Sep 23, 2016 02:35 PM
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Haven’t we(women) always thought that talking about sex, need for love and compassion, and being liberal is much more than what our society can take? Immediately judged, once or ever, when a woman talks about these matters freely, as if these are only the matters which are to be steered by men in women’s life.
Well, Director Leena Yadav’s third movie is about to shift the paradigm. She has brought the real-deal about women under the magnifying glass that is going to make you cry, contemplate, worry for their being and lastly, clap cheerfully when you know the women can pave their own path in much, not so, courteous way.
The truth-telling movie is about four protagonists, but the major focus is on Rani(Tannishtha Chatterjee), who is 32-years-old widower about to marry his 17-years-old son Gulab(Riddhi Sen) to teenage Janaki(Lehar Khan). She is forced to mortgage her hut to pay for the nuptials, but when Janaki presents herself with a boy-cut, this turn of events bring shame to the family. Gulab nasty character takes a fly and frequents whores and condemns progressive skirt manufacturer Kishan(Sumeet Vyas) for marrying an educated foreign girl, and treating his female employees as an equal.
The subservient environment where Rani and Janaki have been brought o dwell is no escape for other women as well. Rani’s confidante Lajjo(Radhika Apte), a village beauty, is declared as ‘barren’ by her alcoholic husband and subjected to beating by him for being both household breadwinner and ‘baanj’. Lajjo’s infertility is treated as curse, as child-bearing is indoctrinated as the sole purpose of a female’s body. This is no worse than promiscuity to Bijli(Surveen Chawla), a town sex worker, who lures her audience by shaking her hips with all the raunch and into her bed – but with a price.
Into this familiar scene of women banding together to take on the hopeless men in their lives and stricture that governs their conduct, Leena Yadav drops some scenes where there are you cannot stop from fist-pumping and drawing that yes-that’s-how-it-should-be smirk wide on your faces. This happens when male privileges are being by Bijli, so liberal with her thoughts that puts any common gal to shame. She asks why all the abuses and curses named after women and none after men. That just simply suggests, its time those expletives get coined after men too.
In this female-ruled movie, there are only two men worth mentioning. One is Rani’s secret admirer, who woos her vis modern technology of mobile and calls himself Shah Rukh Khan. Enough for a love-deprived woman to swoon. Second is the unnamed character played by Adil Hussain, who gives Lajjo the woman-on-top lifetime experience, in a cave, but not before saluting her womb. Doesn’t that give a feel of caveman ways and dominating the thoughts of a woman!
These scenes are blurred out but the most touching moment of intimacy is between Rani and Lajjo, when it implies that Rani has carnal interest in Lajjo. The keen dramatization of their relationship, and its physical intimacy, makes clear that such feelings do not speak about their bent towards potential homosexuality but shows that their shared cravings for the very sort of genuine, tender affection that their spouses so maliciously deny them.
Yadav has taken up a script that was explored in less insistent glamourous settings, and intends on a happy ending but doesn’t seem to happen with all the violence that swirls in the air like the mirrorwork skirts. Through Rani, it is gestured that the ever-running misogyny is by us, women, failing to recognise that sooner or later all are put into the same situation and fried for course of many years. Where results do not differ.
Tannishtha Chatterjee does an excellent job of painting her sad and complex handicraft-littered lives. Radhika Apte brings out the character’s innocence extremely well. In the intimate scenes too, she maintains the composure and looks comfortable. Surveen Chawla is a stunner, nails the care-free, untamed character with full might.
The cinematography by Russell Carpenter, brings us the heavy-coloured palette that ranges from earthy shades to richly saturated tones. Toning of Bijli’s brothel to glow-in-the-dark vehicle of fantasy -gleams in the middle of sand canvas around.
This movie conveys the twisted link between men’s cruelty and women’s tendency to blame themselves, and each other, for their own mistreatment. It avoids simplistic solutions and shows that protagonists need to rely on heaven-sent saviours.
The attentive writing and sturdy performances, the characters feel so real and succumbing is fairly easy. There is always the nagging feeling about these women, Rani, Lajjo, Janaki and Bijli, that dreaming a wishful is easier than achieved.
So those who think their lives are worth complaining, watch this movie to know that we are privileged. Watch this movie to see the ugly truth. Watch this movie to know that there’s a different India altogether.
