CHHATRIWALI: A BOLD And TOP SEX EDUCATIONIST IN YOUR TOWN

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Chhatriwali: An important film adorned with the smooth acting of Rakul Preet, a great film on sex education

Artist:

Rakul Preet Singh,

Sumit Vyas,

Satish Kaushik,

Dolly Ahluwalia,

Rajesh Telang,

Rakesh Bedi and Prachi Shah and Riva Arora

Author – Sanchit Gupta and Priyadarshi Srivastava

Director – Tejas Prabha Vijay Deoskar

Creator –Ronnie Screwvala

Our society does not talk openly on women-oriented topics. Irrespective of the city, the mentality is still the same as that of the village that women’s health is not a priority at home. And, this is probably because women also find themselves vulnerable on such occasions. Why she is sitting away from the stove during those four days of the month, she does not openly tell her own children. When children are becoming teenagers, the physical changes in them arouse curiosity in them. He wants to know what it is that he is feeling. Even teachers who teach biology get away with a lesson on reproductive organs. The specialty of the film ‘Chhatriwali’ is that it does not just talk about the need to use condoms, but catches the problem from the root and stays on it till the end.

Essential sex education lessons

If seen in a way, the film ‘Chhatriwali’ is such a lesson for the children struggling with the lack of sex education in the country, which is mandatory to be taught in every school, but few people want to teach it. The film begins on the lines of the very recent film ‘Janhit Mein Jaari’. Initially, it seems that this is just another film based on the same story, but the film’s writing duo Sanchit Gupta and Priyadarshi Srivastava soon kick into second gear. Incorporating the idioms prevalent in North India into their dialogues, the author duo soon sets the course for Sanya, the heroine of the story.

Commendable initiative to show the way

The problem with films related to sex education is that, like taboo subjects, these films are also taken into the category of taboo films in the society. But, in a way, cinema makers are also responsible for this. The film ‘Chhatriwali’, which got the censor certificate in June last year, is now being released and that too on OTT. The government can take the initiative to make such films tax free from day one as well as make their screening mandatory in theatres. If school going children get to see such a film for Rs 105, then why would they not watch it, at least there should be someone to show them the way. The heroine of the film ‘Chhatriwali’ follows this path.

Who loves his wife..

The story is of Karnal. That Haryana where the average of women and men has been the lowest in the country. Men consider it disrespectful to use condoms during sexual intercourse and women suffer silently the problems of abortion or unwanted pregnancy. Sanya also does not like talking about condoms in the beginning. She teaches chemistry tuitions. He gets the job of condom tester. The expenses of the house run from her salary but she is not able to tell the family members about her job. After marriage she persuades her husband to use condom. She also explains to the women of the neighborhood for this. And, the number of people buying condoms at medical stores starts increasing. This is where the real twist of the story comes.

The sharpness of Tejas’s direction

The film ‘Chhatriwali’ should also be praised because it explains its point in a very simple way with humor without becoming a didactic film. The characters’ relationships keep on deteriorating and the film maintains its grip with the help of situational humour. Director Tejas Prabha Vijay Deoskar has made a good team in this regard. He also develops the story very neatly with the help of his writers. He opens each page of the enigmatic subject very comfortably and once the viewer starts getting interested in the story, he takes it to a place where everything seems to be happening around him. In such films, songs and music do not become of special importance and here also the issue comes in this department only.

Best performance by Rakul Preet

In terms of acting, this film is Rakul Preet Singh’s film. Rakul Preet, who has been playing small roles in big Hindi films, has got such a character for the first time in her career, on which the story is completely dependent. Rakul has brightened the entire film with her sparkle. From Sanya before she becomes a condom tester to being thrown out of the house, she manages to pull off the character of a strong woman with a lot of conviction without being overbearing. There is a different kind of ease in his acting. She stays away from forced expressions and lets herself flow with her character. This quality of his makes his charm special.

Free school film

Rest of the cast of the film ‘Chhatriwali’ has also done a good job. Rakesh Bedi and Rajesh Telang both get a chance after a long time to showcase their acting prowess. In the character of Jeth, Rajesh Telang looks different from his characters till now. A father of a teenage daughter doesn’t understand his own wife’s problems. And, when the new daughter-in-law of the house makes him aware of this, he understands the real problem. Dolly Ahluwalia, Satish Kaushik, Prachi Shah and Riva Arora are also effective in their respective roles. The film ‘Chhatriwali’ is such a film that adolescent children must be told to watch and if possible state governments should take the initiative to show this film free of cost in all junior high schools.

My Rating: 4/5