A Thursday - children at stake

 

 A Thursday

Hindi, 2022

 

Director -  Behzad Khambata

 

Stars - Yami Gautam, Atul Kulkarni, Neha Dhupia, Dimple Kapadia, Karanvir Sharma

 

Mohan's Measure ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 

All ancient cultures, according to scholars, were first and foremost, women-centrist.  Known as both creators of life and propagators of nurturing values, women were exempted from the duties of war and sacrifice, and were to be offered deference and respect by the male of the species.  

 

As such, our world has fallen, in part, because we have forgotten this.  And hence, we have A Thursday, an intense thriller about a young teacher who holds her preschool students hostage, threatening to kill one each hour, all to meet the Prime Minister of India.

 

Decidedly, the PM is a woman, as are most of the other major characters in this film.  It is filled with raw emotion, at times seeming madness, as a woman seeking justice uses the innocent she loves to fulfill her needs.

 

Ms. Gautam delivers an unbelievably good performance, offering her raw emotions with a certain subtlety and stoicism.  Mr. Kulkarni is legendary, as always, as the seasoned police officer who wants to hold back tactical teams in an effort to protect the children.  

 

I am trying to figure out Ms. Dhupia's role as the Chief, however. Her character is tossed around in the film.  We wonder if her pregnant condition has a symbolism or significance to it, but it is never quite brought to fore.   Weakening the story further is how the ending somewhat drags to bring closure and a certain melancholy to the plot.

 

But, melancholic is not what we as the audience feel, as we join the heroine in her rage.