The brutal imagery in Santoshi’s ‘Lajja’ is hard to shake. Madhuri Dixit’s Janki and Rekha’s Ram Dulari, with their laughter, endure a gender-based fate. Their screams of pain and humiliation resonate deeply, regardless of the viewer’s gender.
One cannot turn away from Santoshi’s film simply because it may seem blunt or overtly message-driven. In reality, the film presents a reality that is less harsh than the daily lives endured by many women. The way Santoshi uses humor while portraying barbaric oppression is, in fact, commendable.
Many reviewers have not fully grasped the use of humor and pain in the Mahima Choudhary segment. The anti-dowry narrative may be perceived as overblown. But Santoshi cleverly employs satire, as seen in the humorous portrayal by Anil Kapoor. The father’s humiliation is, however, no laughing matter.