Thappad (Slap)

Movie Review (Hindi)

Nothing prepared me for the resounding slap! I knew it was coming but when it came it sent shock waves through me. Somehow it signaled the death of something beautiful.

Someone commented, “A slap is too little a thing to break up a marriage.” The slap, in fact, broke the dream of that ideal marriage. What is important in a married woman’s life?  A wealthy husband who looks at his wife as someone to look after his needs? A downright cruel husband who blatantly shows his physical power over his wife? How many slaps before one can call it cruel?

The movie was really thought provoking. The slap was merely a symbol for various other resounding hurtful slaps which the characters in the movie learn to live with.

Amrita the protagonist, played by Taapsee Pannu, delivers a hard message squarely in your face. The other women, mother played by Ratna Pathak Shah and the mother-in-law played by Tanvi Azmi have made peace with domesticity and its compromises. Amrita’s lawyer Nethra, played by Maya Sarao hesitates to fight her domestic battles and gets courage from Amrita’s demand of being respected and living a truly happy life. The woman next door, Shivani played by Dia Mirza, who lives with her teenage daughter, might seem alone, but is happy to live with the memories of her loving husband. The maid Sunita, played by Geetika Vidya, fights her wife-battering husband and emerges victorious.

Taapsee has been doing some good work in movies like Pink and Mulk. She along with the director, Anubhav Sinha, known for movies like Article 15 and Mulk, have nailed it in Thappad. Each character’s story weaves into one another seamlessly making it more hard hitting.

The early morning tea with lemongrass and ginger which is sipped at various points in the movie tells its own story. Its fresh fragrance lingers on as the movie signals a new beginning for all the characters.

Mulk (Country)

Movie Review (Hindi)

Mulk gave me a sense of joy and relief. How did the censor board pass the movie? How did Anubhav Sinha decide to make a film on such a subject, knowing the kind of atmosphere that prevails today?

It was so novel to see a vulnerable Muslim family caught in the web of terrorism, fighting for their honour and dignity when one of them takes the path to terrorism. None of the members have any idea about the goings-on in the mind of the young boy played by Prateik Babbar. And once there is a terrorist in the family, it is easy for the rest of society, courts and security forces included, to brand the entire family as being involved in the business of terrorism.

Rishi Kapoor selects movies that give scope to get into characters which are not easy to essay and he does an excellent job. As the head of his family, Murad Ali Muhammad who is a lawyer, fights for his fundamental rights as an Indian citizen. He has to fight it out with his Muslim brethren as well. And the twist is that his daughter-in-law is Aarti (Malhotra) Muhammad (Taapsee Pannu) is a lawyer as well and takes on the fight for justice.  Then there is SSP Danish Javed, (Rajat Kapoor) who is hell bent on distancing himself from this Muslim family and creating an example where people will think twice before indulging in such activities. Of course, we have the prosecutor, Santosh Anand (Ashutosh Rana), who brings in all societal prejudices to prevail upon the family.

Yes, we as a society need to erase the created gap between Us and Them and not be dependent on politicians to do that for us. 

Movies that are made on real human emotions and stories can go a long way in undoing many wrongs.