Chhapaak

This opening scene is small but uncomfortable. Some might say it presents a tragic truth, where victims are forced to measure their victim-ness against one another to earn the right of justice.

The movie reminds us of the heinous masculinity of a crime aimed solely at defacing a woman in an optical culture that equates societal worth with physical beauty. It's a calculated choice that the woman is played by a mainstream actress, from a film industry notorious for fetishizing her glamour over all else; this way, the transformation hits the average viewer harder.

We don't quite get to know Malti beyond the legacy of her life's events. The story doesn't pause to know her either. She exists - in a thinner texture of flesh and blood - mostly because Laxmi does.

A storyteller's rage is not a bad thing. The intent is right, but the execution feels awkward.

The timeline feels oddly cold-blooded. It leaps from one version of Malti to another. The screenplay overcompensates for the pace. The men in the background are either stereotypical idiots (male reporters ask insensitive questions) or unrealistic angels (the surgeon is annoyingly cheerful; the lawyer's husband serves tea and parathas to the "ladies of the house" so that she can save the world).

The little touches are nice: Malti laughs with pursed lips, thereby evoking a face that had to reconstruct its smile in a way that hurt the least. She speaks less, but places more gravity on her words (because maybe that's all she has) - a trait that allows the dialogue-ish nature of her lines sound organic.

Vikrant Massey and his idealism forces her to balance it out by being a tender, soft-spoken - and better - woman. She is the ice to his fire, even though she wears fire on her face.

#FinalVerdict

Courage is not A virtue, but The virtue.

Most storytellers entertain, a few enlighten. A scattering number of celluloid visionaries entertain as well as enlighten. Meghna Gulzar fits into that exceptional variety of film-makers that opens up thought-processes about the condition of the homeland without losing the cinematic elements that constitute a film. Meghna Gulzar has always believed in handling an issue every time She has attempted a film. To reconstruct on celluloid a true occurrence that is oven-fresh in public reminiscence is not a trouble-free mission. However, having sensitive and explosive material on hand is not enough. The execution of the subject is of paramount importance. Fortunately, Meghna Gulzar interprets the events in remarkable style and form and makes it a cinematic experience that haunts you even after the film has concluded. She does complete justice to the spirit of the story.

Chhapaak manages to show a mirror to the society. It is a rare film that will make you cry but at the same time scaffold you with the strength to raise your voice against injustice and why one must never compromise on self-respect. As a movie-watching experience, Chhapaak is flawless. There's absolutely no compromise at the level of storytelling. Bravo! Meghna Gulzar makes it an engaging piece of cinema rather than relying on the docu-drama format. Chhapaak belongs to the unique hard-hitting, gut-wrenching genre of cinema. Script-wise, the director has tried to remain faithful to the episode that occurred and also what transpired subsequently. The events have been chronologically put forth and the daring story of Malti hits you like a ton of bricks. The film truly celebrates the human spirit and also reflects a vital change in society and in the attitudes of people.

The narration is simply captivating that the viewer thirsts for more. Such is the impact of its taut screenplay! The film abounds in sequences that have been handled with utmost care, notable among those that focus on the relationship between Deepika Padukone and Vikrant Massey. The dramatic scenes are just right and not once does any character get loud or go overboard. The emotional scenes are a treat to watch. Another highlight is the climax. A film like Chhapaak pricks your conscience and makes you think.

Director Meghna Gulzar and story writer Atika Chohan deserve kudos for choosing a thorny and contentious story to interpret on celluloid. Meghna Gulzar, in particular, deserves a few extra brownie points for handling the material with aplomb. Her prowess and competence are visible all through the film. Since Chhapaak is based on a real story, Meghna Gulzar has kept the characters and the locations real and that's what makes the goings-on very identifiable, besides bestowing an authentic feel to the film. Here's a dynamic director-writer duo who needs to be lauded for tackling such a difficult subject and emerging triumphant!

