Introduction:
Laapataa Ladies is a 2024 Indian Hindi language comedy-drama film which is directed by Kiran Rao. The film is about two girls, Phool, (Nitanshi Goel) and Pushpa (Pratibha Ratna) who exchange places during a train journey, each going to meet her husband-to-be. The movie conservatively interweaves comedy with differently charged scenes on the background of identity, woman, and individuality searches.
Release Date:
Laapataa Ladies was out in theatres on the first of March, 2024. The movie had a fabulous opening weekend by collecting more than ₹3.75 crore for three days. By May 2, 2024, the net gross of the film in India has reached ₹24.1 crore and at the international level ₹25.26 crore.
Crew:
| Role | Person(s) |
|---|---|
| Director | Kiran Rao |
| Screenplay | Sneha Desai |
| Writer | Sneha Desai |
| Producer | Aamir Khan, Kiran Rao, Jyoti Deshpande |
| Editor | Jabeen Merchant |
| Music Director | Ram Sampath |
Cast:
| Actor/Actress | Character Name |
|---|---|
| Nitanshi Goel | Phool Kumari |
| Pratibha Ranta | Jaya |
| Sparsh Shrivastava | Deepak Kumar |
| Ravi Kishan | Shyam Manohar |
| Chhaya Kadam | Manju Maai |
| Satendra Soni | Chhotu |
| Durgesh Kumar | Dubey Ji |
| Geeta Aggarwal Sharma | Yashoda |
| Kanupriya Rishimum | Bela Ji |
| Bhaskar Jha | Pardeep, Pradeep |
| Samarth Mahor | Bilas |
| Savita Malviya | Phool’s Mother |
| Pranjal Pateriya | Raghu |
| Daood Hussain | Gunjan |
| Kirti Shreeyansh Jain | Sushila |
| Rachna Gupta | Poonam Kumari |
| Aman Shrivastava | Phool’s Brother |
Story:
The film is based on rural India in 2001. Now there is Deepak (Sparsh Shrivastav) a complete gem of a man, who is happily coming back to his village along with his bride Phool. But that is the speciality of the train, there are so many other couples like us who are newlyweds, all dressed in their red wedding gowns. Finally, Deepak falls asleep and gets awake in the morning to see his wife Phool is replaced by Pushpa (Pratibha Ratna) who introduces herself as Pushpa Rani but in the inside story is Jaya suffering from some undisclosed mysteries of life.
At the same time, Phul loses herself to an unfamiliar platform where she meets other women including Manju Mai played by Chhaya Kadam waiting for their men. Everyone in Deepak’s house does not know of the switch; therefore, they welcome home Pushpa while Phool struggles to get back to Deepak. It is a comic movie that describes how Phool and Pushpa, find themselves in such a situation and how the latter struggles with hers. Dacoit Shyam Manohar, played by Ravi Kishan, becomes doubtful of Puspa and he proposes to himself she is a gang member who robs newly married grooms. As the war progresses the two women end up having to fend for themselves but struggle to become close friends.
Review:
The show Laapataa Ladies was well appreciated by the critics for its qualities like humour, warmth and powerful message.
Plus Points:
- Engaging storyline: The concept of two brides finding themselves married to the wrong person lets the film build a sequence of humorous and emotional scenes.
- Strong performances: The film has strong and convincing appearances from the leading characters; Nitanshi Goel as Phool and Pratibha Ratna as Pushpa/Jaya. Shyam Manohar the corrupting cop played by Ravi Kishan also does an incredible job.
- Social commentary: The movie stereotype, even though widely comical, comments on issues of powerlessness of women, women’s independence and the significance of learning and egalitarianism. They pour, Laapataa Ladies has a good dose of both situational humour and warmth to the viewers and is worth watching. The audience engaged throughout the film.
- Strong performances: The film features impressive performances from its lead actors, particularly Nitanshi Goel as Phool and Pratibha Ratna as Pushpa/Jaya. Ravi Kishan also delivers a standout performance as the corrupt cop Shyam Manohar.
- Social commentary: While maintaining a light-hearted tone, the film effectively addresses themes of patriarchy, women’s empowerment, and the importance of education and equality.
- Humour and heart: Laapataa Ladies strikes a balance between clever humour and heartwarming moments, making it an entertaining and thought-provoking watch for audiences.
Minus Points:
- Pacing: Several analysts said the rhythm of the film has been irregular, and there are scenes when the pace seems to be too slow while there are scenes when the pace appears to be too fast.
- Predictable plot: Though absorbing the plot stays loyal to the comedy-drama formula with plot points that can be predicted for the viewer acquainted with this genre.
Technical Aspects:
Laapataa Ladies has a runtime of 126 minutes and is presented in a 2.39:1 aspect ratio. Conveyed by the film’s cinematography are the colourful farmlands and most of the humour. The editing is quite good and keeps the narrative going for the most part while sometimes they uneven pacing. The songs sung for this film were composed by Ram Sampath and suit the overall mood of the film and its subject depicted. It includes Doubtwa, Sajni, Dheeme Dheeme, and Beda Paar sung by Sukhwinder Singh, Arijit Singh, Shreya Ghoshal and Sona Mohapatra.
Performance:
Actress Nitanshi Goel has done a marvellous job in portraying her character’s transformation from an innocent bride to a very sure woman. For Pushpa/Jaya, Pratibha Ratna rises to the challenge and gives details about her character’s hidden intents and desires. Greater than the rest and equally brilliant alongside Ravi Kishan is Shyam Manohar, a vile cop who has not forgotten how to have a conscience. That is why people hear laughter and meaningful words in the description of his work and the performance of his duties. Chhaya Kadam as Laxmi’s friend Manju Mai and Sparsh Shrivastav as Deepak add a lot of warmth to the film; so do the rest of the actors.
MoviePopTime Review:
All in all, I was happy with what I saw at Laapataa Ladies because it prompted me to think and that is what any good performance should do. Being Kiran Rao’s directorial venture, the movie has rib-cracking humour with a social message criticizing patriarchy in this journey of two brides who are switched on a train.
The cast was good for the most part, Nitanshi Goel and Pratibha Ranta most particular, both of whom lent their characters an added dimension. Ravi Kishan performed amazingly as the corrupted yet believable police officer extending the depth of the movie. There is humour in the show and the writing is smart, and clever and deals with real social issues but in a fun manner.
What I liked most is how the movie dealt with women and self-assertion topics without being incredibly educational. They both looked natural throughout and the humour was very natural and the sight gags ran through the narrative constantly. Thus, Laapataa Ladies is a realistically presented stereotype deviation in Indian show business which shows a good dose of humour and a worthwhile message; thus it should be seen.
Conclusion:
Laapataa Ladies is entertaining packs a lot of depth and comes out with a very powerful message about women’s emancipation through comedy with good acting. This is a welcome back to Rao who after 14 years goes back to helming a feature that is lively and has a social message embedded in its narrative.
The only demerits of the film can be a weak script in regards to pacing and predictability However the passion for the storyline, talent acting and social satire surely cannot be left unnoticed. Comedy dramas and every single movie-goer who seeks to enjoy a film with a social message incorporated into it should spare time and watch Laapataa Lady’s art, and strong performances. Director Kiran Rao’s return to filmmaking after 14 years is a resounding success, as she crafts a story that is both entertaining and socially relevant.
While the film may face minor issues with pacing and predictability, its strengths lie in its engaging storyline, strong performances, and clever social commentary. Laapataa Ladies is a must-watch for fans of comedy dramas and those who appreciate films that tackle important social issues with a light touch.
Also Read: Khel Khel Mein Movie Review