Chhapaak(2020): A Heart-breaking Story of Acid Victims #208

Chhapaak is the sound of liquid splashing on a solid surface. The movie shows how acid can ruin the lives of innocent girls in India.

Chhapaak Movie Plot

Outraged youngsters protested in front of the Supreme Court in Delhi. Nirbhaya’s story shook the country to its core, causing people to feel petrified. Journalists captured the anguish on the spot.

A poor gentleman wanted to show his daughter’s photo on the camera. She had survived an acid attack, but her burned face would break anyone’s heart. India demanded justice for Nirbhaya’s rapists—one of the most heinous cases in the country—while acid victims perished in ignorance. There was no strict law punishing those who committed this grievous crime.

Amol, an ex-journalist, ran an NGO called Chhaya to support acid victims. Malti, who had been attacked with acid in broad daylight and continued to be rejected for every job she applied for, was sought by Amol for a long time. They eventually connected through a mutual contact. Malti desperately wanted work and Amol needed a face and strong character like hers for the NGO.

The movie flashes back to when Malti was 19, strolling on the street one beautiful morning. Suddenly, a bike screeched to a halt next to her and someone doused her face in acid before fleeing. She screamed at the top of her lungs while bystanders stood confused. An elderly man stepped forward and called the police.

The acid burned her skin and flesh, leaving her face disfigured and unrecognizable. Police began their investigation and found Malti’s family friend Basir accused. Basir, who was 30 at the time, had proposed to Malti some time before. She had a boyfriend of her own age, and one day Basir caught them together… After threatening her for several days over the phone, he finally took revenge by throwing acid on her face with his sister-in-law’s help. Even after being arrested, Basir kept getting out on bail for family functions and other events. Meanwhile, Malti fought to lead a normal life again. The attack not only scarred her face but also left her emotionally traumatized. She underwent numerous surgeries to restore the shape of her face and regain sight in both eyes.

Malti’s brother was bullied by his friends on the playground. Her father died without seeing her get justice. Malti’s advocate knew the journey would be hard. She also pleaded for a total ban on acid sales due to increasing acid attacks across the country. After many years of follow-up, court finally regulated acid sale and amended a new section in the penal code to punish attackers. Amol took Malti’s pain personally and won her heart with his sincerity and empathy towards victims. He was amazed every day by her resilience. The movie ends with them expressing their love for each other.

My reaction to the movie:

I don’t get easily affected by movies, no matter how emotional they are. But I was in tears during a few scenes—especially when Malti was screaming after the attack, and in other stories where the victim’s face had been completely destroyed, and for a little girl who died in the dark without getting any help from police or government.

Deepika did justice to her role; her screams didn’t seem anything less than real. The same can be said of Vikrant Massey’s portrayal of Amol. The lead roles’ acting was outstanding along with that of their fellow acid victims. Shiraj Aunty warmed my heart with her endless kindness; not only did she financially support Malti for extensive surgeries on her face and body, but also provided moral support too. Last but not least is Advocate Archana Bajaj: she was a boss lady who dedicated her heart and soul into getting the accused rightly punished. I really liked the small segments where we saw glimpses of Archana’s family life—her husband being very supportive as she devoted much time to her job taking care of their only daughter—the kind of husband every working woman desires but few lucky ones get!

Overall Chhapaak is certainly a good movie, worth your watch. The story of the movie is influenced by the life of Laxmi Agarwal who is an acid attack survivor and a social activist now.
That’s all for today. I’d rate Chhappak(2020) 8 out 10.

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