There are certain stories that only specific cultures are able to tell, and Lost Ladies (Laapataa Ladies) is certainly one of them. From its initial premise to character behavior and resolutions, the movie is very specific to Indian culture, but it also finds a way to invite outsiders in for the ride. But none of it would have worked without the immense talent of its main cast.

Set in a rural and conservative India of 2001, Lost Ladies centers around two young couples in arranged marriages where the husbands have to go and fetch their brides (and additional gifts) from faraway villages. The arrangement doesn’t allow for much luxury, meaning that all brides basically get the same wedding dress and veil. Since they need to cover their heads in public, two of those young brides end up swapped after a series of unfortunate events on a train. While the wife-swapping could come off as contrived, the script written by Sneha Desai, Biplab Goswami, and Divyanidhi Sharma finds a clever way of pulling this crucial part off. The trio of screenwriters is fully aware that the whole story depends on that moment working.

Sparsh Shrivastava Rises Above in ‘Lost Ladies’
Image via TIFF

Before we fully understand the brides’ motivations, we get to witness Sparsh Shrivastava’s amazing talent onscreen. He plays Deepak, one of the husbands who loses their brides and arguably the one who causes the whole mess. Even though he shares the spotlight with (incredibly talented) Pratibha Ranta and Nitanshi Goel, Shrivastava carries much of the film. Charismatic to his core, he is also given the most to do. Throughout the movie, we can easily understand why Deepak is beloved by everyone in his village and, even though his marriage was arranged, we don’t doubt for a second that his love or care for Phool (Goel) is authentic.

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When it comes to the characters of Ranta and Goel, it’s a joy to see how director Kiran Rao crafts two different approaches to young women learning about independence and finding their own voice. Even Hollywood — which likes to make it seem like it’s light-years ahead when it comes to female representation on screen — sometimes still has trouble conveying a nuanced look at feminism. Lost Ladies, however, does this effortlessly as it throws us into the lives of Phool and Jaya (Ranta).

It’s particularly interesting to see Lost Ladies’ approach to Jaya’s storyline. From an early age, she knows she’ll have to put her foot down if she wants to follow the path she wants, but she’s also prepared to deal with the dire consequences of speaking up for herself. And even though it’s a comedy, it’s never lost in Lost Ladies that Jaya is up against a dangerous world, so the seriousness of a woman standing up to patriarchy is never played for laughs or watered down.

‘Lost Ladies’ Has a Real Sense of Place

Another great merit of Lost Ladies is that it makes plenty of use of the Indian landscape in fresh new ways. One of the worst mistakes of Slumdog Millionaire, for example, was how it romanticized poverty. Lost Ladies never does that. It presents some characters’ situations — especially the ones who live by the train station — as it is, and even though you can fully realize that they do their best to have their moments of fun, their situation is never romanticized.

Lost Ladies manages the rare feat of being a joyride and a meaningful social commentary at the same time. It suggests that love can be found even in arranged marriages, but offers a counterpoint to show that Phool’s case is not the rule. Most importantly of all, Lost Ladies showcases the value of community in a conservative society with how bonds formed by women who don’t even know each other can become a powerful support system in a misogynistic world.

Rating: B+

The Big Picture

Lost Ladies is a culturally specific film about two young couples in arranged marriages in rural India. The talented cast, particularly Sparsh Shrivastava, shines in their roles, with Shrivastava carrying much of the film and showcasing his charismatic performance. The film excels in portraying the journeys of two young women discovering their own sense of independence, without watering down the serious issues they face in a patriarchal society.

Lost Ladies had its World Premiere at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.