Review of movie Thappad (Slap)

The best thing is that the script has some pretty basic conversation you have between your family members. When placed in different limelight, you feel the hypocrisy and the male dominance radiating in it and how you have grown thinking it is normal

Thappad Theatrical Poster

I was on a Twitter space where we were discussing strong female characters and I caught someone mentioning the movie Thappad. This movie was on my to-do list but because it was not the plain chick flick movie with a predictable plot, I was head-on heals procrastinating it. Regardless I did summon the courage and watched it only to be absolutely in love. If you haven’t watched it already, please stop reading- go and watch it right now.

Thappad is a strong feminist movie that addresses a big problem of a typical brown household. I remember asking my mother a question- Where do you see yourself in 5 years. She smiled and said- On my daughter’s graduation. I tried again, ‘What about yourself? What makes you happy? What about your goals and ambition?’ She replied- My happiness is you guys, my family. About goals, I am an old twig what can I say.’ I looked at her and however grateful for all the love she showers us, I was angry, hurt, and just sad. Ruby Kaur writes in her book Milk and Honey- I want to sit with the teenage version of my mother and ask about her dreams. Women have been taught to nurture their family first and she herself will always come second. I can name other movies like Sultan which also touch on the same problem.

Another problem it addresses is we have been raised to greet every other human as kaka, kaki and have been told that people talk and they talk bad things. However granted you take your loved ones, you must show gratitude to a stranger and to the people in the community if you are to live with them. When we start on this path, we end up hurting our loved ones because we know that whatever the price, they will and never could leave us.
 
                                         
 
It is the story of Amrita a.k.a Amu who is a happy and content housewife. Like a good obedient housewife, her only God is her Pati Parmeshwor. They have a good relationship until at a house party, Vikram, the husband gets into a dispute with his boss and when Amu gets to separate them, Vikram slaps her. A whole minute after the slap is so heartbreaking and causes the viewers such discomfort that I deliberately wanted to skip it but I refrained. The slap. As the movie name, Amu is traumatized by it. Being humiliated in the public, she has few females to comfort her who end up saying- It’s alright. Are you okay? Don’t stay locked in a room, what will the relatives think? Nobody raises a question on whether it was right or not, justified or not when it clearly wasn't.

The next day, Vikram goes on with his life like nothing happened and on seeing a changed more depressed Amu advises her to -Move on and things like these happen sometimes. I never anticipated an apology from Vikram and it never came. No wonder, this hunch generates from my personal experience.

Amu then goes on to stay with her parents from where she meets a woman activist and lawyer. With her help, she files for divorce despite everyone’s advice not to do so as she will end up breaking a happy family. Notwithstanding Vikram’s several attempts, Amu confesses things will never be the same and she doesn’t love Vikram anymore.

A common sentence echoes throughout the movie- It was just a slap Amu, don't overreact, don’t make things big’ However small and insignificant this may be in comparison to multiple domestic violence, marital rape, and other forms of violence happening to women worldwide, it is not accounted for. People need to understand, that neglecting small things will breed bigger things and when it’s time for a change, the situation is already out of hand. It may be a minute, just a slap, but nobody has the right to slap anyone.

This also brings me to a Roadies Revolution episode I watched recently where my favorite contestant Arushi Chawla gets slapped in a task by Pratibha. She demands an apology that never comes from her sworn enemy. Later she fights for herself saying the same statements mentioned in the movie. Pratibha gets a disadvantage but Arushi says it’s not enough and ultimately throws her out of the show saying it was not ‘just a slap’.

Coming back to the movie, I absolutely loved the script. It has been beautifully crafted and presented. The best thing is the script is actually some pretty basic conversation you have between your family members. When placed in different limelight, you feel the hypocrisy and the male dominance radiating in it and how you have grown thinking it is normal.

When I say the actors were surreal, I mean the acting was so good. I remember when my mother shed tears every time an emotional scene came up, I teased her. But this movie legit also made me cry because I could relate to every small thing mentioned. As I write this, I still have moist eyes.

There are tiny details, you could find in the movie like every girl in the family marrying to a slightly progressed and bigger household in terms of prestige and power. Vikram’s house is slightly better than Amu’s and Vikram’s married sister's house is slightly better than Vikram’s. It shows that girls marry richer men and men settle for women lower than them, so she doesn't complain while the best is being presented to her. My sister is getting married sometime soon, however, when we were searching for grooms, she was obligated to marry only the man who makes more than her or has a higher degree.

The last speech by Amu to her mother-in-law is very heartwarming where she talks about being Vikram’s wife but not Amu. Later they both are divorced but have joint custody of the baby and Vikram presents my favorite line after realizing his fault and apologizing, ‘This time I will win you.’ An 18-year-old girl gotta appreciate the tiniest bit of romance presented to her.

                                      

The end scenes show how the lives of different people have been affected by Amu’s will to stand up for herself. It is the butterfly effect. You might think, it doesn't matter to you but people are watching you, admiring you and taking you as an inspiration. I’ve personally met people who have watched me from distance and thanked me for igniting some spark in them. It gives you all the right reason to do good and stand up for the truth because someone is mirroring your moves and making difference in their own ways.