Laapataa Ladies REVIEW: Kiran Rao’s social comedy sheds light on women empowerment laced with subtle humour

Film:
Laapataa Ladies Review

Director: Kiran Rao

Star cast: Nitanshi Goel, Pratibha Ranta, Sparsh Shrivastava, Chhaya Kadam, Ravi Kishan

Runtime: 2 hours 6 mins

Platform: Theatre

Laapataa Ladies Review

After a haitius of 12 years of directing Dhobi Ghat, Kiran Rao is back with Laapataa Ladies and it is worth the wait. It touches your heart without even asking for it. She brings a quirky yet social drama that talks about women’s independence and is also laced with a sweet romance between the leads. The tale of bride-swapping is refreshing and is written meticulously. If you enjoy small town stories, Laapataa Ladies is one of them that will connect with you. Here’s a detailed review on Laapataa Ladies.

Story

Set somewhere in rural India, a young named Deepak (Sparsh Shrivastava) gets married to a girl named Phool (Nitanshi Goel) in a remote area. After the wedding rituals, the groom takes the bride home on a train. Little did he know that there were other newlyweds on the train and in a rush, he mistakenly brings home a different bride and leaves his wife on the train. The moment Deepak realises that his bride has been swapped, he files a police complaint and what follows next is chaos that ensues is both funny and moving.

Highlights of Laapataa Ladies

Feminism: Kiran Rao shows the true meaning of women’s empowerment and feminism in the movie. There’s no women pulling down each other or male bashing. The heartfelt thing is that Kiran didn’t show her male character as a misogynist or someone who is a machismo. She shows a man who thinks about his wife before himself and this is rare to find. Especially, when you show a man from rural place where patriarchy still rules. Kiran shows Deepak as the greenest of green flags and you instantly feel the connection with him. After he lost his wife, he realises that it is difficult to find her as the one photo that he has of Phool has a veil over her. He understands the dilemma of the woman in the veil and how he acts upon this is heartwarming.

Authenticity: As the story is based in a remote area somewhere in Madhya Pradesh, Kiran kept every aspect and element of people’s living to the bare minimum. The simplicity and authenticity of the place is surreal. From their language to the costumes, they seemed quite real and unfiltered. For instance, the woman in the movie is unaware of her home address. It not only shows how women are not given basic information but also shows that these things still exist in remote areas. It is a small thing but Kiran captured this detail and added in her story. That’s quite impressive.

Storyline:

It is a refreshing concept of a missing bride and it is not something that has been explored before. Going by the trailer, it gives the impression that it will be a hilarious movie. However, the movie has a deeper meaning that can be explored once you watch it. It is relatable on some levels as we know those things are still being done and considered in rural places. The writers Sneha Desai, Biplab Goswami and Divyanidhi Sharma have done a beautiful job in penning down the essence of the rural cities and the problems of it.

Star Performances

Nitanshi Goel plays Phool, Deepak’s missing bride. She is timid, mellow and gullible; and Nitanshi does it with so much conviction. Her innocent act will warm your heart instantly and you will automatically neglect her stupidity. There’s a scene where Nitanshi as Phool breaks down after getting lost and her break down is so natural. She is definitely way better than half of the star kids in this industry.

Pratibha Ranta who was last seen in Jamtara plays Pushpa Rani/Jaya in the movie. The best about her character is that she is feisty but in a subtle way. She doesn’t have to be loud or rude to make her points. She will say sternly that demands attention. Plus, it is quite entertaining how the makers added suspicious elements to her character. Her character is impressive and Pratibha fantastically portrays her character. She is equally good as Nitanshi.

Sparsh Shrivastava plays Deepak who was also last seen Jamtara is a revelation. He beautifully brings out the innocence that the character demands. Deepak shines in all emotional scenes and he is indeed a great actor. Deepak plays a sweet husband who genuinely loves his wife and will do anything to keep her happy. The character itself is so heartwarming that Sparsh’s performance is like cherry on the top.

Supporting cast

Supporting cast have given a great support to the movie and the story. Ravi Kishan as an inspector is hysterical. He is like the Robin hood Pandey and Ravi makes it work with so much conviction. Chhaya Kadam as a food seller also delivers a great performance with her limited screen time.

Conclusion

Concluding the review, Laapataa Ladies is a movie that will win your heart for its simplicity. It is a mainstream film which is entertaining and engaging with a twist. The movie talks about women’s independence and rights and Kiran Rao shows this subject in a light and humourous way so that it resonates with people. It’s deeply rooted and the rustic, raw feel of the movie makes it worth-watching!

Watch Laapataa Ladies trailer post review

Also read: Kiran Rao and team Laapataa Ladies receive a warm welcome in Bhopal as they host special screening