Laapataa Ladies was produced by Aamir Khan, and, as expected, it perfectly captures his vibe of having a wholesome and thoughtful message throughout the film. The movie acts as a powerful punch to the backward traditions that are still prevalent throughout India through its storytelling.
The film follows the misadventures of two newly married women, finding their individuality in a man’s world. They capture this with the story of two newlywed couples who board a local train on the same day. One couple has to get off at an earlier stop and accidentally grabs the other’s wife along with him, not realising that it is not his newlywed wife.
This is ONLY due to the fact that Indian tradition has the bride cover their face with a red veil after their wedding. Therefore, it makes them unrecognizable to everyone, including their own husbands.
As you may have guessed, the story uses this misunderstanding to branch off its plot. It definitely follows a feministic theme of how society not only harms the women, but the men as well, and the way they portrayed this problem is through a very real-world scenario where local authorities can be corrupt. Men can be abusive; women can be cunning or sly, and the politicians only acting for their personal agendas. The backward mentality of the rural population is very much present and is used to drive home the message of the film with even more hutzpah. With that in mind, let’s dive deep into the review of Laapataa Ladies.
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The Intricacies Of The Laapataa Ladies
Something that I noticed in the film includes the minute levels of things. For example, when Phool Kumari married Deepak, she was given a small pouch tied to her sari, representing her husband’s safety. However, by the film’s third act, that pouch had been replaced with her first stipend, representing her independence as a woman.
The second thing we noticed in Laapataa Ladies is that Phool Kumari considered it a sin to speak out her husband’s name due to sexist superstitions. But the only reason that Phool was able to find her husband and vice-versa was because she shouted his name at the top of her voice so that he could hear her through the crowd. It is symbolic of breaking away from the masses to finally be together as a proper married couple with no walls of useless tradition and superstitions left to break.
Jaya’s Introduction and Struggle
Let’s focus on the other Laapataa Lady in the film. Jaya, aka Pushpa aka Shreya. She wanted to pursue her studies and did not want to get married before she has moulded herself to something she can be proud of. However, due to social circumstances such as mandatory traditions (peer pressure from ancestors), she was forced to marry before she could accomplish her dream. She accepted her fate, but due to the incident at the railway station of an exchange of wives, She realised that this was a clear indication and that she should go ahead and pursue her dreams.
Pursuit of Dreams and Sacrifice
She wanted to be self-made and to be able to pave her own path through life. So she sells off her gold bangle to pay the college and hostel fees through a demand draft to her sister. Also, I would like to point out that Pushpa made it clear that girls can be friends within the household they live in.
Without her help, a single mother with a rare talent for making face portraits based on pure memory would have never been able to openly conversate with anyone else due to the invisible walls of roles in a house that we put upon ourselves. Her ability to not only be a single mother but also to be a talented sketch was one of the most crucial elements that led to Phool finding her way back to her husband and vice versa.
Laapataa Ladies’ Influence on Household Dynamics
Not only did the house she was living in temporarily, change their mindset, but also changed the men’s idealistic expectations from women. Household chores are something that is an ordinary skill, but drawing a portrait from memory? Introduce modern organic farming in one of the most poor villages. These are the new expectations of the men after Jaya breezed through their lives.
Conclusion: Redefining Community Values
Which just goes to show that it does not matter. The gender or the role. Whoever has the most knowledge in the world can guide others to a better future. A civilised community does not only mean tradition. It also means intelligence, understanding and adaptability. Thank you, Laapataa Ladies, for giving us an entertainingly wholesome and educational film that will remain as a guide for any other Laapataa Ladies in our day-to-day lives on how to find yourself in a crowd of confusion.
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