#thappad

THAPPAD (Slap) Directed By Anubhav Sushila Sinha

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#taapsee #taapseepannu #pavailgulati #hilarious #funfact #anubhavsinha #tapseepannu #nervousness #slapping #maadalaadlahere

March 4, 2020

by Inakshi Chandra-Mohanty

Relationships survive on compromise. Both partners must agree to make some changes in their lifestyle to adapt to one another’s needs. But, this cannot happen at a loss of respect. In Thappad, Amrita (Taapsee Pannu) is a housewife by choice, not by pressure. She derives immense satisfaction from her daily routine and never imagines a life separate from that. However, everything changes after her husband slaps her during a violent fight with his boss. She begins to view their relationship, his behavior, and everyone else’s reactions in a different light, and thus begins a complex analysis of a modern day Indian marriage. 

Thappad is, on the surface, a story revolving around domestic violence. The film deals with the build up to and aftermath of a husband slapping his wife for the first time during a house party. But the film is not a one toned analysis of women’s rights and feminism. It is a take on the entitlement and subtle patriarchal sentiments that dominate the culture in India. It is about male privilege and how it has seeped into the lives of even those men who believe that they are being liberal. From a patriarchal perspective, the slap is a supposedly trivial incident that disrupted the lives of these regular people living regular lives. But the film shatters that perspective by fleshing out the underlying patriarchy. The audience realizes that the slap isn’t the cause of differences between the husband and wife. It’s just a trigger that allows this woman to see all the casual sexism that she had been ignoring. And the aftermath of the incident is all about moving ahead rather than forgiveness and emotions. Everyone around Amrita is adamant that she let go and move on. Nobody tries to understand what her feelings are or attempts to point out her husband, Vikram’s, fault. On the other hand, Vikram takes her for granted and regards his rant to suffice as an apology. The problem lies in the mindset of people, not in the act of slapping. 

Writer Mrunmayee Lagoo and Writer-Director Anubhav Sinha take a simple concept and weave it into an intricate drama. They create a multitude of characters of different mindsets, different lifestyles, and different classes, who are all somewhat connected to and affected by this incident. From a neighbor who is a single mother, to a maid who is constantly suffering domestic violence, to a lawyer unhappy in her marriage, to a mother who has compromised in her relationship and is unsure of her daughter’s decision to not compromise, each character is beautifully sketched out and delivers a different perspective to the incident. Apart from these characters, there are so many more that shape this narrative, and the decisions that the lead character takes. 

The film boasts of an excellent star cast. Seen in a completely different avatar from her previous roles, Taapsee Pannu shines as the simple and docile housewife, trying to regain her respect after a trauma-inducing incident. Amrita is not rebellious. But she is also not one to lie low when someone tarnishes her respect. This role requires someone who can speak without words. For most of the film, Amrita is mostly silent, internalizing what is happening around her. But in that silence, her face reveals her thoughts. During the interactions between the husband and wife, as he attempts to reconcile with her, the hypocrisy in his words are reflected in her expressions. Pavail Gulati is also brilliant, as the husband troubled by his own problems, yet inconsiderate of his wife’s emotions. Apart from these two, the remainder of the cast is equally as fantastic. Ratna Pathak Shah, Dia Mirza, Kumud Mishra, Naila Grewal, Tanvi Azmi, Maya Sarao, Geetika Vidya, Manav Kaul, Siddhant Karnick, and everyone else fit their diverse roles perfectly. Each character represents a different aspect of society. Each one of us is in one of those characters so it is very important for them to be portrayed accurately.