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What do I say about the two leading ladies?! They don't act. They become. They share screen space in just a handful of scenes in the movie, yet you can see the undercurrent of their collective power throughout.
Flummoxed. Pensive. Unsettled. I do not think I can describe what my state of mind was more accurately when the end credits of the movie started rolling on the screen.
‘Jalsa’, written and directed by Suresh Triveni of ‘Tumhari Sulu’ fame, is the kind of movie in which you discover new facets every time you discuss it or ponder over it. Here, what is shown is more than what is shown. It took me just half an hour to go from confusion over not being able to gauge how much I liked it to unwittingly explaining the nuances of some scenes to my family members.
And as I write this post now, I know I have discovered and interpreted some more about the lives and choices of Maya Menon and Rukhsana, played by Vidya Balan and Shefali Shah respectively.
Contrary to popular opinion, I don’t think casting Vidya Balan and Shefali Shah in a movie is half the battle won. Rather, it is a huge challenge to ensure that the script rises above their phenomenal talent and acute understanding of the craft.
Of course, it helps to have a star cast that is gold in every way, but ‘Jalsa’ is so much about the depth beneath the surface that it compels you to penetrate into the thought process behind each scene. The writing is clever, oscillating between symbolism, foreshadowing and drama. It is understated at times, pronounced at others. There are several threads that get established in the first half that tie together as the script inches towards the climax.
What do I say about the two leading ladies?! They don’t act. They become. They share screen space in just a handful of scenes in the movie, yet you can see the undercurrent of their collective power throughout.
Without giving away the plot, it is hard to give them the appreciation they deserve for portraying such intense, emotionally heavy and complex roles with an incredibly natural finesse. While Vidya makes a remarkable use of her whole body to convey the guilt, privilege, and fear, Shefali’s eyes are enough to display her grief, anger and pain.
Maya and Rukhsana share a transactional, quotidian equation that exists between an employer and a domestic worker. The class divide is obvious and though there is no specific mention of it, an important point on intersectional feminism is made every time they are together. It made me question my own feminism more fiercely.
It is strange, but during one scene, when they are supposed to be at the opposite ends of greys, I actually felt they were a team, mocking us for the double standards we hold as a society. Can we please have more of this combo in the future?
All the supporting actors have done their job wonderfully, especially considering they had to match up to the brilliance of Shefali Shah and Vidya Balan.
I want to give a special mention to child actor, Surya Kasibhatla, who plays the part of Maya Menon’s specially-abled son. He is a delight to watch and hits all the right notes. Kudos to the filmmakers for getting a child who has celebral palsy in real life onboard, to enact this role. This is a welcome step towards more inclusivity in Bollywood, and hopefully we will see more of such casting choices in the future.
With all its plusses, the only thing that bothered me about the movie was its pace and length. It has been promoted as a thriller but seemed to be more of a slow-burn to me. A little bit of trimming would have added more bounce and tautness to the final outcome. Also, Maya’s turnaround (and maybe even Rukhsana’s?) in the climax did seem abrupt and a bit improbable, but maybe, in days to come I will understand this transition better.
All said and done, as a viewer, this movie did make me look inwards.
What is truth? Is it above survival? Are choices really choices or are they privileges disguised in our social stature? Are we all hypocrites in some ways? Or are we just doing whatever it takes to somehow pull along the strings of life? What does one choose when each path wrongs someone – either self or others? Is reconciliation always about forgiveness? Are our principles merely quotable quotes in the face of adversity?
Several questions. Complex answers. Or maybe, easy.
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People say that women are the greatest enemies of women. I vehemently disagree. It is the patriarchal mindset that makes women believe in the wrong ideology.
The entire world celebrates International Women’s Day on March 8, 2024. It should be a joyful day, but unfortunately, not all women are entitled to this privilege, as violence against women is at its peak. The experience of oppression pushes many women to choose freedom. As far as patriotism is concerned, feminism is not a cup of tea in this society.
What happens when a woman decides to stand up for herself? Does this world easily accept the decisions of women in this society? What inspires them to be free of the clutches of the oppression that women have faced for ages? Most of the time, women do not get the chance to decide for themselves. Their lives are always at the mercy of someone, which can be their parents, siblings, husband, or children.
In some cases, women do not feel the need to make any decisions. They are taught to obey the patriarchal system, which makes them believe that they are right. In my family, I was never taught to make decisions on my own. It was always my parents who bought dresses and all that I needed.
14 years after her last feature film Dhobi Ghat, storyteller extraordinaire comes up with her new film, Laapataa Ladies, a must watch.
*Some spoilers alert*
Every religion around the world dictates terms to women. The onus is always on women to be ‘modest’ and cover their faces and bodies so men can’t be “tempted”, rather than on men to keep their eyes where they belong and behave like civilized beings. So much so that even rape has been excused on the grounds of women eating chowmein or ‘men will be men’. I think the best Hindi movie retort to this unwanted advice on ‘akeli ladki khuli tijori ki tarah hoti hai’ (an alone woman is like an open jewellery box) came from Geet in Jab We Met – Kya aap gyan dene ke paise lete hain kyonki chillar nahin hain mere paas.
The premise of Laapataa Ladies is beautifully simple – two brides clad in the ghunghat that covers their identity get mixed up on a train. Within this Russian Doll, you get a comedy of errors, a story of getting lost, a commentary on patriarchy’s attitude towards women, a mystery, and a tale of finding oneself, all in one. Done with a mostly light touch that has you laughing and nodding along.
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