What happens when a newly wed couple's life is thrown out of gear after a spouse dies within five months of marriage? You would expect a tearjerker tragedy, right? But this film switches to another track - a realistic, slightly humourous one. Sanya Malhotra, starring in Pagglait, breaks the 'widow' stereotype in Indian cinema.
Before I dive into why Pagglait made so much sense to me, let me share with you a few things about the big 'W' - yes, the word 'widowhood' which makes it seem as though a woman has stopped being who she is and has been turned into 'She-who-must-not-be-named' - a pathetic and grim reality of how Indians from all communities and religions tend to treat widows. Widowers - ah- that's a different story. They can date freely and go on courtships and no one is going to bat an eyelid.
Widows as Women of Substance
In my life, there are some strong and resilient women I have had the opportunity to know and they are very independent. Yet even in today's time, they are not treated as equals even in their family groups or peer groups once their marital status is known. From there on, their dress code is expected to be very simple and sober, which is not the case with men who lose their wives and have no such codes to observe. More often than not, they are mollycoddled by their own relatives to 'marry soon, settle down' which is not the case with a woman who loses her husband.
Widows, be it any religion they belong to, need to assert their right to make independent choices. It is now time to let it be known that widows are not viruses that have to be 'sanitised' so that the rest of the society can be safe.
Widows are equal to all men and women of the society who have a right to live a life of integrity and dignity.
This is the crux of Pagglait movie too.
Pagglait: Sanya Malhotra rocks as Sandhya!
Pagglait, starring Sanya Malhotra in the leading role as Sandhya, shows you how a young woman who has lost her husband within five months of marriage struggles to grieve. In fact, she feels no grief and definitely feels the hunger pangs, while eating tasteless food that is a part of the many nuances to observing funeral rites.
It puzzled me that Sandhya is not remotely affected by his death and asks for Pepsi when she is asked what she wants to drink. The movie makes you think about why the Indian society puts so much pressure on spouses to demonstrate grief to a point of hysterics.
Pagglait movie review: Story
With a funny doorbell that broadcasts a totally inappopriate 'Oooh lala ooh lala' tone for the funeral home, the film shows how death is inseparable from life's quirky moments that are totally unplanned. In another room, Sandhya is scrolling through all the RIP messages pouring in on her Facebook profile and yawns with sheer boredom. At first glance, you cannot help wonder what is going through her mind and gradually the film peels off the layers of complexity in her character.
The 'twist' in the story is one that requires you to watch the film on Netflix - only then you will know what the film is all about.
Pagglait puts the spotlight on the complex terrain of arranged marriages in India.
What happens when a couple are thrown into a marriage they are not emotionally prepared for?
What happens when the husband and wife are unable to feel anything for one another and one spouse treasures memories of a first love he intended to marry?
What happens when the 'other woman' isnt the terrible and evil witch that she is typically perceived to be?
What happens if the widow and the other woman strike a candid conversation?
What happens when the popular perception of 'in-laws are bad' is bashed? In Pagglait, a notable point is how the in-laws are shown as good and caring people.
In contrast, the parents of the widow are shown as being concerned that she would become a financial burden to them.
Pagglait movie scenes I loved watching
A scene that really stayed with me is when Astik's father (starring Ashutosh Rana) takes help from his widowed daughter-in-law to help with the accounts. His grief and discomfort that she would notice the bleak state of affairs is a masterful act. Throughout the film, Ashutosh Rana is brilliant as the grief-stricken father.
Another scene that I found hilarious is where the entire family is so scandalised and shocked that Astik had named his wife as the beneficiary to his life insurance policy. It is as though all members had been offered poison - by such a revelation - throwing light on how famillies actually look down on allowing a wife to be the financial beneficiary of any wealth that her husband earns and wants to give her.
The scene's 'icing on the cake' is the behavior of Sandhya's mother (don't miss the nuances of fine acting here!) who wakes up to the fact that her daughter is 'no longer a financial burden' and takes a chair for her daughter to sit and sign the papers.
A dose of strong social messaging of parental hypocrisy coupled with a dash of humour makes for powerful cinema.
If you liked reading this Pagglait movie review, check these out too:
And if you are a die-hard Mohanlal fan, don't miss reading Sukhamo Devi review!
Pagglait review: What I didn't like
The movie pandered to some typical stereotypical biases that it had initially tried to bash. Be it segregation, vegetarianism, Pagglait made an attempt to pander to the stereotypical portrayal of protagonists, characters and their choices.
Justifying an immature liasion between two young cousins in the name of creative freedom is slipping into a terrain that is similar to justifying incestous relationships.
A better treatment would have been to show the protagonist - the widow herself - counselling them against the perils of such a relationship in the first place.
Pagglait movie review: Movie ending
When you watch a film, it is logical to start second guessing what happens in the end. With this film, the end had its twist that I agree with completely esp where she takes ownership for the well being and happiness of Astik's parents, whom she loves as her own.
Simply put, it's time for women to make a choice to assert their own decisions, arise from their struggles and break the vicim mould if they want to be independent from pandering to the choices and decisions others make for them.
Pagglait is a gem of a film. Sanya Malhotra owns and rocks the film.
Comments