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After watching a string of major Indian film disappointments (at least for me) such as "Haseen Dillruba", "RRR", "Ek Villain Returns", and "Malang", director Anubhav Sinha's "Thappad" (literally meaning "The Slap") is a breath of fresh air with a totally satisfying ending which makes this movie a PERFECT film for me.
Like Imtiaz Ali's "Highway" which launched a debate (among Hindi cinema-goers whether it was a story about a woman improbably falling in romantic love with her kidnapper rather than a platonic friendship), "Thappad" launches a debate whether domestic violence in the heat of a moment should ruin a marriage for good.
The premise is that a young happy couple's content life is suddenly ruined when the husband slaps the wife at a party when she tries to break a fight between him and one of his colleagues.
The husband later apologizes and explains he was not in a sound mind when he slapped her. But she goes ahead in filing for divorce - against the advice of both their families.
Some of my friends and relatives took the side of the husband, claiming that something as grave as breaking a marriage is not worth it, as the husband had already sincerely apologized for his tragic action.
But I can empathize with the wife's perception that respect is a very deep and serious psychological matter as far as the sanctity of marriage is concerned.
Not surprisingly, "Thappad" won a host of Filmfare awards, including best film, best story and best actress - Taapsee Pannu for her outstanding performance as the tragic victim of a sort of a domestic violence many people still fail to take seriously.
I love the director's uncompromising ending although that will surely upset Conservatives who believe in a so-called sanctity and sacredness of marriage. Oh, come on, marriage is just a contract signed on a piece of paper that "certifies" that a penis is legally allowed to enter a vagina! JK. Hehe.
I've watched too. There are some films like this.
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