Thappad Movie Trailer and my thoughts about it…
and why I was shocked with the trailer…
I saw the trailer for the Bollywood movie — Thappad.
In English language it means — A Slap!
It’s director Anubhav Sinha’s new creation with actor Taapsee Pannu in lead. The movie Trailer depicts a story where a Divorce case is filed by a woman due to the incident of getting slapped by her husband.
I did see the trailer twice, Just to ensure that I have seen what I've just seen.
Seriously, divorce for just one slap?
Is it even a topic to stretch for a film?
My thought after seeing the trailer was regressive. As a society, we are so accustomed to violence and displays of violence in movies and life that “the subject matter of the film and not the actual slap, in trailer shocked me.”
I remember, when I was 14 or 15 years of age, I heard my house help to discuss something with my mother. My mother used to ensure that I and my siblings would not hear any such stories or discussions. So, She asked me to leave. Honestly, listening to such stories was not required for us, we often had a live telecast at home.
However, that day I did hear the maid. She said to my mother that her husband had beaten her. I casually retorted — why don’t you just leave him? My mom immediately scolded me in front of her and stated “don’t give unsolicited advice when you don’t know what impact it can cause in her life”.
This story is more than 20 years old.
Now, I employ two house help who assist with my responsibilities. Both are the prime bread earner in their respective families.
In 2019, one of my maids confided in me that her husband after beating her, locked her out of her house for an entire night. She told me that she spent the night sitting on the footsteps in-front of her house door.
When you discuss such an incident in your circle of relatives & friends the most obvious reaction you will get is their denial of any such issue. And if some of them will agree to it they have a similar anecdote to add, “yaar lower class mai hota hi hai yeh sab, they are mostly uneducated”.
Even if someone has not witnessed domestic violence within their own home,
not even the most sheltered women can say that they are completely unaware of such incidents.
From educated & well to do families, to middle-class homes & most commonly lower-income families, domestic violence & violence against women permeates all social & economic boundaries.
One thing that I understand is — violence is not the beginning of abuse in any relationship. And more often it isn’t the end.
The abuse begins first but is often ignored simply due to the discomfort that comes from confronting it. Sometimes, it can also be ignored to keep the peace and fulfill the obligation of keeping a relationship alive.
I can’t say for sure, weather or not a slap can create a reason for a divorce in marriage. Divorce is sensitive and personal matter for anyone who decides to go through it.
For all those people, who think that the movie is on — “divorce, as a result of just one slap”. It isn’t.
As the protagonist says at the end of trailer —
Know what that slap did?
-”It made me see all the unfair things i was ignoring”
This is my final thought regarding the trailer and what it want’s to convey:
How many slap would it take for a women to realize, that she doesn’t need to endure abuse?
