Do Patti is a Hindi language thriller directed by Shashanka Chaturvedi, starring Kajol, Kriti Sanon and Shaheer Sheikh. Produced by Kanika Dhillon and Kriti Sanon, and the film only had an OTT release by Netflix. Yet, Mart Ratassepp’s cinematography and music by Anurag Saikia are commendable. Themed on domestic violence, the film tries to explore the trauma related to such unthoughtful acts and the resilience it builds.
The narrative of Do Patti is placed in Uttarakhand where the twin sisters Saumya and Shailee live with their Maaji, their nanny who brought them up.
The narrative of Do Patti is placed in Uttarakhand where the twin sisters Saumya and Shailee live with their Maaji, their nanny who brought them up. While Saumya is married to Dhruv and endures domestic abuse from him, the family finds the remnants of the past unfurling.
Child rearing and sibling rivalry in Do Patti
Saumya and Shailee were the lovely children who loved their mother. To them, she was the beacon who guided them and companion who taught them life. When Maaji came to look after the kids, she became a replacement for their dying mother. No matter how hard Maaji tried she could not replace their dead mother, thus Saumya and Shailee grew up starved of love, care and attention. Of the twins, Saumya was the sensitive and timid one, therefore, she was more attended to by Maaji, leading to sibling rivalry from Shailee.
Even though, in Do Patti, the family could sense the emergence of such an issue among the children, there was not a single soul who could address the situation at hand. Or more clearly, the child rearing was carelessly handled and Maaji, being the one to take care of them, could not do so. Thus, Do Patti is a clear call to keep such trying situations under control and rectify the errors in the most amicable manner possible.
For example, instead of banishing Shailee to boarding school, better steps to bring them closer and addressing their needs could have been taken.
Being pampered and never taught compassion, he takes it as his sole privilege to continue the way he is.
Dhruv, a typical spoilt brat of a wealthy politician is nothing but a man running wildly after anything that catches his eye. Being pampered and never taught compassion, he takes it as his sole privilege to continue the way he is. In addition to being a domestic abuser, he is also a womaniser. Therefore, he is yet another example of ill-child rearing.
Twins symbolic of feminine identity
Though the twin sisters in Do Patti are of different nature, both when together are nothing but the two sides of the same coin. Thus, justifying the title of the film Do Patti which is literally translated as two cards. Saumya is the nurturing and enduring side of femininity while Shailee is that often unexplored and extreme side of womanhood. Saumya when subjected to violent behavior is unable to recognise her husband’s unstable character and get out of it. Her trauma bonding with him and her waiting for him to change his behavior especially after the birth of their baby, all signify her inability to come out of it.
On the other side, Shailee knows how to stand alone and go for what she wants. She is also able to understand that Dhruv is not a family man to pursue as a constant in life. She also boldly understands the world and its dynamics, hence changes her position when she needs to. In short, both Saumya and Shailee are ‘do patti‘ of the same femininity- the subdued/overbearing.
Domestic abuse and resilience in Do Patti
Even now, many do not understand what exactly domestic violence is or have the courage to address it. In the name of wifehood, motherhood and financial tangles, it is endured in silence. But the repercussions these acts have is never understood or discussed. For a universal society that is made on the principles of self sacrifice, it is definitely impossible to draw such clear boundaries or prioritise the self.
Thus, educating the mind and the close ones about domestic violence, trauma bonding and how to get out of it is the key to redemption. In addition, how such abuses impress the young children and they re-enact the same in their future is also another thought conveyed. Therefore, the character Saumya is a foil to numerous others around us who needs to be rescued.
The character of Vidya Jyoti enacted by Kajol in Do Patti is an example of a strong woman who had grown the strength to lead a life on her own when she did not want to settle for less. Her exhibition of self love, self respect and the compassion to fight for the fellow beings is commendable. Apart from these, she is also retrospective on her choices and acts which always brings out the truth.
The character of Vidya Jyoti enacted by Kajol in Do Patti is an example of a strong woman who had grown the strength to lead a life on her own when she did not want to settle for less.
Do Patti as a whole appears as an incomplete task, many missing links and confusions have crept into the plot and script. Say for example, the legal steps and judgements purely based on emotions rules out the possibility of reality. The plot of Do Patti also does not offer much for the character of Kajol, yet she tries to give it her best. But for the twin characters of Kriti Sanon, the infinite possibilities are not utilised.
Dhruv enacted by Shaheer Sheikh was worthy of notice since he levelled his skills to a great extent and has easily slipped under the skin of Dhruv. On the whole, the defects in the script and main plot turns of Do Patti did not work out as in the other films from this genre.
Likewise, the character possibilities were not explored much. The idea of building resilience among the victims of domestic abuse could have been dealt in a better light as well. In short, it appears as a nearly successful attempt at depicting domestic violence and in creating resilience.
