1787. Laapataa Ladies (Hindi, 2023)

 1787. Laapataa Ladies (Hindi, 2023)

         Streaming on Netflix

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

"Laapataa Ladies" begins with two brides losing their way to the bridegrooms' houses after a train journey. One may wonder how they lost their way, but the logic behind their predicament is shown in an interesting way. The movie is set in rural India of 2001. The initial flow of the movie depicts the challenging lives of women in rural India, where they have limitations on their freedom to act. Quite obviously, one might have a gut feeling that "Laapataa Ladies" would be another clichéd movie catering to feminist ideologies.

Yes, the movie has shades of those ideologies, but it is presented in a way that sets the tone for a nice movie with comedy, a bit of twist here and there, and, most importantly, likable characters. Though the villagers shown in the movie are traditional in following their customs, most of them are harmless. So the conflicts in the movie create laughs here and there, even though there are chances for them to be serious in real life.

"Laapataa Ladies" shows the life and attitudes of two different ladies and how they view their lives in an orthodox setup. The characters have contrasting behaviors, which makes the movie more interesting. For me, the character of Pushpa Kumari is the one that is developed a lot. From the beginning, there were some mysterious elements in the character. But as the movie progresses, the character gains strength and shines brightly throughout the whole movie.

Being a movie that showcases the empowerment of women, the film never tries to portray all the men out there as bad characters. The innocence of the character Deepak Kumar, his emotions, and his friends are all depicted in a soothing way. Yes, there are bad male characters too in the movie, but they are not forced to be the bad ones. Instead, it aligns with the culture and the community. "Laapataa Ladies" represents the lives of women in many parts of India who are tied down due to society, culture, religion, and many other factors that could be found on the pages of a book on gender studies. That is a harsh reality too.

"Laapataa Ladies" tries to discuss core issues in a simple way that will help viewers watch the movie without a prejudiced mind. That makes "Laapataa Ladies" a film that stays with you long after the credits roll.