‘Chhapaak’ Movie Review: Deepika Padukone makes it a worthy watch

Directed By
Meghna Gulzar

Produced By
Fox Star Studios
Deepika Padukone
Govind Singh Sandhu
Meghna Gulzar

Cast
Deepika Padukone, Vikrant Massey

Bollywood Bubble Rating

2.5/5

‘Chhapaak’ is a story that will touch your heart and will take you through a ride of giggle and sob. As effortless as, it may seem Deepika Padukone easily slips into the role of Malti. The hard-hitting drama based on the life of Laxmi Agarwal is undeniably not a simple story to convey but remarkable director Meghna Gulzar articulates this subject with utmost maturity. Well, if you have followed Laxmi Agarwal’s case you would pretty much know what to expect from the film. It just takes a second to change Malti’s life.

The chirpy and charming girl who aspires to be a singer her small encounters brutal acid attack and then the story unfolds from pain to mustering the courage to fight back. Born to a middle-class family in Delhi, Malti gets stopped by Bashir Khan who attacked her with acid.  This sight will leave everyone teary-eyed to see Malti suffering in pain until she finds help to rush to the hospital. The step-by-step trauma that Malti undergoes mentally and emotionally is heart-wrenching. Deepika subtly states without screaming from the rooftop that it is not the vanity and the appearance that matters, all that matters is a worthy story.

The film is not just a tribute to the acid attack survivor but also redefines the idea of beauty in a society. Kudos to the team who worked on the prosthetics that depicts the physical agony of acid attack victims. Had the make-up slightly gone wrong, the consequence of it would have been irreversible. The film runs back and forth which fails to give clarity in the first half of the film. The first half of the film seems dragged and slow that tests the patience of the audience. While there are scenes in the film that captures the emotion well but a film with a subject which is so sensitive which rides high on emotion falls flat to create an impact. Despite the minor glitch the soul of ‘Chhapaak’ remains intact.

The chemistry between Deepika Padukone and Vikrant Massey looks a tad pale however it is Vikrant an outstanding performer takes the center stage with ease. Vikrant who runs an NGO in the film absolutely justifies his part in the film. Filmmaker Meghna Gulzar who likes to tell complex stories in the simplest way makes ‘Chhapaak’ a decent watch.

Well, eyeing at the practicality around the box office it will be a demanding grind. So, from the trade perspective ‘Chhapaak’ may take time to find its foothold as it’s a film which will eventually grow by ‘word of mouth’.

Also Read: ‘Bhangra Paa Le’ Movie Review: Sunny Kaushal and Rukshar Dhillon’s dance drama is a predictable and boring snooze fest