Kiran Rao’s latest movie, Laapataa Ladies, tells the story of a jaw-dropping case of bride-swapping veiled with an exploration of societal norms and gender roles. The film, backed by Aamir Khan, premiered recently on March 1, 2024. Since then, fans have lauded its unique storyline, fresh cast, and subtle yet loud social commentary.
Furthermore, the cast of this movie includes Sparsh Shrivastav (Deepak Kumar), Pratibha Ranta (Jaya/Pushpa Rani), Nitanshi Goel (Phool Kumari), Ravi Kishan (Shyam Manohar), and others.
Now, fans are wondering – did Phool Kumari reunite with her husband, did Jaya go to college, and more? Let’s dive into what happened in Laapataa Ladies.
What happened in Kiran Rao’s latest movie?
In the heartland of a fictional state named Nirmal Pradesh, Laapataa Ladies tells a tale of bride swapping in the year 2001. That was an era when mobile phones were a luxury, and trains stopped at every small station. The story begins with the departure of Phool Kumari, a bewildered young woman, from her home to her in-laws’ house. Accompanied by her cheerful husband, Deepak, the newlyweds embark on a train journey that sets the stage for the unraveling of a poignant story.
Every other compartment is filled with newlyweds, and talks about dowry is one of the favorite accompaniments. Whereas Deepak hesitates to share details about his dowry, there’s another couple’s parents who boast about the same. This is when viewers are introduced to the other couple, Pardeep and Jaya. To be noted, both the brides have a veil covering their faces.
Upon reaching his destination, Deepak hastily holds the hands of the other bride, leaving Phool behind on the train. After reaching his home, he realizes he has brought home the wrong bride.
On the other hand, Pradeep gets down with Phool at Pateela station. She soon realizes she is lost. Additionally, Rao establishes Pradeep as an antagonist who might or might not have burnt his first wife and now has lost his second one without any remorse as he gets to keep the dowry.
Laapataa Ladies ending: Did Phool Kumari meet Deepak again?
After this, what follows in Laapataa Ladies is a series of events where both Phool and Pushpa Rani/Jaya become independent in their own ways. Phool starts working at a tea stall owned by Manju Maai, who gives her shelter. Meanwhile, Pushpa Rani concocts a plan to escape to study organic chemistry, which is what she wanted to do before marriage.
Additionally, the corrupt police officer, Shyam Manohar, instead of trying to find Phool, is busy catching the con of Jaya alias Pushpa Rani. She pretended to be Pushpa Rani to fulfill her dreams.
Pushpa Rani, ready with her plan to escape, decides to stay back after watching Deepak in distress. She asks one of Deepak’s friends to print out a drawing of Phool with a number to contact when she is found. However, before that, Shyam Manohar arrests Jaya on the grounds of theft.
Soon after, the people of Pateela station inform Phool about the poster and send her off to the in-laws. Meanwhile, Shyam gets to know the real story behind Jaya’s escape and helps her get freedom from her abusive husband when he comes back to get her.
On the whole, Laapataa Ladies ends on a poignant note, with Phool reuniting with her husband and Jaya pursuing her dream by leaving for college. In the end, both women find their freedom in their ways. After all, as Deepak says, “Don’t apologize for having a dream.”
