Thappad Movie Review: Anubhav Sinha’s Social Drama Is a Stinging Slap on Male Privilege With Taapsee Pannu in Stellar Form

Thappad Movie Review: Thappad begins with an interesting sequence set in the night where different pairs of characters are talking about love and marriage, while licking an orange lolly. During a Q&A session held after the special screening that I was a part of, Anubhav Sinha reveals that the orange lolly represents love. Which is kind of an irony, because in the current state of our country's affairs, 'orange' represents anything but love. Taapsee Pannu on a Repurposing Spree With Her Promotional Style for Thappad Is Inspirational and Resourceful!

Anyway, back to Thappad... What makes the above scene even more curious is that Amrita (Taapsee Pannu) and Vikram (Pavail Gulati of Ghost Stories fame) are not one of the pairs. As the movie progresses ahead, the orange lolly is replaced by their marital predicament, affecting the other pairs in one way or the other. Only for the sweet to return to the film in a, well, 'sweet' manner.

When we see them first, Amrita and Vikram look like any happy young married couple. Even Amrita thinks that way. While Vikram is fighting office politics for a top posting in London, Amrita had comfortably settled herself as a home-maker, taking care of her husband and her diabetic mother-in-law (Tanvi Azmi). Everything was bliss for the couple, till that fateful slap happens.

Amrita's view of her own life changes with that slap and now she doesn't want to be Vikram's wife. Over-exaggeration or the right thing to do? Thappad tries to get into the psyche of these characters and in turn, dissects our own society's purview of marital bonds. Which also made me recall a brilliant Malayalam film, Madhupal's Ozhimuri that dealt with a similar premise, but in a more rural setting and using gerariatic characters as the leads.

Even though Thappad revolves around Amrita and Vikram and their marital strife following the slap, Anubhav Sinha makes their predicament become a catalyst in other's lives. Be it in Amrita's parents (Kumud Mishra, Ratna Pathak Shah), or her lawyer Netra Jaising (Maya Sarao...the character looks to be inspired by real-life women empowerment advocate Indira Jaising) or her domestic help Sunita (Geetika Vidya), each begin to feel the repercussions of that slap and reflect at their own marriages and relationships.

The moment that touched me the most didn't even involve the main lead pair, but that of the protagonist's parents. Amrita's father was seen as this progressive person, who supported his daughter's right to dissent, even when her mother wants her to forgive and adjust. When he questions his partner as to if he gave her any chance to adjust the way she expects Amrita to do, her reply comes off as an awakening to him. And perhaps to every male in the cinema hall who thinks they have always done right to their partner.

Like with Sinha's last two ventures, the writing (Sinha, Mrunmayee Lagoo) comes off as one of Thappad's biggest strengths. The movie smartly veers away from being a courtroom drama, that it often threatens to become (a trope that has already been done in Mulk). Instead, it contains itself as a family drama that expands its boundaries to include more than one family and their problems. Yes, this does make the film verbose and melodramatic at times, but some spunky dialogues and the performances make things highly watchable. Especially the climax that happens in an unexpected setting, where a monologue by Amrita takes surprising turns, and becomes both emotionally stirring and powerful. But I do wish that the pacing could have been sharper, especially in the first half. Thappad Actress Taapsee Pannu Says She Is Glad That Her Name Isn’t Dragged in the FilmFare Controversy.

I also loved how the characters and their arcs were created and nurtured, even if not every one of them gets a polished conclusion. Take the lead pair, for example. It may take a slap for Amrita to realise what a jerk Vikram is (the dude apologises to his boss first for the altercation, before realising he has never done the same to his wife). But the clues were there all along. Like how he kinda looks down on his neighbour, a single mom (Dia Mirza), living life her own terms. Or asking his wife to learn making better paranthas when she expresses a desire to learn driving. He may come across as a respectful son and son-in-law (after a tiff, Vikram rushes off Amrita's house, before returning to touch his sasur's feet). But Thappad leaves no stones unturned to poke holes at the male privilege that protects Vikram from getting away for taking his wife for granted.

Watch The Trailer of Thappad below:

But it isn't just the male privilege that is being questioned here. When her help offers her daily story of being beaten by her husband, Amrita laughs it off, because she feels the physical abuse may not break into her privileged life. In a very whimsical moment, after the fateful slap happens, the servant returns home to her abusive husband and contemplates how the rich also get slapped. While she is in a more abusive relationship, for Sunita, the barriers that divides her and someone like Amrita have been shattered, even if she doesn't have a Netra or her parents to support her. Such little moments create some very fantastic drama in Thappad.

The Performances

Taapsee Pannu is on the way to be the Smita Patil of our generation. In an author-backed role, she belts out a fantastically believable performance, highly convincing in the three aspects of her role - a cheerful wife, a hurt partner and a determined woman. Interestingly, I can't help but compare her role here with that of her act in Manmarziyan. If in that Anurag Kashyap film, she played a character recalls Amrita Pritam's love story, in Thappad, her character is named after the poet. Strangely, both the films also end in a similar milieu, even though in different moods.

Newcomer Pavail Gulati puts across a credible performance, that allows his character to be well-rounded one and not a completely despicable part. He is, especially, good in the conclusion.

The supporting cast is terrific. Kumud Mishra, once again, proves himself to be one of the finest character artistes we have around. Ratna Pathak Shah is phenomenal as the caring mother, who has borne years of conditioning to think women should adjust to the whims of their men.

Geetika Vidya, who was fantastic in Netflix's Soni, puts up a performance that is both zany and heartbreaking at the same time. Dia Mirza, in a brief role, brings a lot of dignified grace in her character. Ditto for Tanvi Azmi, who is wonderful as the mother-in-law who doesn't want to see her son's marriage break apart. Ram Kapoor, Manav Kaul, Naila Grewal, Ankur Rathee do justice to their respective roles.

The only sore spot was in the performance of Maya Sarao, who doesn't exactly bring in the gravitas needed for her character. Though she is quite good in the scene where she counters her opponent with a fine jab.

Yay!

- The Well-Written and Directed Drama

- Taapsee Pannu

- The Use of the Ensemble Cast

Nay!

- Pacing

Final Thoughts

Thappad may revolve around an ill-thought slap on the cheek of a loved one, but the film is more of a resounding slap on the male privilege and societal complacency. Well-written, well-directed and well-performed, with Taapsee in excellent form, Thappad completes Anubhav Sinha's hattrick of effectively-made social dramas. Do not miss this!

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 28, 2020 12:47 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).