Thappad (2020)
Cast : Taapsee Pannu, Pavail Gulati, Maya Sarao
Director : Anubhav Sinha
Genre : Drama
Synopsis : Amrita lives that picture-perfect life every housewife would long for - a loving husband, doting mother-in-law and loads of liberties, until one moment shatters her life and forces her to question the worth of her marriage.
"Just a slap is enough"
After Mulk and Article 15, Anubhav Sinha is back with Thappad, a hard-hitting film that makes you think about a woman's position and treatment in a family.
Thappad is the story of Amrita, a housewife who is happily married to her beau, Vikram, who quite obviously is running that endless marathon - in pursuit of that long-awaited life abroad. Thappad throws light on how one slap, just one, is more than enough to question a relationship. Again, it is not 'bas itni si baat'. It is that crack of a relationship, when mutual respect is shattered and loses its meaning in this delicately balanced union of marriage.
Vikram is too emotionally invested in his progress, to easily tear what Amrita painstakingly invested - her entire life, to be a part of his dreams. Yet when the time comes for them to move on, Amrita is expected to easily get over it while Vikram struggles to move on from his broken dream.
Vikram's childish point is constantly justified, whereas hers is dismissed as an 'overreaction'.
In Thappad, Subodh (Santanu Ghatak) shamelessly points out, "Thodi bahut maar peet expression of love hi na hai sir". A slap does not deserve to be commonplace in a relationship.
Thappad also points at how every marriage is a deal, in several ways. Some invest and sustain on love and affection, others on money. Either way, it is a need-satisfy bond that lives on expectation and mutual reciprocation, be it love or respect.
Here, Netra Jaisingh, daughter-in law of Chief Justice Jaisingh says, "You don't need love to stay in a marriage", but Amrita unknowingly helps steer Netra's life in the right direction, which meant Netra moving on from her own toxic marriage.
What enraged me was why, despite everyone knowing who was at fault, none stepped forward to question his action. How come the man is never questioned and all the fire is on the woman? This conveys that men need not have to worry about being questioned and women have to swallow the blame instead. As she looks for support, all she hears is 'auraton thoda badarsht karna chahiye'.
"Too relatable"
Thappad is an intense battle between the genders and inject the much-needed dose of truth in our heavily stereotyped lives. It truthfully portrays how male chauvinism rules in an ordinary household and how the average family receives it. It is just too relatable, for women surviving in a society as this and is grounded in reality, which is why it will resonate with all women alike.
Thappad may not be palatable for many, but it uncovers the truth and forces change in our lives. More importantly, it shows how just a slap can be a justified reason to call it quits.
It is a visual treat to watch Taapsee slip into Amrita's skin so effortlessly. Her performance, beautifully accentuated with needed pauses, keeps the flow of the story seamless. The character that made the best impression was the hilariously depicted Sunita, played by Geetika Vidya Ohlyan. Geetika's captivating performance makes it hard to miss her presence on screen.
Then there is Amrita's sensible father, played by Kumud Mishra. Amrita's father comes across as a realm of wisdom, with deep layers of philosophy and a fierce fatherly instinct to protect and support his daughter despite the situation. It is endearing to watch this father's soft yet firm nudges to bring his daughter's courage out of her cocoon.
Women have equal rights to want a relationship in which they feel valued and respected, and not inferior or trampled upon. Speaking of which, women also have the rights to refuse a relationship if they are not respected as individuals with wishes. A married woman's individuality and self-respect cannot be robbed and smothered in the name of marriage. Women are done mommying their grown-up husbands and this 'liberty' or 'superiority' that men assume must stop.
This subject has remained the elephant in the room for long, as they often say 'shaadi mein sab kuch chalta hai'. It is heart-wrenching to see how the women in our lives, despite the suppression, have learned to adjust and accept the fact we have nailed hard enough in their heads. This film is certainly going to start the long-awaited conversation in every household.
Vikram is too emotionally invested in his progress, to easily tear what Amrita painstakingly invested - her entire life, to be a part of his dreams. Yet when the time comes for them to move on, Amrita is expected to easily get over it while Vikram struggles to move on from his broken dream.
Vikram's childish point is constantly justified, whereas hers is dismissed as an 'overreaction'.
In Thappad, Subodh (Santanu Ghatak) shamelessly points out, "Thodi bahut maar peet expression of love hi na hai sir". A slap does not deserve to be commonplace in a relationship.
Thappad also points at how every marriage is a deal, in several ways. Some invest and sustain on love and affection, others on money. Either way, it is a need-satisfy bond that lives on expectation and mutual reciprocation, be it love or respect.
Here, Netra Jaisingh, daughter-in law of Chief Justice Jaisingh says, "You don't need love to stay in a marriage", but Amrita unknowingly helps steer Netra's life in the right direction, which meant Netra moving on from her own toxic marriage.
What enraged me was why, despite everyone knowing who was at fault, none stepped forward to question his action. How come the man is never questioned and all the fire is on the woman? This conveys that men need not have to worry about being questioned and women have to swallow the blame instead. As she looks for support, all she hears is 'auraton thoda badarsht karna chahiye'.
"Too relatable"
Thappad is an intense battle between the genders and inject the much-needed dose of truth in our heavily stereotyped lives. It truthfully portrays how male chauvinism rules in an ordinary household and how the average family receives it. It is just too relatable, for women surviving in a society as this and is grounded in reality, which is why it will resonate with all women alike.
Thappad may not be palatable for many, but it uncovers the truth and forces change in our lives. More importantly, it shows how just a slap can be a justified reason to call it quits.
It is a visual treat to watch Taapsee slip into Amrita's skin so effortlessly. Her performance, beautifully accentuated with needed pauses, keeps the flow of the story seamless. The character that made the best impression was the hilariously depicted Sunita, played by Geetika Vidya Ohlyan. Geetika's captivating performance makes it hard to miss her presence on screen.
Then there is Amrita's sensible father, played by Kumud Mishra. Amrita's father comes across as a realm of wisdom, with deep layers of philosophy and a fierce fatherly instinct to protect and support his daughter despite the situation. It is endearing to watch this father's soft yet firm nudges to bring his daughter's courage out of her cocoon.
Women have equal rights to want a relationship in which they feel valued and respected, and not inferior or trampled upon. Speaking of which, women also have the rights to refuse a relationship if they are not respected as individuals with wishes. A married woman's individuality and self-respect cannot be robbed and smothered in the name of marriage. Women are done mommying their grown-up husbands and this 'liberty' or 'superiority' that men assume must stop.
This subject has remained the elephant in the room for long, as they often say 'shaadi mein sab kuch chalta hai'. It is heart-wrenching to see how the women in our lives, despite the suppression, have learned to adjust and accept the fact we have nailed hard enough in their heads. This film is certainly going to start the long-awaited conversation in every household.
This film is a tight slap on every man who does not know his limits with the women in his life. If you are looking for a real, sensible film, this is the one for you. For if this isn't real, then what is?
Watch Thappad now!
Watch Thappad now!
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