Thappad director to organise screenings across five cities ahead of movie's release hopes to spread the word about gender dynamics
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; February 8, 2020)

Thappad may be weeks away from release, but director Anubhav Sinha wears a look of contentment that probably comes from the knowledge that he has made a good film. So confident is he of his storytelling that come next week, the filmmaker will host screenings of the Taapsee Pannu starrer across five cities — including Bhopal, Lucknow, Delhi, Jaipur, and Mumbai — leading up to its release on February 28.

While he attributes the decision to the marketing team, Sinha adds that he is eager to witness the discussions that the drama sparks. "I have made this film for men, not women. We are trying to figure out the audience — while some mediapersons will be invited, the rest will be local artistes from the world of literature and music. I chose Lucknow as one of the cities because we shot the film there and I love the city," explains the director.

Through its protagonist who objects to a stray slap inflicted by her husband, the movie aims to open a conversation as much around domestic violence as about gender dynamics. "This film is about the relationship that men and women share, in and outside their marriages. It tackles a plethora of issues that have unfortunately been normalised. A whole lot of us indulge in gaslighting without realising it. In order to correct [our behaviour], we need to first know that it is incorrect."