Having read the book, and already interacted with Aditya, Vibhawari, and Chitrangada in the past, when I saw updates on social media about the film being screened at the Jaipur International Film Festival (JIFF) 2018, I could not have missed it. And talk about the power of cinema, the impact of which doubles when it's good cinema that few scenes into the film, and my mind isolated from all the premature impressions.
Tikli and Laxmi Bomb (TALB) is a powerful story that revolves around the lives of two sex workers. But does the plot focus on misery? No. Sadness is one of the many emotions that they experience, just as how it is for you and I - their world doesn't function around it. And so where one would expect a grievous touch to the said subjective content, TALB subjects you to the odd similarities that a prostitute's life struggles possess with any other woman's. A strong knock at the door of omnipresent patriarchy, it uncurtains the reality of the sex world, where men exploit women at every step, be it in the face of client, pimp, contractor, or police.
Laxmi, the protagonist, has been in the trade for two decades. And though time led her to make peace with the environment outside, but it's the in-head war that keeps her at unrest. Gestures that reflect a faint senior aura, but innocent and naïve from within, her simpleness would often find a window out of her coyness. And something about those hidden layers will make you want to hold her hand and look forward to what next. The entry of the young and cheerful Putul a.k.a Tikli, who's half of Laxmi's age, brings with it a spark of revolution in the trade, and if you look at it beyond your sight, also in Laxmi's personal life. Which makes it an interesting watch to find how they together challenge the prevalent system, and fight for their safety and the right to self-run a corporate.
The characters touch your heart, and the woman-to-woman connect that they draw without your conscious realization will have your heart quiver in the scenes zooming in on a man touch 'her' without consent. Engrossed in their stories, you will find yourself experiencing their pain and laughter. But most important, their struggle to combat the patriarchal violence that draws a parallel with the feminist movement, will strike a chord in you.
Aditya has done a commendable job whether it is about the conception of the story, or his maiden attempt at screen direction. The way the characters are conceived, it will give you an insight of the thought that has gone in the plot. I could recall him saying, "The kind of reach films have, it is a platform that needs to be explored for the betterment of our society". He clearly didn't write TALB driven by the thought that he ought to bring a change, which by the way would have distorted the whole point - he simply chose to address an issue and let his words and direction take action. And in my raw opinion, the opportunity of having the audience at your disposal couldn't be served better.
Parting thoughts? The two and a half hours made me go through a whirlwind of emotions, and I stepped out of the theatre with too many tabs (still) open in my mind. And needless to say, totally in sync with the director's thought chain - "The story of Tikli and Laxmi Bomb speaks of a revolution that may seem too far-fetched in reality, but it hopes to at least plant the desired revolutionary seed in the minds of people."
