SC-S28/W2-Movie Highlights|Voices unheard (Lapatta Ladies)

Hello friends, I hope you are all well. For the 3rd week of the Steemit Challenge contest, I will be sharing my Movie Highlights that Voices unheard. I would like to thank the organizers of this challenge, and without further delay, I am starting my participation.

^{Edited in Canva}

Watch a film that focuses on marginalized or underrepresented communities.

I have watched Lapata Ladies, one of the most successful Bollywood movies built around the theme of marginalized and neglected communities. This film shows the struggle of rural women for freedom and identity, alongside a strong critique of the patriarchal system. Besides many educational topics, the movie successfully presents several perspectives that can significantly impact our personal lives.

Movie Name: Lapatta Ladies
Release Year: 2024
Country: India
Run Time: 2h 4m

To briefly share the story, the main characters in the movie are Deepak, a simple farmer from the village, his wife, Phool Kumari, who believes her husband's identity is her sole identity, Jaya, a brilliant and talented young woman whose dream is to study Organic Farming; and Inspector Monohar, who is humorous and corrupt yet respects women.

^{Screenshot from my video player}

^{Screenshot from my video player}

At the beginning of the story, Deepak, after marrying his new bride Phool Kumari, is returning home by train. Due to a mistake, he accidentally brings back Jaya, the wife of another man on the train, because all the new brides were wearing identical veils. Meanwhile, Deepak's actual wife, Phool, is stranded at the station.

After trying unsuccessfully to find her husband, Phool decides to wait at Patila station until Deepak returns for her. She takes shelter with a strict-tempered tea seller. On the other side, Deepak is confused as his bride at home and fails to find Phool. Jaya deliberately keeps the mix-up a secret because the man she was forcibly married to was a cruel person who married her for dowry.

^{Screenshot from my video player}

^{Screenshot from my video player}

Jaya gradually becomes friendly with everyone in her in-laws' house and begins to show her talents. She respects the talents of others, which is why she encourages Deepak's sister-in-law, Punam, to pursue her skill in art, thus give the desire for success in other women as well. Meanwhile, Phool Kumari also starts earning money by using her talent for making sweets at the tea seller's stall, and she begins to realize her own existence.

Inspector Monohar follows Jaya and suspects her activities, believing she might be a thief or have bad intentions. He decides to hand her over to her real husband, who is a dowry seeker, based on the available information. When Jaya’s husband arrives at the police station to take her, Monohar witnesses his rude behaviour towards her and, realizing the gravity of the woman's situation. Although Monohar is a corrupt officer, deep down, he respects women's talent.

^{Screenshot from my video player}

^{Screenshot from my video player}

^{Screenshot from my video player}

Monohar decides to protect Jaya from her husband. He encourages Jaya to escape from the police station and warns her husband not to oppress any woman, threatening legal action otherwise. Deepak, having finally found and learns that his wife, Phool Kumari, is at Patila train station. He doesn't delay and rushes on his bicycle to find her.

Deepak arrives at the station to rescue his wife. The final scenes were very emotional, showing Deepak and Phool Kumari reuniting, overwhelmed by the love in each other's eyes. Deepak brings his wife home, and Phool Kumari regains her identity, her "lost" self, alongside her position in her in-laws' house. At the end, Jaya heads towards the city to fulfill her dream of studying after taking blessings from everyone.

^{Screenshot from my video player}

^{Screenshot from my video player}

What new perspective or culture did this movie introduce you to?

This movie gave me a new perspective on the extremely fragile and neglected identity of rural women in India because it shows how a woman's identity is often limited only to her husband and to being a daughter, rather than her personal name. In the beginning of the movie, the neglect of women’s opinions regarding family matters, and even in choosing their own life partner.

^{Screenshot from my video player}

The movie shows how easily a girl can get lost: a woman under a veil can be mistakenly swapped with another, and she easily gets lost because she has no valid identity or freedom. I saw that women are not married off; they are traded in the name of marriage. A talented girl like Jaya was being married off with a dowry.

Furthermore, the culture where a woman's self-identity or freedom is so neglected is clearly visible. If a woman wishes to pursue her dreams instead of getting married, her opinion or desire is not valued in a patriarchal society. The viewpoint that a woman's life is restricted to only being known by her husband's name, covering herself with a veil, and obeying all commands is a new perspective seen in the movie.

^{Screenshot from my video player}

Were there any stereotypes challenged or broken in the film?

Yes, this movie challenges several common stereotypes. The most significant one is the notion that women are completely dependent on men. In the movie, Phool Kumari overcomes her loneliness even after being left stranded by her husband at the station. She earns money by using her talent for making pitha and selling them to customers, making herself self-reliant. She proves that she can overcome all adverse situations and become independent through her own skills and courage.

^{Screenshot from my video player}

Similarly, we often see the prevalent notion in society that women are rivals and jealous of each other. However, in this movie, we see two instances where this is challenged. the tea seller at the station sees Phool Kumari's talent and gives her the opportunity to expand her work, helping her succeed. On the other hand, Jaya identifies the artistic talent in her sister-in-law Punam, brings her the necessary materials, and encourages her, creating momentum for her work. The film beautifully highlights the theme of female solidarity and benevolence.

Which character's journey did you relate to the most?

The journey of Jaya's character is particularly relatable to many in our society. Jaya is a very talented student with excellent academic results, yet her family married her off against her will to a complete stranger with a bad character. We see many such women in society whose opinions are ignored, and they are forced to act against their wishes.

Jaya wanted to study Organic Farming, but she was married off. However, she did not stop pursuing her dream. She even bravely exchanged places with another woman to run away because she realized that if she went to her in-laws' house, her dream would remain unfulfilled. This teaches us that freedom is achieved by building one's own identity through self-courage.

^{Screenshot from my video player}

What’s one message from the film that stuck with you?

The one message from the film that has stuck with me is:

For you, she is just a 'missing' girl, but for us, she was the honour of our house.

Essentially, when Deepak’s family friend went to the police station to file a case for their missing bride, Inspector Monohar took the matter lightly and viewed it as a simple missing girl case. Monohar even speculated that the woman might have run away herself, which shows how a patriarchal society trivializes and dismisses a woman's status. He ignored the situation, viewing the girl's disappearance as merely a matter of routine investigation.

That's when Deepak's family said that the girl was not just a missing person; she was their family's honour. This message highlights the status of women. The marginalized identity of women in the old social conventions is clearly expressed in this scene. However, times have changed, and in our religion, the wife is referred to as the queen of the house, and the highest respect for the women of the family is ensured. That is why I liked this message.

^{Screenshot from my video player}

Thank you to the organizers of this challenge. I invite my three friends, @edgargonzalez @dove11 @jyoti-thelight to participate in this beautiful challenge topic.