The raw depictions of brutality in Raj Santoshi’s ‘Lajja’ are unforgettable. The infectious laughter of Madhuri Dixit’s Janki and Rekha’s Ram Dulari lingers, even as their characters face public humiliation. The audience is confronted with the characters’ screams of anguish, as they are subjected to the most painful forms of malevolence.
We cannot dismiss Santoshi’s film as overly crude or preachy. The reality for many women in numerous parts of the country is far more harsh and horrifying than what is shown in the film. The way Santoshi weaves humor into the story of barbaric oppression is praiseworthy.
Many critics have failed to recognize the subtle blend of humor and pain in the Mahima Choudhary storyline, dismissing the anti-dowry message as exaggerated. In fact, Santoshi transforms the dowry aspect into high satire. Anil Kapoor’s jokes about moustaches are not meant to be taken literally. However, the humiliation of the girl’s father is treated with utmost seriousness.