On the surface, Leena Yadav’s film Parched, which is produced by Ajay Devgn, seems to be a heart-wrenching film about rural women in Rajasthan and the entrenched misogyny in their lives.
The 2-odd minute trailer has enough instances to make you feel horrible for the four women around whom the story of Parched is based.
However, if you dig deep enough, Parched is about breaking free; from shackles, stereotypes, societal obligations and your own inner turmoil. This can best be seen in the performance by Radhika Apte and Surveen Chawla.
Apte plays a humble natured woman who is routinely abused and raped by her violent husband. Chawla plays a prostitute in an area that is hell bent on making the most out of her body.
Together with two other women from the village, the four girls run away, or rather, run towards a happy ending.
The film deals with serious issues of stifling patriarchy, and can really bog you down if you think about the condition of rural women as shown in the film.
And yet, with the bright colours, and the silhouette landscape visuals in Parched, you are left with a feeling of hope, vibrancy and love at the end of the trailer.
The film has recieved an ‘A’ certificate and will release on 23 September. It also stars Sayani Gupta, Tannishtha Chatterjee in supporting roles. Watch the trailer here:
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