Laapataa Ladies Movie Review: Filmmaker Kiran Rao returns to the director's seat after 13 years with Laapataa Ladies. The film based on Biplab Goswami's award-winning story 'Two Brides' is a societal commentary on women being put behind barriers and their lost identity embodied by ghoonghat (veil). It addresses the issue of women's independence but adorns it with humour and comedy, making it a film for the masses. It is frequently believed that women telling women stories and looking at them with a gaze of feminism needs only serious viewership but Laapataa Ladies proves how simple enough truths about women's lives can be entertaining and engaging.

Kiran Rao never deflects from keeping the tone of the movie fun, playful as well as hopeful while touching upon concerns that are not new but still important. Considering how Kiran Rao is perceived to bring out the harsh realities of society, Laapataa Ladies shows another side of her when she steps into a commercial space and masters it.

Laapataa Ladies | Storyline

Set in a fictional town of 'Nirmal Pradesh' in 2001, young groom Deepak (Sparsh Shrivastava) sets out to take his bride Phool (Nitanshi Goel) back to his village after marriage. The young couple takes the train and rides with another newly married couple. What changes their life completely is when the brides get swapped and Jaya (Pratibha Ramba) enters Deepak's house. The two brides' similar build, identical sarees and long veils (ghoonghat) turn out to be the medium of their tragedy (or freedom).

While Jaya lives with Deepak's joint family, Phool finds herself stranded at a railway station with Chotu, who helps her, and Manju Mai (Chhaya Kadam), who gives her a much-needed life lesson. What happens to these new brides? Do they reach their sasurals? Do they find what they are looking for? These questions make the crux of the movie Laapataa Ladies.

Laapataa Ladies | Direction and Performances

With societal truth bombs and homespun humour at its core, director Kiran Rao brings back the old cinema charm with railway romance in Laapataa Ladies. Every element in the movie expresses a story from a Penguin-shaped dustbin with 'Use Me' written on it, Manju Mai letting Phool sit on her bench to Phool taking her husband Deepak's name at the platform. Rao ensures that while it is easy to empathise with her characters, they are empowered enough to carve their journey themselves.

The true beauty of Laapataa Ladies lies in its young cast and their performances. Nitanshi Goel as Phool, Pratibha Ranta as Jaya, and Sparsh Srivastav as Deepak hold the film on their inexperienced shoulders. The simplicity, rawness and freshness they bring to the screen add to the beauty of the film. Where Phool accepts the reality of her upbringing with ease, Manju Mai ruffles her feathers and forces her to think. She is harsh but also embodies a strong, independent woman who empowers and gives Phool flight without pushing it on her. Phool's simple-minded approach to life comes in stark contrast to Jaya's determination to fight against the barriers with her limited opportunities. She tries to find an identity in a world where women are only measured by their utility around the household.

Sparsh Srivastav brings a certain vulnerability and authenticity to his character of Deepak which stands out on the screen. On the other hand, a seasoned actor like Ravi Kishan balances out the inexperience of the new cast. He plays a corrupt police officer interrogating the case of the lost bride. His supreme acting talent merged with the rawness of his character brings out delectable flavour and adds to the comic relief. Kudos to screenplay and dialogue writers Sneha Desai and Divyanidhi Sharma for making every dialogue hit the mark. With their playful use of the words and highlighting the local dialect, they managed to paint the canvas of Laapataa Ladies with bright colours.

Final Verdict

Laapataa Ladies dips its fingers into sour social issues but leaves a delightful taste. It highlights the follies of ghoonghat and questions the 'parda' system but never gets preachy. It is a must-watch clean family film that forces you to think but enjoy it even more. Kiran Rao once again manages to bring attention to the deep-rooted Indian reality by keeping the tone playful and upbeat. This is the biggest strength of Laapataa Ladies!

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