Shambhavi has a Master’s in Sociology and is an educator and dancer who enjoys writing in her free time. She writes about culture, education, gender and cinema, and likes incorporating theory with her everyday observations.
Both Darlings’ and Ammu’s final scenes end with references to food. Badru is watching a movie alone in the theatre, something her husband thought she would never be able to do. She carries out this action while casually munching on popcorn, which comes to represent her newly discovered autonomy, individualism, and self-respect.
In Ammu in the last scene, her friend asks her what her next course of action will be, she says that she is hungry and wants to eat at the hotel near the market which has pretty lights because she has always wanted to go there. Her resolve to listen to her needs and fulfil her desires is translated through this small scene of wanting to eat in the place of her choice.
Reading these movies via the lens of food helps peel back many layers that deepen dialogues by venturing beyond just the purview of the narrative. Discussions about the representation of gender roles and hierarchies are strengthened and complemented by this point of view. Understanding how food is framed within social and cinematic contexts reveals the rich symbolism these movies contain.
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Also do a review about the movie Pyaar Ka Punchnama.