Umesh Bist, who is a known name for creating some good TV serials, has presented the fantastic subtle art named ‘Pagglait’. Pagglait is a comedy-drama streaming on Netflix which takes a beautiful route into the life of a young widow, who slowly finds her true self after the grim reality of what happens in a family! Sanya Malhotra plays the widow, Sandhya who hardly feels sorrow after her husband Astik’s untimely death and will be seen yawning at the RIP comments on FB.
While the family wonders what kind of black magic has done to their daughter-in-law, Sandhya craves Pepsi and masala chips. That’s how interestingly Sanya Malhotra enters the plot. To most, it would appear that how selfish or unaffected Sandhya is, but as you go forth in her room, her escape zone, one would understand that Sandhya’s relationship with his husband could not justify the term ‘husband & wife’. Her different ways of doing things and weird cravings would suddenly start making sense to your conditioned head.
As the plot moves forward, the in-depth reality of an Indian middle-class house unfolds with the amazing characters in the film. Be it tauji (Raghubir Yadav) screaming instructions at everyone, the chacha (Rajesh Tailang) pick up a fight the moment he comes, or the ladies taunting at each other, Pagglait never gets boring. Along with the interesting play going on, the audience will witness how bravely Sandhya realises the importance of a woman’s decision in a typical society that has been taught to poke into other’s life. The death of a husband results in the rebirth of a woman’s reality.
Umesh Bist, the director and writer of the film has done detailed work while presenting the low-budget film! Mostly shot in a haveli, Umesh did his best job in layering out every possible aspect of a typical middle-class family. Well, the plot can make it uncomfortable for the families watching the film together, that’s how real the film is! The general public would appreciate the film’s subtleness as one will sense a connection with most of the things which have been showcased in a very smooth and intricate manner. The screenwriting and dialogues in the movie are brilliant, providing a ‘slice of life’ quality to the entire production.
Taking you through Sanya’s performance, the actress could not have been replaced by anyone else, that’s how she is in the film. Sanya plays beautifully, be it showing the small pauses, looks, fear, insecurity, pressure or braveness. One must have doubted her in the beginning but as soon as she realises the worth of her decisions, the public would love her for being so patient and understanding in the film. Ashutosh Rana as the father is natural and broken which is nothing more than a treat. Raghubir Singh is the perfect choice of a rude tauji in a family who knows nothing but screaming.
Shruti Sharma as Sandhya’s friend is pretty, simple and could be called the best-supporting actress. Sayani Gupta, who plays an interesting character in the film is also good to watch. Speaking of the background score, the film follows subtle music while it could have been more engaging following the theme of the story. Irrespective of all the perfect minor details like a cycle seat adjusting itself to the movements of a man’s hips, the community toilet with a tin door, the ‘tauji’ calling boys ‘sasur’ the climax of the film can still be marred by more melodrama than is necessary.
As Sandhya says in the film, “Jab ek ladki ko akal aati hai na, toh sab use pagglait hi smjhte hai’ would not only make you feel emotional but will leave a sudden self-reflection on all the young women out there who more or less feels crippled in the harsh reality of an Indian family.