Paradoxical Elements of Feminism in Thappad and Haseen Dilruba

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Paradoxical Elements of Feminism in Thappad
and Haseen Dilruba
Dr Pooja Malik
Assistant Professor
Amity School of Liberal Arts
Amity University Haryana
Ph. No. - 9971348511
Email- pmalik@ggn.amity.edu

Abstract

The modern era of feminism has gone through such a long journey that now it is recognized not only as a
concept but a reality and a part of society as well as of human life. The spread of education has played a vital
role in the upliftment of the suppressed half of world population that women. A wave of women empowerment
can be seen everywhere easily where women are more sophisticated, independent and free-willed individuals.
This changed form of feminism is more prevalent in the literature of popular culture, especially in the form of
movies. To prove the above-mentioned facts, two movies from modern Indian cinema have been taken into
consideration. One is Thappad and the other is Haseen Dilruba. A comprehensive and deep critical analysis
has been attempted to prove the theme of the paper.

Keywords: Feminism, Suppressed Half, Free-willed Individuals, Popular Culture, Indian Cinema

In this modern era of exposure and open-mindedness, life has started to reveal itself in various aspects. The
things which were considered impossible one or two decades earlier, have now become a usual part of day-to-
day life. With the spread of education and awareness, the thinking pattern of an individual has been diversified
in various dimensions. Now a days, feminism is a well-known word to everyone. The meaning, forms,
definitions and expectations of feminism have been discussed so many times that after the third wave of
feminism, now it is looking forward to enter into the fourth wave where it is not only about the demands and
struggle for equality and rights rather it is in the phase of introspection. Though in the deep down, some facts
and realities are still same but after a certain point, the modern woman has started to take care of all her issues
on herself. Though, this new avatar of new woman has not been accepted thoroughly, specially in India and
the struggle is going on:
JETIR2205363 Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (JETIR) www.jetir.org c502

"The new Indian woman is therefore closely scrutinized for any signs if overmodernization; she is
policed for a deracinated subjectivity that forgets its primary location in the home and safely benign
familial connections to husband and children"

This paper attempts to deal with the fact that modern woman finds herself having the capacity to take the
decisions of her life and she uses this capacity with self-confidence whenever it is required. At the same time,
it has shown two different paradoxical elements of feminism through two different protagonists.

To analyze this fact, two movies from Indian cinema have been taken into consideration. One movie is
‘Thappad’ which came in the year 2020 and the another is ‘Haseen Dilruba’ which came in 2021. The chief
protagonist of the first movie Thappad is Amrita or Ammu, and in the second movie Haseen Dilruba, Rani is
the chief protagonist.

In Thappad, the first half of movie presents Amrita as a dedicated housewife. In movie, she appears as a loving
and obedient daughter, a caring, affectionate daughter-in-law and a loyal, cheerful, loving and caring wife. She
presents the picture of an ideal Indian woman who dissolves herself completely in the life of a housewife after
getting married to Vikram. Vikram is doing a respectable job in corporate and proving himself well on this
front. He also appears in the movie as a man of values who cares for his mother, loves Amrita, shares his all
kind of feelings with Amrita, always shows respect and love for his in-laws, obeys his elders and is passionate,
ambitious and dedicated professional who works hard to prove his ability and wants to get promotion in his
job.

In the opening scene of the movie, Vikram is working on a project which is highly important in the way of his
promotion and after getting success in this, he, along with Amrita, will be going to London on a respectable
position. Hence, he is nervous under the pressure of his work and ambitions. Here Amrita supports him
psychologically and provides him all the possible help what she can do as a wife. Even it feels that Vikram is
helpless in doing his official work without the support of Amrita. Lastly Vikram gets success in his efforts and
a celebration party is being organized in evening by Amrita, at their home, as per the desire of Vikram.
Suddenly Vikram gets the information that the promotion has been given to someone else and he starts fighting,
arguing with his colleague during the party. Amrita tries to stop him but Vikram slaps Amrita before all the
guests and family members, present in the party.

Amrita finds herself shocked and insulted as it was for the first time that Vikram hit her. She is taken inside
the room by the other ladies of the family, but no one says anything against Vikram. Though they all feel
sympathy for her. All the guests leave the party and Amrita is left alone. She tries to assemble her broken
consciousness as a wife by indulging herself in the household works even at the night.

As Amrita has always been a very caring daughter-in-law, she expects some kind of moral support from her
mother-in-law, but she does not get that support. In next morning, Vikram comes to her and explains that he
was under pressure of his sudden failure and starts to discuss about the problems of his professional life.
However, he does not feel sorry for his act of slapping Amrita.

