Laapataa Ladies : Wholesome Entertainment With A Message

Sanjeev Kumar Nath

Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies which is only the second movie to be directed by her, the first being Dhobi Ghaat (internationally known as Mumbai Files) of 2010.

Laapataa Ladies was screened at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on 8 September, 2023 before being released theatrically on March 1, 2024—just as Mumbai Files was first screened at TIFF before being released in cinemas.

When I went to watch the film in a hall in Guwahati the audiences was rather small—possibly indicating our audience’s fascination for the absurdities of big budget blockbusters and lukewarm response to truly good films.

Laapataa Ladies is a really good film: it provides wholesome entertainment without the stupid exaggerations and extraordinary piling up of nonsensical coincidences that go with the everyday Bollywood comedy film. Besides, it also has a powerful, but very delicately delivered message about the dignity and empowerment of women.

Set in 2001 in the fictional Nirmal Pradesh of rural India, the film was possibly shot mostly in rural Madhya Pradesh. Most of the action of the film is shown to take place in the fictional Surajmukhi village of Nirmal Pradesh. A string of related events are triggered by something that happens in the beginning : two young brides in their bridal attire, travelling with their grooms in the same compartment of a train, get lost, and hence the title Laapataa Ladies (“Lost Ladies”).

“Will Jaya be able to escape an abusive Pradeep and pursue her dream of studying agricultural science? Will Phool and Deepak be united again? These are the concerns that keep the audience glued to the fast-paced, but intelligently organized action of the film.”

One of the brides who gets separated from her husband is Phool Kumari very ably played by Nitanshi Goel. Nitanshi does a great job of bringing the character of Phool alive : innocent, guileless but also capable and courageous in her own way, and willing to struggle on her own and wait for reunion with her husband Deepak.

In the station in which she is stranded she befriends Chhotu played by Satendra Kumar and Manju Maai (played by Chhaya Kadam) who has her own story of fighting for her independence and dignity as a woman. Although the film shows brief glimpses of the dirty underbelly of the society that would take advantage of the innocent Phool if it could, the emphasis is on genuine human goodness and warmth.

Chhaya Kadam and the young Satendra Kumar, as all other actors in the film do wonderfully well to make their characters perfectly alive. It can safely be asserted that not a single actor in the film is mediocre in their performance. Chhotu who works for Manju Maai and sends money to his people at home, has a heart of gold, and is the principal support for Phool when she has to struggle to survive on her own.

Sparsh Srivastava plays the part of Deepak Kumar, Phool’s husband and an honest but not-too-smart young man who loves his wife dearly and suffers the consequences of his error of leaving her sleeping in the train and coming away with someone else’s bride, clad in very similar bridal dress. The other bride (besides Phool Kumari) in the train who is also separated from her new husband is Jaya, played by Pratibha Ratna.

Jaya’s husband Pradeep is a villain who has married Jaya purely for dowry. He is rowdy and abusive in his behaviour, with absolutely no respect for women, and is possibly guilty of murdering his first wife who had died of burning. Jaya has been quite bright as a student, and was full of enthusiasm for studying agriculture to become an organic farmer, but her family has seen difficult times, and marriage was thrust on her by her mother.

Corrupt police officer Shyam Manohar who demands a bribe Rs 1500 when Deepak goes to the police station to complain about his missing wife Phool, and settles for Rs 5000, is very well played by Ravi Kishan. The officer’s dull-headed constable, Dubey Ji, played by Durgesh Kumar is very entertaining with his stupid remarks delivered on almost every occasion he opens his mouth.

Quite a few women in the film are shown empowered with different skills, but often without a desire to pursue their dreams. They have simply accepted the roles thrust on them by a traditional, patriarchal society. Manju Maai is an exception, who fights for her independence and is victorious. Jaya, who is also an exception to this “rule” of being submissive to patriarchal norms, urges the others to make use of their skills and pursue their dreams and be happy.

Thus, Deepak’s sister-in-law Poonam (played by Rachna Gupta) is good in painting, but her skills as an artist remain hidden until Jaya shows her how she can use her skills. Manju Mai, who does not seem very kind hearted in the beginning, supports Phool in her own rough style, and Phool learns a thing or two about being on her own during her stay with Manju Mai.

Deepak’s father (played by Pakaj Sharma) is a friendly elderly farmer, not quite the autocratic patriarch often shown in such films, and the genuine warmth and friendliness of Deepak’s family shows the good nature, humour and moral health of people who are not rich but contended with their lives of hard work in the fields and at home.

Will Jaya be able to escape an abusive Pradeep and pursue her dream of studying agricultural science? Will Phool and Deepak be united again? These are the concerns that keep the audience glued to the fast-paced, but intelligently organized action of the film.

(Sanjeev Kumar Nath, English Department, Gauhati University, sanjeevnath21@gmail.com)

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