“Thappad hi toh hai, par nahi maar sakta,” when you hear such a powerful line from a female lead of the film, it takes you there itself. From the overall idea of the film, you would be thinking of just another woman telling woman stories but NO, this is something on a whole new level.
Taapsee Pannu is the Preeti we all wanted to see because she didn’t take that one ‘Thappad’ from her husband like a normal thing and rather made him realise that hitting out on anyone out of frustration is not cool.
One may think of the film is female-oriented and a jibe at men of the society but this one is not that story. It will make the men of society think and regret what they did rather than bashing them or outcasting them. The writer-director has made it a point not to make it a sympathetic watch but rather to make it a worthy watch.
If ‘Thappad’ makes you think and also makes you disturb at the same time then yes welcome to the world of constant micro-aggression.
Thappad is not just a film aimlessly ranting about borderline domestic violence. It brings to light the years of conditioning that a woman is subjected to by her own family and society that she lives in.
The slap which Taapsee receives in the film not only wakes up the sleeping soul she had become because of the monotonous life she is living but at the same time makes her adamant of the decision that she is going to take.
The dialogue writing in the film is beautiful, in one such dialogue Taapsee mother says “Shaadi mein compromise krna padhta hai, jod ke rakhna padhta hai parivaar ko,” to which she says, “Jod ke rakhni padhe koi cheez toh matlab tooti hui hai” when you hear this dialogue, you sense a pain in her voice and her eyes and which further sets the base of the film.
Director Anubhav Sinha’s deserves applause for the depth-handling of the various characters in the film, their greys, complexities, dilemmas without ever getting too loud, overbearing or trying too hard to make a statement.
Taapsee stands out she is the hero of the film. Every frame you see her, she rules. Taapsee’s bold, fierce outlook reminds us of celebrated writer Amrita Pritam. If there was an extended and much-committed version of Rumi from Manmarziyaan, it has to be Amrita from Thappad.
Overall, Thappad’ is a silent slap on our society’s age-old belief that Shaadi main sab Kuch chalta hain, but no, stand-up and listen to your inner voice and speak up by saying “Thappad hi hai but nahi maar skta” When people can celebrate love by watching Kabir Singh they can celebrate self-love by watching ‘Thappad’
If you haven’t started talking yet, it is the time to wake up and speak “Pyaar Mein Nahi Chalta Hai.”
Taapsee Pannu will wait and conspire to work with Hrithik Roshan