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© 2022 JETIR May 2022, Volume 9, Issue 5                                         www.jetir.org (ISSN-2349-5162)

Disappointed Amrita leaves Vikram’s house and goes to her parents’ house where they welcome her, but after
a few days, her mother and brother start to convince her to forget everything and forgive Vikram. Amrita’s
conscious does not allow this and goes to a lady lawyer to discuss about divorce from Vikram. The lawyer
Netra is also surprised at her decision of taking divorce just because of a slap but Amrita replies,

“It was my choice to be a housewife and dissolve myself in the role of a wife, a daughter-in-law but it does not
allow Vikram to slap me. No. He can’t.”

Amrita is hurt by the fact that no one in her family takes notice of her existence. No one understands that being
an individual, she also feels hurt, she deserves respect, and she has the right to speak herself. Everyone takes
this incident as a part of her life, just because of being a woman. She wants to make Vikram, and others realize
that she can’t be a victim of Vikram’s anger in any of the circumstances. It does not come in her responsibilities
and duties. She dissolved herself in her relations, but no one recognizes her identity as an individual self. On
the contrary, everyone expects from her to go back in the same course of her life where she has no value in the
eyes of her husband.

Though Vikram comes to appease her with an expensive gift but still does not realize his mistake. Though in
the absence of Amrita, he feels her importance, yet his ego does not allow him to say sorry to his wife. The
word ‘sorry’ from Vikram could have worked as a treatment for Amrita’s hurt soul and conscious but Vikram
is so much trapped in his ego that he becomes ready for divorce from Amrita instead of feeling and expressing
his guilt. He expects everything from Amrita but does not want to give her equal respect in their relation.

Though there are various women characters in the movie who are the victims of deep-rooted patriarchy in the
closed Indian society whether it Sunita, Netra, Amrita’s mother, Amrita’s Mother-in-law, yet they don’t have
the courage to raise voice against this patriarchy.

       "Even though the movie portrays different shades of domestic violence that cuts through class divides,
       what brings these women together is also the unfortunate common ground of an oppressive household
       and deeply ingrained patriarchy. It’s less about unity, and more about the genuine empathy you can
       feel as each woman mirrors the narrative of another woman."
It is only Amrita whose sense of self-respect is still alive, and she protest to against wrong done to her. Netra
represents the class of professionally successful women of the society, but her success is undervalued in the
shadow of her in-laws’ reputation. Sunita belongs to the labour class and is a victim of domestic violence.

After realizing the degree of her dedication and the return of that dedication, Amrita decides to get freedom
from her relations.

       “It’s almost as if Vikram slaps Amrita awake from a slumber and then it becomes impossible for her to
       fall back into that façade of domestic tranquility in which she is, without doubt, a second-class citizen.”
Even the revelation of her pregnancy to her does not weaken her decision. Vikram tries again to give a new
start to their married life but without quitting his ego. The motherhood does not affect Amrita’s decision and
she takes the full responsibility of her child. She is ready to change herself in a fully self-dependent woman
which was beyond the expectations of others. It is only after the divorce when Vikram realizes that sometimes
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‘sorry’ is also required along with ‘I love you’ in married life. No matter it is about husband or about wife.
Once Amrita decides to live her life on her own conditions, she does not come under any social, emotional or
economical pressure.

The second movie which has been taken under consideration, is Hassen Dilruba. The protagonist of this movie
is Rani who belongs to Delhi. She has completed her education and is waiting for a suitable wedding proposal
for herself. For Rani, married life is like a world of dreams where everything as very attractive and superficial.
Rani’s concept of marriage is full of romance and her imaginary husband possesses the qualities of a romantic,
good looking, jolly nature and is a muscled man. But contrary to her imagination, she is married to Rishu who
is a simple, average looking, middle class man who works as an electrical engineer in Jwalapur Electricity
Board and lives in Jwalapur, near Haridwar. For the first time steps into Rishu’s house and finds nothing special
there to welcome her as a new bride. It was difficult for Rani to accept the reality of her changed life. Though
Rishu appears in the movie as a sincere, loyal and caring husband yet it is not enough for Rani. She is not
willing to take any responsibility of the house as a Daughter-in-law. There are some conflicts between Rishu’s
mother and Rani, and Rishu always tries to save the situation successfully. He never blames Rani for anything
and keeps trying to win her heart. Rani is also suggested by her mother and auntie to win Rishu’s heart which
Rani follows honestly.

In the meanwhile, Rishu and Rani try to consummate their relation, but Rishu could not get success in this.
Rani is highly disappointed and Rishu feels himself helpless and insulted in his own eyes. A rift is created
between Rani and Rishu by their silence. Eventually, Rani starts to feel herself alone and alienated in Rishu’s
home. Amid this loneliness of Rishu and Rani, Rishu’s cousin Neel enters in the house who looks like a perfect
match Rani’s ideal husband. They both get attracted towards each other and make physical relation while living
in Rishu’s house.

