Lakshmi

Within a matter of 24 hours, I am going to begin a review with the name Satish Kaushik in the first sentence.  This time, however, I am going to speak about Satish Kaushik the actor.  My respect for the man as a director is nowhere close to that as an actor.  Kaushik as an actor in a serious role such as Reddy Garu in Lakshmi is simply outstanding.  I hope to see many such performances from this brilliant actor in the years to come.

“Lakshmi is the kind of story that we don’t want to hear, which is exactly why we must hear it” – Paloma Sharma (http://www.rediff.com/movies/review/review-lakshmi-is-a-shocking-eye-opener/20140321.htm).  I could not have summed it up better.  It is a story that will make you cringe, squirm in your seat and look the other way.  In short it is a very uncomfortable story to watch.

In the same breath, it is a story that every one – Indian or otherwise, Man or Woman MUST WATCH because it strips bare the world that we live in.  One that we believe doesn’t exist.  It speaks about Bangaru Lakshmi (Monali Thakur) who is a 13 year old sold off to Reddy Garu through his brother Chinna (Kukunoor).  Lakshmi believes that Reddy Garu is protecting her.

But it is only a matter of time that she is raped by Reddy Garu and eventually sent to a Ladies Hostel – a front for a brothel.  There Lakshmi goes into “fresh stock” and is of course in demand.  She refuses to resign herself to this life and attempts to escape only to be returned back by cops (yes you heard it right).  In the bargain, her room mate Swarna (Flora Saini) and Madam Jyoti (Shefali Shah) also bear the brunt.

Lakshmi agrees to stay back but doesn’t lose hope of escaping.  She takes to drink so that the pain can be reduced.  Eventually an NGO uses a sting operation to get her out of hell.  A court case follows thanks to Lakshmi’s stoic refusal to give up to all efforts from those involved to discourage her.

Lakshmi has some really powerful dialogues such as when Jyoti Madam says, “Saree utha (Lakshmi refuses).  Koi chamatkari cheez nahin hai.  Joh mere pass hai wohi tere pass bhi hai” (It is nothing magical.  You have what I have out there).  Or when Lakshmi tells Madam, “Narak mein jaoge tum sab” (you will all go to hell).  Madam replies nonchalantly, “Wahinch toh hoon abhi” (Where else am I right now?).

Sadly, Kukunoor doesn’t show the class of an experienced murderer.  One who stabs you deep and twists the foot long knife to get your guts to spill out.  It seems like he is afraid to do so.  The finishing is tentative.  All dialogues are not as brilliant.  The court sequences seem half baked. I am hoping that the censor board forced Kukunoor to remove some of the hard hitting scenes.  I would hate to believe it was Kukunoor’s idea.

Lakshmi is a story that you would never know of unless you make the effort to watch it on the big screen.  It is taboo for us to speak about this openly.  It may be happening right under your noses like the community in Andhra Pradesh realized 94 times since Lakshmi.  Make the effort.  Go watch it on the screen.  You will be more aware at the end of it. You would have contributed to the effort.  6 on 10 for an otherwise average movie.

Watch the trailer at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwkvxk5T1TQ