IDENTITY CRISIS

LHOLLYWOOD MOVIE REVIEW:

aapataaladies (Lost Ladies) is a 2023 Indian Hindi-language comedy drama film directed by Kiran Rao and produced by Aamir Khan, Kiran Rao, and Jyoti Deshpande.

Screened at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2023, Laapataaladies seems to work due to the amusing plot, performances, underlying message, and some memorable funny and emotional scenes.

The story revolves around a newly married husband who loses his traditionally-veiled wife on a crowded train in a case of mistaken identity and brings home another newly-wed, veiled bride, unknown to either party until the husband reaches his village home, and the wife the wrong railway station.

The plot follows his search for his actual wife - the journey of the wife stranded at the wrong station - and the true intent of the woman who finds herself in the wrong village.

The story set is set in 2001 in rural India about two young brides who get separated during a train journey and Kishan (Ravi Kishan), a police officer, takes it upon himself to probe the missing case.

The film talks about a time when mobile phones were precious and the internet and technology had not made everything easily accessible. But, Rao said she feels that the story is still relatable.

Produced under the banner of Aamir Khan Productions and Kindling Productions, with a script by Biplab Goswami and dialogues by Divyanidhi Sharma, the film has been thoroughly enjoyed by varied rural and urban audiences for its satire, quirky humour and social message, though sans any formidable starcast, except for Ravi Kishan’s screen appeal. Go watch.

★★