“Haseen Dillruba revolves around someone so taken in by its racy flight of fancy, Rani allows her
reality to be dictated by her expectations to alarming effect.”
Rani is serious in this affair, and she decides to reveal the truth before Rishu. Contrary to Rani’s expectations,
Neel leaves Rani and runs away from Rishu’s house before the revelation of their affair, without informing
Rani. Still Rani exposes the truth before Rishu and accepts her mistake. Rishu is shattered by this treacherous
act of Rani and warns her that she should leave his house, or he will kill her.

Till now, Rani has realized Rishu’s true love for herself and the fakeness of her dreamy love.
“As Rani narrates the story of her first encounter with Rishu, her early dissatisfaction with her choice
of partner in an arranged marriage, his awkward attempts to win her over and the searing tension that
later sets in between them, she appears not to mince words about her own role in the decline of their
relationship.”

She decides to live her life with Rishu and is ready to endure any kind of punishment, put upon her by Rishu.
Now, she is determined to win her husband’s heart. True to his words, Rishu tries to kill Rani several times,
but Rani is adamant in her feelings. However, none of Rishu’s attempt to kill Rani was truly severe which is

JETIR2205363 Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (JETIR) www.jetir.org c505

reflection of his deep love for Rani. Getting the understanding of this, Rani’s decision becomes firmer. Rishu
insults her at every step, but she bears everything without any reaction. She continues to move on the path of
her punishment with a mum until Rishu is melted down with the warmth and truthfulness of her feelings. Once
Rani wins Rishu’s heart, she holds his hand firmly in the conflict against Neel.

The point of comparison between the characters of Amrita and Rani, is their decision-making power. As it is
said, in the starting, the woman of this era wants to take the decisions of her life on her own, irrespectively the
decision is right or wrong. She takes the full responsibility of her deeds and decisions. When Amrita decides
to divorce Vikram, she improves herself in all the necessary aspects. She learns driving, she plans of a house
for herself and her child.

Similarly, Rani marries Rishu under the pressure of her family. She indulges in extra-marital affair with Neel
but later she reveals the truth before Rishu without any fear. When she realizes her feelings for Rishu, she
decides to bear the consequences of Rishu’s wrath, without concerning about her life.

Amrita and Rani, both serve as a reflection to each other. When Amrita is sure that she is not wrong, she does
not look behind in her life. When Rani realizes her mistakes, she becomes firm to live with Rishu, even after
Rishu’s cruelty and anger. Rani makes the circumstances favorable by her tolerance and efforts. It is not for
the first time that Indian Cinema has ventured such form of feminism. This strain can be seen from a long ago
whether it is about the movie ‘Filhaal’ where Siya decides to be a surrogate mother or Pinjar, where Pooro
decides to live with her new identity, as Rasheed’s wife Hameeda.

Rani and Amrita represent the opposite extremes of feminism, still they reveal the fact that modern woman
possesses the decision-making power and is capable enough to go with the consequences of her decisions. The
purpose of above analysis is to give the air of introspection to feminism. These protagonists introspect
themselves very well before taking any decision. They introspect about their strengths, weaknesses, their
desires, their ambitions and the picture of their future. Then, they decide to move ahead in their life with firm
determination. This form of feminism is not to blame the male counterpart rather it is to take the complete
responsibility of herself with all the odds and evens.

Works Cited:

1. Anwer, Megha and Anupama Arora. Bollywood's New Woman. Brunswick: Rutgers University Press,
2021. Accessed through Google Books.

2. B.S. Bhuveneswari, https://livewire.thewire.in/gender-and-sexuality/the-underlying-theme-of-
sisterhood-in-thappad/, March 18, 2020, cited on May 6th 2022

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© 2022 JETIR May 2022, Volume 9, Issue 5                                    www.jetir.org (ISSN-2349-5162)

   3. https://www.filmcompanion.in/reviews/bollywood-review/thappad-movie-review-a-tightly-knit-
      screenplay-packed-with-carefully-constructed-insights/ Feb 27, 2020, cited on April 2nd, 2022

   4. https://www.rediff.com/movies/review/haseen-dillruba-review/20210702.htm, July 2nd, 2021, cited
      on 4th April 2022

   5. https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/haseen-dillruba-movie-review-illogical-crime-saga-
      wrapped-in-a-cliched-ode-to-violent-frenzied-love-9773081.html, July 2nd, 2021, cited on April 10th,
      2022

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