Laapataa Ladies | Lost Brides

It's not a secret that Bollywood has often misinterpreted what commercialization means in the past decade! Intimacy, vulgarity, powdered faces, and expensive locations with weak storylines are not what cinema is all about. People love stories, people love realistic stories that can touch their feelings, and people love when cast live in their characters. While the first category might earn quick money or attract views for an item song, will these films be remembered forever?

Within those circumstances, Laapataa Ladies, directed by Kiran Rao rises and blossoms as a nice change last year.

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Cast and Crew

• Director: Kiran Rao
• Producers: Aamir Khan Productions and Jio Studios
• Original Story: Biplab Goswami
• Screenplay and Dialogues: Sneha Desai
• Starring: Nitanshi Goel, Sparsh Shrivastava, Pratibha Ranta, Abhay Dubey, Chhaya Kadam, Ravi Kishan

There were new faces as the main cast, and Ravi Kishan brilliantly blended with the crew as a veteran actor. The whole cast was outstanding and their delivery was real and perfectly fit for the rural setup.

The movie is based on a lifestyle back in 2001 in rural India. It is a simple story about the limitations of women, and seeking independence with some unexpected turn of events. Believe me, the story may be a bit old, but such realities still exist in some in India, Sri Lanka, and other parts of the world.

ss from the movie

The story is flowing around two brides Phool Kumari (Nitanshi Goel) and Pushpa (Pratibha Ratna), who accidentally got swapped in their train journey to their husband's houses. You may think, how is this possible? They were wearing veils as tradition, and on an auspicious day, there were dozens of ladies on that train. Throughout the movie, it's gently questioned about this tradition and identity. And it leaves a question about the outdated traditions in rural settings.

Anyway, we see how things are turning out for Phool Kumari and Pushpa. Phool was lost in the station and she received help from some lovely strangers there. The lady Manju Maai, the one who looked after her, once told Pool “If those who love you have a right to hit you, I exercised my right, too. A powerful statement about the domestic violence, and how she reacted to her husband and son when they tried to dominate her. On the other hand, Pushpa, the other bride, went all along the way to Phool's in-law's house.

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All along the way, we saw two different sides of the same coin. The way Phool's husband Deepak Kumar (Sparsh Shrivastav) cared for her young bride and the effort made to find her. And how Pushpa's husband's behavior. And the way the families talked about the dowries and the ambitions of the two brides. The Pushpa's intentions are to seek her independence and fulfill her dream. And the way, the corrupt policeman Shyam Manohar (Ravi Kishan) reacted in this event.

So, everything in the movie tells something. It's not a comedy movie about two lost brides. But it talks about the limitations and expectations of rural women, and social constraints on independence, in the rural setting.

Along with the story and the cast, the film’s music and cinematography have set the bar. Both touch the emotions of spectators.

ss from the movie

So, give it a try, if you are looking for a different story.

That's it for today!! Until the next time! Enjoy!

Thank you.
Best Regards!