husband is and why he deserted her. She doesn’t even bear in mind the title of her village correctly and being on their own is afraid to ask for any assist additionally. Each the husbands lodge a grievance of their respective police stations for his or her lacking wives and when they’re narrating the circumstances, one can not assist however snigger on the method it has occurred.
Whereas one of many brides is just a little naïve, the opposite one is extra of a fighter. What occurs to the 2 brides? Do they discover their respective companions? Or, do they resolve to just accept their destiny and modify to the brand new circumstances and make new buddies? Or, do they take their future in their very own palms and resolve to carve a brand new path for themselves? How do the husbands react and what’s their tackle the state of affairs?
The movie must be watched to benefit from the plot because it unfolds. There are numerous humorous moments and a few touching conditions as nicely. There are thought-provoking scenes which make us ponder on the method our society has been functioning in the identical regressive method like a well-oiled equipment with out ever altering gear. However there’s a glimmer of hope in addition to the movie tells us how one can empower ourselves when issues don’t go the best way we had anticipated and the way we will change our destiny if we result in even a small change in our thought-process and our mind-set.
The movie by no means will get excessive in its messaging and is in truth laced with refined punches and humour at each step and but the irony hits us all through whereas we’re watching. Therein lies the energy of this gem of a movie which boasts of an outstanding screenplay, glorious dialogues, sensible appearing, gratifying songs and above all excellent route.
This story is so relatable and plausible that it could possibly be taking place wherever in our nation. Director Kiran Rao dons the director’s hat and deftly steers the proceedings in a method paying homage to our movies of Hrishikesh Mukherjee or Basu Chatterjee the place content material and characters have been the mainstay and the names and actors portraying them have been secondary.
The selection of the forged comprising of many new faces must be lauded as a result of their appearing is what holds the movie collectively so nicely. All of the three protagonists-Sparsh Shrivastav as Deepak, Nitanshi Goel as Phool and Pratibha Ranta as Pushpa Rani are completely forged and have provide you with sensible performances conveying a spread of feelings and on the similar time bringing about their vulnerability within the state of affairs. The chemistry between all actors is commendable.
Ravi Kishan because the paan-chewing bribe-taking inspector is spot-on and Chaaya Kadam because the tea-stall proprietor is splendid. It was a pleasant change to see the credit score titles at first seem in Hindi with the movie title showing in English, Hindi, and Urdu as they did in an period passed by.
Not on a regular basis does one come throughout a movie like this which is simplistic and heartwarming, but carries a robust message laced with wit and humour. The 2 brides ended up discovering their true selves by getting misplaced and anybody watching can be impressed by this movie. Kudos to Aamir Khan Productions for yet one more well-made movie and to a giant shout-out to all the staff of Laapataa Women. The present that I went for was almost packed to full capability and other people have been clapping throughout the movie in lots of locations.
The movie ushers in a ray of hope for the revival of significant and entertaining middle-of-the-road cinema for Bollywood…
