DBT Bureau
Bengaluru
Rural India has many inspiring stories that a few have captured on screen. ‘Laapataa Ladies’ is one such engaging story of the Indian hinterland that has captured a range of issues in one film. From purity of human bonding to lack of basic facilities in rural areas; from a strong women empowerment story to the dark side of male dominance, all have been captured vividly. It also shows there are many Indias within India that never get the due it deserves. But Kiran Rao’s second directorial debut is an exceptional film in many ways as she is able to portray all the characters as they are. Adapted from a story by Biplab Goswami, this movie is all about simple but effective storytelling.
The storyline:
Laapataa Ladies is the tale of two Indian brides, who get exchanged inadvertently in their train journey. The train is crowded with other brides wearing the same attire with the veil. This creates a situation where in the darkness of night, Deepak, who is travelling back to his village with his new bride- Phool Kumari, holds Jaya’s hand to be his bride and bring her home. Meanwhile, Phool Kumari realises that his husband is missing after disembarking from the train with Pradeep. Then, the plot slowly moves with its twists and turns. Phool gets support from two good Samaritans at the station, works with Manju Mai, and hopes that her husband will find her one day.
Meanwhile, Deepak registers an FIR in the police station and SI Shyam Manohar starts digging. Jaya, who is now living with Deepak’s family under the false name of Pushpa, soon comes under the suspicion of police. As the plot progresses, the movie captures the nuances of police corruption, the helplessness of common people, the struggle of Jaya to read further to be self-dependent, and the pure human bonding of Phool Kumari with her surroundings.
Powerful characters:
Phool Kumari, played by Nitashi Goel, is the real discovery of the movie. Her innocent eyes, reluctance to give her husband’s name owing to cultural issues, and spontaneous bonding with the surroundings show her acting prowess. Pratibha Ranta as Jaya has also played her role perfectly, mixing the tenderness and firmness of a woman with perfection. As usual, Ravi Kishan’s portrayal as Sub Inspector represents the greediness of a policeman but with a good soul. Deepak’s character played by Sparsh Shrivastav also shows the guilt and helplessness of a common man of India against the system. Overall, ‘Laapataa Ladies’ resonates with the heart of rural India to which billions connect.
