Dum Laga Ke Haisha: Size doesn't matter in Bollywood, finally
Dum Laga Ke Haisha, Yash Raj Films' first film of 2015 and also the best of the year so far by miles, has been drawing comparisons with Phantom and Viacom 18's Queen of last year. There are good reasons for that. Firstly, there's the proximity of the release date. Queen came out without much buzz on March 7 and went on to run in theatres for over two months collecting over Rs 55 crore at the box office. DLKH's release date was suddenly brought forward from the original April 24 to March 6 and then to Feb 27 to avoid a clash with Anushka Sharma-starrer NH10. Compared to other YRF films DLKH had a smaller publicity and advertising budget. Like Queen, DLKH has also got rave reviews and is counting on strong word of mouth to draw viewers to cinemas. DLKH is Sharat Katariya's second film much like Queen was Vikas Bahl's. Both feature strong, engaging female characters, flawed heroes, a fine screenplay and a fantastic ensemble. But this is where the similarities end.
While Queen showcases Rani's journey from a naive, scared and emotionally needy young woman to a confident, fun and wise one, Dum Laga Ke Haisha already shows Sandhya (Bhumi Pednekar in a fine debut) as self-assured and comfortable in her skin. One can say that Rani becomes a kind of Sandhya by the end of Queen. Part of DLKH's charm lies in how it doesn't make a caricature of its heavier heroine. Sharat Katariya is saying that Sandhya's size may be her most visible asset but it is not her biggest at all. Simply put, there is more to her than what meets the eye.
Yes, Sandhya is teased by her younger, annoying brother for her size, referred to as "moti, saand" by her husband (Ayushmann Khurrana) and is taunted even by her husband's bua (aunt) but she doesn't quietly accept these insults or let them bring her down. Sandhya has a mind of her own. Her education is not just on paper. It has given her a sense of self-esteem, a job that she loves and informed her opinion that beauty cannot be judged by the weight of a person. She knows that she deserves in life as much as any size-zero girl. Though it does make one wonder why she would settle for a partner who has not even passed tenth standard? But Sandhya sums up her decision succinctly as "Woh mujhe achche lage." When it comes to matters of heart not much makes sense, does it?
Katariya in a brief chat about how he decided on Pednekar as his lead told me that the actress and her parents, and even her boss, YRF'S casting director Shanoo Sharma, had reservations about how her character will be presented on screen. Looking at most Hindi films, they were worried that Pednekar will be the butt of crass jokes on her appearance, which doesn't conform to the Hindi film industry's current obsession with lean women. Katariya assured them that he wouldn't stoop too such lows. He treats his leading lady with respect. It helps that he doesn't resort to making grand, moral statements on how fat people are ridiculed. Instead he allows audiences to discover the wrongness of seeing Sandhya solely on her size. So much so that the few jibes directed at her weight shock you more than laugh out loud.
Warning: Spoilers ahead.
In DLKH, the female lead is big but that doesn't mean she will go on a rigorous diet and an excruciating exercise regimen to win the heart of her husband and the approval of her in-laws. Katariya's fine script subtly conveys that the foundation of a marriage and love cannot simply be a partner's appearance or for that matter even his education. Dum Lage Ke Haisha becomes the story of millions of couples who have met perhaps only once before marriage and got to know each other and fall in love only after marriage.
Queen suggests that marriage isn't the be-all and end-all of a woman's identity, that she doesn't need a man to experience happiness or discover life. Meanwhile, Dum Laga Ke Haisha demonstrates that a woman doesn't have to change herself after marriage, hold back from expressing herself or hesitate to take the initiative as Sandhya does. Sandhya may be a 1990s heroine sartorially but when it comes to her attitude she is the earliest precedent of today's modern woman who is independent, lives life on her terms and is unafraid to speak her mind.
YRF has taken the leap to show that there are endearing, entertaining stories to be told of people who don't fit into XS or S clothing. It's not revolutionary for we have had the likes of Madhubala, Meena Kumari and Sridevi who never let themselves be judged for their figures, had filmmakers who saw their potential and had viewers who appreciated their talent. Can rest of Bollywood treat Bhumi Pednekar like an ordinary person like Katariya does? That's the benchmark that Katariya has set. Let's see what YRF has planned for Bhumi Pednekar, who is a welcome addition to the world of Hindi movies not because of her size but because of her talent.