Chhapaak: Meghna Gulzar's fight against acid attacks

Chhapaak: A well-made film with a powerful message

 

It is true that the primary objective of a movie is usually entertainment, however, that is not always the only objective. “Chhapaak” directed by Meghna Gulzar is one such example. The movie aims to bring to light the severity of acid attacks on women and the alarming frequency with which they take place.

The story revolves around the protagonist, Malti, played by Deepika Padukone, who is an acid attack survivor. It shows the physical and mental trauma that these girls have to live with as a consequence of a brainless and quite frankly barbaric act by some men. It gives an insight into society’s reactions and treatment of such victims, while also showcasing how hard it is for these women to obtain justice for the crimes committed against them.

Deepika Padukone, seen on the big screen after nearly two years, carries the film brilliantly on her shoulders. She understands the gravity of the issue that she is raising awareness against but doesn’t let that show in her character. She brings a layer of vulnerability and soul to the character of Malti. She manages to get the audience emotionally invested in her character very early on and takes them on the emotional rollercoaster with her, evident by the fact that most in the hall had tears in their eyes for most of the film. Vikrant Massey plays a human rights activist who runs an NGO helping acid attack survivors. He superbly portrays a sense of angst and frustration that is built up inside the character as a result of what he perceives to be the slow nature (if any) of this change.  

Director Meghna Gulzar is fast garnering a reputation of creating hard-hitting, female driven films. In this film she understands that she is dealing with an extremely delicate issue and therefore the film needs to match that. She manages to achieve the balance of a well told story with an impactful message superbly, making the audience emotionally invest in her characters and sympathise with them every step of the way. There are some excellent directorial choices that she makes within the film, with one of my favourites being the way she ends the film.

The soundtrack of the film matches the subtle vibe of the film. There are no chart-busting numbers that will get you grooving, however, the songs perfectly compliment the story being told.

All in all, Chhapaak will take you on an emotional ride and will provide you with scenes that are extremely tough to watch and make you question the mentality of certain men. However, it is a movie that is definitely worth watching, as much for the acting and direction as for the message that it is trying to convey. 

- Ahaan Gupta