Subtle take on widowhood

‘Pagglait’ on Netflix is a refreshing take on a relatively untouched subject.

The story is about Sandhya (Sanya Malhotra), who is widowed within months after her marriage. She struggles to express grief in a typical fashion and confesses this to her close friend Nazia (Shruti Sharma), who is also surprised by the former’s lack of emotions.

The house Sandhya lives in becomes a hub of rituals. There are quirky relatives, indulging in small talk and discussing Sandhya’s future. Amidst this, Sandhya finds something startling about Astik, her husband, while looking through his official documents.

Sanya is convincing as the young widow who can’t grieve. Ashutosh Rana as the deceased’s father, expresses well the confusion and emotions of a dependent parent.

‘Pagglait’ is a sharp subject with a subtle treatment. It showcases the society’s need to fix a widow’s life. The film is the perfect reply to a marriage-obsessed society. It also sarcastically refers to superstitions and sidelines regular solutions for such tragedies.

Director Umesh Bist has directed the film well, especially because it’s a story mostly shot within a house. He handles tragic realities in a comic way. ‘Pagglait’ has no streak of madness in it. The film conveys its intentions in an unpretentious manner.