Hitch, glitch and switch

Kiran Rao's new film is about getting lost and finding yourself. It's wowed Toronto andis headed here soon

-  Anirudh Bhattacharyya

There is no recognisable star in Laapataa Ladies, or Lost Ladies as it was titled for its world premiere at the 48th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Yet, the film sparkles like a starry night sky over a village, its brilliance unhindered by the light pollution of a metropolis.

Kiran Rao's first directorial venture since her 2010 debut Dhobi Ghat is, at 122 minutes, short and frequently sweet. Two young brides, veiled in ghoonghats, end up with the wrong grooms at a small-town railway station. Pushpa has a hidden agenda in getting off the train with Deepak, who isn't her husband. Meanwhile, Deepak's bride, the more diffident Phool, finds herself abandoned on the platform. In being lost, both women find themselves - behind this hilariously twisted tale is a story of identities that lie beyond domestic bliss.