'Shame' Unmasked. Review on Lajja - Bollywood

Half-baked articles, Mixed reviews and Contradicting Personal views from people made me write this review. To be very honest, Lajja and Lagaan were probably the only enterprising projects made in many recent years. Lajja was a raw, hard-hitting, terrific take on reality.

The subject is complicated and controversial to some extent. There are for sure some people who who dismissed the movie for several reasons. The reasons or rather, excuses being one of these. Some scenes come across as a Slap towards some stereotypical hypocritical characters of our society. Some scenes take references from mythology questioning the treatment of Sita in Ramayana. Some others show women doing things which they are not ''supposed'' to do.

Story, Script:

One of the most creative in recent times. Vaidehi is running away from her husband after realizing his selfish and cruel intentions. During this journey, she comes across other women who relatively are in same or more pathetic situations as she is. After this painful journey, she is filled with Shame towards our culture which boasts of attributing tremendous respect towards Women, but fails to do so in reality. What makes her live through, is the strength she acquires from the women she comes across, who all fighted in their own respects against the hypocritical society and to her relief, she meets some good men too. All the women characters and thier suffering are built around the mythological character, Sita. Under the mark of a 'Civilized Society', Women continue to be victims of terrible atrocities of male hypocrisy. There is a limit to this suffering. So, when tears stop or drain out, Revolution begins.

Screenplay & Direction:

Rendering such a complex script is a Real Challenge. The directors Character Sketch is just Brilliant. The very first scene shows a saree freely flying in the air but after a while it gets torn off by some thorns and eventually gets burnt by a fire.....The stage is set !

The first half has some light moments and in fact some genuine comedy, involving Johny Lever. The film looses its pace for about 10-15 mins here. To make up for this, a scene comes along right before the interval, which has never been depicted this way before - Maithili''s Confrontation with her would be In-laws and husband. Maithili is disgusted by the way things shape-up during her marriage with elements like dowry, and her fidelity cropping up. She bursts out and attacks the would-be family verbally. While most of the graphical depiction of the dowry torture and blackmailing shown may not seem realistic to the urban population, absolute denial of such a thing in existence in totality in our society will be foolish.

The second half begins and here starts a once in a while experience of absolute drama.

Janaki appears on the screen and sets it ablaze. She is a free bird, living by her own standards. Vaidehi finds a special friend and inspiration in Janaki. Certain stressful events in Janaki's life lead to the most sensitive part of the film, janaki portraying Sita's Agnipariksha on the stage. The scene was written with extreme care and executed unbelievably. In a single opportunity the character Sita, takes on Ram, Ravana and even Lakshman for the awkward position she is thrown into. When Ram expresses his concern over his peoples' concerns and asks Sita to take Agnipariksha, Janaki's 'Sita', speaks up..

Mere dhairy, mere vishwaas, mere prem, mere pooja ka ye phal milraha hai mujhe...ke bhari sabhame meri apmaan horaha hai.. (Lakhsman intervenes and tries to convince her..)Saari museebaton ka jad tho tum ho, Shurpanaka ki naak tume kaati aur Raavan uthalegaya mughe, usne bhi apni mardangi ek aurat par hi dikhaya. (Ram intervenes and starts speaking about how they have to abide by the rules of the society ...) Maine shaadi aap se kiya hai samaaj se nahi. Aap mujhpe vishwas karte hai ki nahi ?, kahiye, vishwas karte hai ki nahin ?I (Ram remains silent...) A Volcano Erupts - Aap dono bhalu aur vaanaron ke madat leke ladethena, akeli hi ladi thi mai us se ashok vatika me, chinn bhinn kardiyatha uske aatm samman ko, haradiya tha use wohi ashok vatika me, Mare hue ko maar giraye aapke bhai parakrami shri ram jine....agar mai uski baat manleti, to bina lade haarjaate aap log... Rahi baat Agnipariksha ki to hum donon hi ek doosrese alag rahe hai..to denahai tho do no hi denge yeh agnipariksha...chaliye baithiye agnime mere saath..

Janaki is targeted by the religious leaders and the society which abuses her and frames her with Madness. Mood Intensifies...Even before one tries to settle down after this serious and impactful episode, Bulwa enters and raises the mood and the project from where Janaki leaves. A revolutionary by 'profession', he fights for the rights and justice of village folk and shuns the atrocities committed by the upper caste and feudals. Ramdulaari, a mid-wife and a small scale home industry owner gives refuge to Vaidehi. She walks through the bizarre incidents still in vogue in villages relating to female infanticide, feudal supression and evil caste differences. Every effort by her to educate the villagers and make them aware of thier basic human rights as individuals, go in vain. She becomes a victim of rape by the landlords and then murdered. Bulwa turns mad and goes after the landlords....in the meanwhile Vaidehi's husband learns a lesson, a hard way.

Vaidehi rips off the honours from the landlord at a public meet and expresses her utter disgust and Shame on the course of events she has been witnessing andtThe movie ends with a harmonic note..

Other Aspects

Camera work - Awesome, Background music - hollywood standards, Art direction - Commendable, Costumes - realistic and Dialogues - praise-worthy. Acting by the cast is just fantastic. Manisha plays Vaidehi, very gracefully, expressing the vulnerability and helplessness required. Mahima gets less screen time but she wonderfully enacts one of the most powerful scenes. Rekha is excellent blending into the character with much ease. Madhuri as Janaki gives a spell-bounding, breath-taking and an absolutely flawless performace way beyond measures of excellence. Ajay Devgan seems just made for the role. He carries the spark and strength needed by the character in his eyes and just rules the screen. Anil kapoor is sincere.

Some hard-hitting & fascinating dialogues

* 'Uthjayenge' - utters Maithili's would be father in law, very often

* 'Jai ho mayya ki' - Bulwa's punchline

* 'Lata, tere ko kuch nahin pata' - overprotective Purushottam addrressing his wife

* 'Gin gin ke bithaya hoga yen din, ek hi haath jo chod rakha hai, khane ko aur dhone ke liye..' - Bulwa confronts the landlord.

'Apni ghar wali chod har aurat rani nazar ati hai kya ? Roti kamanake ke liye aurat ghar se baahar nikli, to har mard usse apna baap ka maal samajhtha hai ! Kyon ??' - Janaki to the lusty Purushottam

(and finally I'll end with this beautiful collection of words...)

* 'Ladki ko bechari nahi bolneka, yeh kaynaat me jo saari khoobiyan hai na, woh akeli ladkime daala hai banaane walene, agar woh apni jalwe pe ajayena, phir kya bhagwaan Indr aur kya vishwamitr...'- Janaki insisting that ladki is not 'bechari'