A hard-hitting drama, generally, doesn't have scope for music. But Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy join hands with Gulzar saab, the wordsmith, and together they deliver a solid soundtrack. Music has been used in a matter-of-fact manner and at no point, it takes anything away from the narrative or the pace of the film. Malay Prakash' cinematography is first-rate. Dialogues are realistic to the core. Nitin Baid's editing is perfect.

It would be a blunder if one missed out the contribution of the makeup artists. Transforming the ever-dependable actress into an acid attack survivor must've been an arduous task and Shrikant Desai and Clover Wootton deserve to be complimented for making Malti look so real.

Meghna Gulzar places immense trust on Deepika Padukone and she delivers a powerhouse performance. It is difficult to think of any other actress who could've essayed this complex role with such sincerity as Deepika. A powerhouse of talent, Chhapaak is yet another effort on the part of the actress to showcase the talent she possesses. To state that she is exceptional would be an understatement. Here's yet another award-winning performance from her. Another actor who delivers a first-rate performance is Vikrant Massey. He sinks his teeth into the character, giving it the much-required pragmatism that it necessitates. Sure, Chhapaak belongs to Deepika, but not once does Vikrant Massey dither from his position or seems inferior. This is the hallmark of a tremendous actor, which Vikrant is. Madhurjeet Sarghi is first-rate and lends adequate support.

A lot of films have been attempted on real-life incidents, but haven't struck a chord so effectively. Chhapaak should shatter this jinx. It focuses the viewer's attention to that segment of society that has seldom been depicted on the Indian screen. It will be well appreciated by the intelligent audience who are gunning for women safety and empowerment. This heroic and daring film truly deserves prolonged applause.

The film Chhapaak is the milestone in the career of Deepika Padukone, which is trying to color the political atmosphere of the country.

Apart from Deepika, Vikrant Massey has made an impression in this film. In the movie Sanju, just like Vicky Kaushal had gathered all the applause, Vikrant has done something similar here. Nobody expected much from them in front of an artist like Deepika, but she is a surprise package of this film.

The rest of the actors in the film are newcomers; some real acid attack victims have also done fantastic work in it.

Meghna Gulzar's quality as a director is that she has kept the story realistic. The first half of the film is a little dull, but after the intermission, the events catch their pace.

Chhapaak - a doggedly determined acid attack survivor Malti Agarwal (Deepika Padukone) braves her physical, mental, social, economic and legal obstacles to ensure that the country becomes a safer place to live for women. She battles against poverty, social insecurity and apathy and government indifference towards her plea to make acid attack a separate crime under the penal code and ban the sale of the corrosive liquid that not just scars the face but also the soul, breaking down the victim's desire to live, confidence and willpower systematically. The attacker commits the crime, the rest of the society exacerbates it.

Succeed she does, with the help of a handful of sympathizers including an NGO and a kindly lawyer who support and lead her in every step, even when she breaks down and wants to quit in her 8 year long wait for justice. However, the statistics of the crime are grim - when acid sale was finally regulated in 2013 there were 113 cases of attack registered, whilst in 2017 with the controlled sales, the number had risen to 252. Imposition of law isn't a deterrent here, the social awareness and education would perhaps make the real difference.

The film directed by Meghna Gulzar is sombre. There's no scope of lighthearted moments here, as the film rarely strays from its path and focus. Malti's retraction from the society in the beginning and gradually regaining her confidence and zeal to bounce back to life has been shown poignantly. Vikrant Massey gives a muted, low brow but strong performance. Deepika I thought was good but often appeared to be herself instead of Malti. Her costumes were simple, but never repeated, which is unusual for the economic strata that the girl belonged to. The music and lyrics are appealing, kudos to Shankar Ehsaan Loy and Gulzar respectively. With a running time of 120 minutes, Chhapaak shuns melodrama, but often adopts a documentary style, and doesn't allow any character other than Deepika's to bloom, reducing everyone else into a mere distraction, rather than build on them.

Story is light, so is the acting. The characters are supposed to reflect real stories, but there is no effort put to show the real background of the culprit and the culture and thinking he grew up with. Real life character was much worse. If this is based on true events then it should be true to the characters.