After presenting two well crafted and socially relevant Hindi films’Mulk‘(2018) and’Article 15‘(2019) the filmmaker Anubhav Sinha has given us a realistic cookie more than a family drama’Thappad‘which translates to’ a slap ‘. The film centers on a slap administered by a “loving” husband, Vikram, played by Pavail Gulati, to his obedient but respectful wife Amrita, played by Taapsee Pannu. Although based on this lead couple, the film also delves into the lives and times of various other couples ranging from a domestic worker, continually abused and brutalized by her husband for all her domestic work and also for her earnings, to the lawyer-wife of a ‘khandani’. family (dynastic), constantly advised by her husband, a business magnate, to capitalize on the last name and her hard work and efforts tinged with an entrepreneurial drive. Director Sinha also adds to the charm of the film by his keen eye for details and subtleties involved in domestic affairs. To the credit of this film it must be said that in its span of two hours and twenty-one minutes there does not seem to be a single moment of inactivity in which each frame is justified for evocative narration, save for unnecessary background songs and perhaps good ones. implications at the end.

The film has absolutely well-defined characters, tremendously anchored by astonishing performances from all the actors: Pavail as the self-righteous husband who cites unusual circumstances and “only the first time” rather than feeling or asking for forgiveness; his mother played by Tanvi Azmi, who, far from a separated husband, lives with her son and, despite her sympathies with her daughter-in-law, still does not blame her son for the act; Taapsee’s father, played by Kumud Mishra, feels that his daughter gives him her full support, and yet he cannot justify himself in the face of his wife’s subtle accusations in hindsight; Taapsee’s mother played by Ratna Pathak Shah owes her conservative impulses to prevailing patriarchal values ​​and, although she is completely at her daughter’s side, does not advise her to take effective action; the brutal but jovial maid played by Geetika Vidya works as a member of her masters’ family and continues to relate her marital status to Taapsee’s, being deeply affected in the process; Taapsee’s brother played by Ankur Rathee and his wife played by Naina Grewal juxtapose their involvement in the aftermath of the slap with their own marital problems. Special mention should be made of the imposing but subdued performance of Taapsee Pannu, who has become one of Bollywood’s most powerful actresses in both mainstream and mainstream cinema.

Most of the scenes and dialogue used are strong, moving, and realistic. We will not review them or the story so as not to rob viewers of the pleasure of watching. Various scenes and dialogues persist and remain with us: for example, Amrita’s parting scene with her mother-in-law, where she says that of course she has been much loved in the in-laws’ family, but only as Vikram’s wife, not as her, an independent person, an entity, and that no one in the family chose to blame Vikram for her act. The mother-in-law tearfully asks him to stay in touch and continue visiting.

The film, in its entirety, manages to deal a serious blow to patriarchal Indian society and its much touted institution of marriage. Thappad has been said to be inspired by another Taapsee movie ‘Pinkish‘(2016) where the emphasis was on’ Doesn’t mean No ‘coming from a woman who is abused, and now in this film she personifies’ It can’t be done this first time or at any other time’ coming from a woman who is physically assaulted . Well, if it were an inspiration, there is nothing wrong with that, just good. In a country where more than half of women face domestic violence at some point or another, this film is timely, thought-provoking, and sends a powerful message to dominant men that they have no right to physically abuse their better halves. More feminist films of this type need to be made on a regular basis.

All wives should make sure to take their husbands to the movies to see this movie. The exclamation my wife made after leaving the theater will stay with me: “Are such brilliant and realistic films still made in this country?”