Thappad Movie Review
This is a story of a single slap of Vikram a young, angry, frustrated and a little drunk in flicks on his wife Amrita who is attempting to steal him away escalating conflict of law in their home. Vikram is an ambitious, hardworking executive, Amrita is a cheerful and beautiful housewife not in their respective roles brings a sharp night to focus inequity of the relationship. It’s almost Vikram slaps Amrita away and it becomes impossible for her to fall back to the facade of the domestic life. Without a doubt, the beauty of the film is it doesn’t tell the story in a bad tone.
The movie does not demonize men or create a shrill drama. It simply and quietly reveals the patriarchy which is so deep into the culture that even women were independent and successfully confiscated. So when Amrita seeks legal counsel Even, her lawyer Netra with her flourishing career initially advises her to let it go. she asked is it only about a slap, implying it’s not enough needed to create such a fuss and in which Amrita says yes! Vikram’s and Amritsa’s life is structured around him and his needs. It’s from the first scene that Vikram is preparing for a meeting and casually ordering Amrita to get the file and get the printer fixed. We see their routine in their life when She gets up early in the morning places everything runs after him with his wallet and coffee and food in her hands, when he gets into his car. she found her happiness being his cheerleader.
Until that slap, she did not question anything. After being frozen by the slap completely what happens next is even more telling, she walks around like a zombie in her own house sharing the bed with Vikram to managing the house and his mother feeling shit of a person inside. What I felt was the throwaway line in the movie was when Vikram asked Amrita staring at a single working female neighbor by an expensive car asking ye kya karti hai? I have personally invested in Amrita including her mother, mother in law, and all supporting actors. In Spite of your gender or your economic status, you will see something of yourself in Thappad too.
The story is very well put together and also it shows The strong bond between the father and daughter where he loves his daughter so much that anything happening to her results to the pain in his dads life-defining it such pure. This movie makes a great statement on violence against women with a powerful performance by the lead taapsee.
Author- Neerja Biwalkar
