25 Thoughts I Had After Rediscovering The Beauty Of Shah Rukh Khan & Rani Mukerji's 'Paheli'
Paheli is a remake of the 1973 Hindi movie Duvidha by Mani Kaul. Starring Shah Rukh Khan Rani Mukerji Anupam Kher Rajpal Yadav and Juhi Chawla. Directed by Amol Palekar women were the strongest characters in the film.
Making full use of the Quarantine and Work from home policy, I am making it a point to watch or re-watch at least one film a day. Being a Shah Rukh fan, one had to be his. Instead of picking up a DDLJ (I am an SRK fan but I also find DDLJ overrated), I chose Paheli. An unusual choice was made but I have hazy memories of watching the film many years back.
Paheli/Netflix
Over the years, the songs from Paheli became an irreplaceable part of my playlist(Dhire Jalna and Kangana Re are magic). Why did I choose Paheli? Apart from being a visually appealing film, I remember Paheli for being a full-fledged entertainer.
Paheli
From Rajpal Yadav's comedy scenes to Big B's cameo, Paheli had a lot to offer. Starring Shah Rukh Khan, Rani Mukerji, Anupam Kher, Rajpal Yadav and Juhi Chawla in pivotal roles, the films didn't do a grand business at the box-office but did leave a mark in many hearts.
A remake of the 1973 Hindi movie Duvidha by Mani Kaul, SRK's film was directed by Amol Palekar and produced by Juhi Chawla, Aziz Mirza, Sanjiv Chawla and SRK himself. Directed by Amol Palekar, women were the strongest characters in the film.
After I watched the film, I had many thoughts about the film and the way Amol Palekar wanted to portray Lachchi and other female characters in the film. Here are my observations.
1. Be it Lachchi, Kishanlal or the ghost, everyone's innermost desires were expressed beautifully. There are very few films that do justice to the portrayal of what the characters actually feel.
2. Both Lachchi and the ghost loved each other sincerely and expressed their honest feelings with each other. Amol Palekar managed to personify a ghost in the most convincing way possible.
3. Without fearing everything that could be at risk, Lachchi was a fearless woman who only spoke her heart out. Even when women around her would be docile and follow instructions given by men, Lachchi was fearless.
4. Even without being in front of the camera, Ratna Pathak Shah and Naseeruddin Shah gave voice to the lifeless puppets. For the first time ever, a film showcased two puppets headlining and narrating a story.
5. Gajrobai taught us how a woman's dignity should always be retained. Even though she longed for her husband's return but she chose not to make any plea to gods.
6. Lachchi and the ghost who fell in love with her chose to give life a chance and live each day as it comes. While we make five-year plans without understanding the fragility of life, Lachchi and Kishan's ghost taught us to seize every moment.
7. The women of the film are powerful. Despite deep-rooted patriarchy that reeks of sexism, female characters of the film supported each other. The scene where Lachchi hopes her daughter grows up to be independent is heartwarming.
8. Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak Shah's voice-over had deep meanings of love, life, desires, and compassion. Both the male and the female puppets were unbiased in their judgment towards all the central characters of the story.
9. While the desires of a woman are often suppressed by the family and society, Rani Mukerji's portrayal of Lachchi proved that it's important to be your own voice of reason and make decisions for your oneself.
10. Paheli could just turn out to be one of the finest films to teach men the concept of consent.
11. Lachchi was married off and Kishanlal never asked her to leave the city right after their wedding. The way Lachchi explains herself and why she wants to accept the ghost says everything a woman goes through in her life.
12. Bhanwarlal's eyes were blinded by the greed for money and gold and this film subtly explains why life is beyond all of this. There are several lessons that the film manages to ace throughout its plot.
13. In the kind of set-up that Lachchi was in, she knew that it would always be difficult for her to forgive herself and start afresh. Lachchi, who questions, takes risks, speaks the truth and tries to live the way she wants to emerges as one of the strongest female characters ever written for the Hindi Cinema.
14. Greed for money and the desire to achieve more in life overpowers us to an extent that we forget to live. "Dhan insaan ke ke liye hai, ya insaan dhan ke liye."- The film subtly reminds us that we may end up losing out on some of the most fulfilling moments of life if we keep running behind money.
15. Let's take a moment to appreciate the beauty of each and every frame of Paheli. The usage of the mirror to express Lachchi's desire and confusion is a work of art.
16. Ghosts don't exist but in the film, he immerges as a character who's more ideal than Kishanlal. He respects Lachchi's wishes and expresses his love for her occasionally. He also ends up building a well for the villagers and he is never hesitant of laughing uncontrollably when tickled. Even though he's a ghost but his heart is in the right place and acts more humane than most of the men around him.
17. Amol Palekar chose two puppets as the 'Sutradhars' of the film. For the first time in Hindi Cinema, two puppets became the wisest narrators who voiced each and every emotion of the characters aptly.
18. When the ghost and Lachchi decide to consummate their marriage, it rains heavily, and we see a beautiful rainbow appearing, portraying how their long-lost wishes and desires have come true.
19. Even though Kishanlal was intelligent but he failed to respect his women and failed to prioritize his life. Lachchi accepts the ghost in a heartbeat in the absence of her husband proving that money can't buy love and happiness. Amol Palekar, take a bow!
Paheli
20. Lachchi chose to accept the ghost as her husband and chose to start living her life. All her reasons for doing so were legit but the puppets do remind us how difficult it is ina society for a woman to make her own choice and live by it.
Paheli/Netflix Screengrab
21. Can men ever go through 'Agni Pariksha' to prove themselves right? Paheli calls out casual sexism of men and how men have assumed that only women could be asked to go through 'Agni Pariksha'.
Netflix Screengrab
22. Lachchi could be the poster-girl for equality. Even when men in her life make most the decisions for her, she knows how to find her moments of joy. She liberates herself throughout the movie by taking risks and making decisions that her heart desires. Be it eating Ber (Berries) or playing with the kids of the house, she never feared judgment that could have come her way.
Paheli/Netflix
23. Even in a setup that reeks of patriarchy, women of the film stick around and liberate each other. Instead of shaming Lachchi for having a baby with a ghost, they decide to accept her and her daughter wholeheartedly.
Netflix
24. Every frame in the movie is poetic. The way the camera occasionally pans in an out to express everything a character feels is beautiful.
Paheli/Netflix