When Jee Le Zaraa was announced as the ultimate female version of a road trip film a couple of years ago, it built a lot of anticipation. While that movie still has to see the light of day, we now have Dhak Dhak. Four women from different walks of life come together to conquer one of the highest motorable roads in the world- Khardung La. Produced by Taapsee Pannu and directed by Tarun Dudeja, the movie stars Ratna Pathak Shah, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Dia Mirza, and Sanjana Sanghi. Here’s our review of Dhak Dhak.

“Safar zaruri hai ya manzil?”

Often, we ask the question, is it the destination that is important or the journey? Dhak Dhak figures out it is neither, but the humrahi or the companion who makes the destination and the journey worthwhile.

Dhak Dhak has four women, all from different stages and walks of life, who come together to take a bike trip to Khardung La. Sky (Fatima Sana Shaikh) is a vlogger and social media influencer who plans a seven-day road trip to Khardung La to further her career. Mahi (Ratna Pathak Shah) is an older woman who is relegated to being the dahi bhalla maker by her kids. Uzma (Dia Mirza) is stuck in a marriage with a man who holds her in his clutches and cares nothing about her desires or consent. Manjari (Sanjana Sanghi) is a young girl who has grown up sheltered by her single mother and is soon about to enter an arranged marriage. All of them have different reasons for choosing to take the hazardous ride to Khardung La. For Mahi, it is a pilgrimage, for Sky, it is a way to boost her career, for Uzma, it is an attempt to do something she desires, and for Manjiri, it is the last hurrah before her wedding.

Dhak Dhak is a simple story. It doesn’t really announce an onslaught of feminism or parade around talking about everything that is wrong with society. Yes, it does touch upon the topics of patriarchy and its consequences, but at its heart, Dhak Dhak is just about women trying to find their voice and space in the world.

Performances that touch the heart

Dhak Dhak is undoubtedly a performance-driven movie. Ratna Pathak Shah holds the show together with her enthusiasm and vigour for life. A widowed woman whose family is at best apathetic to her is only looking for meaning in her life. Fatima Sana Shaikh as a ballsy young woman plays her part quite convincingly. She gets the most screentime of the four leading ladies, and she does a great job of making her presence felt. Dia Mirza as a woman whose dreams have been quashed by her husband has a quiet strength about her. While she doesn’t oppose her husband outright, there are small moments, especially with her daughter Zoya, where you can see her individuality shine through. Sanjana Sanghi’s Manjiri is a Radhe-Radhe chanting mousy woman. She is scared of the world, but that’s because her mother has given her a very sheltered upbringing. From a girl who doesn’t even go grocery shopping to becoming someone who goes on a road trip by bike from Delhi to Khardung La, she comes a long way in the movie.

One of the highlights of Dhak Dhak is that it is quite completely a woman-centric film. Women are the heroes and no one else. There is no leading man nor is there a prince on a white horse coming to rescue a damsel in distress. Unlike a lot of movies that villainise men to show female empowerment, Dhak Dhak strays from that route. Instead, the couple of men who do make an appearance are people who are themselves empowering these women and rooting for them.

Dhak Dhak is all about finding the self and finding camaraderie in a group of strangers who become friends on the way. It is also a movie that will invoke wanderlust in you, so if you find yourself ready to pack your bags and take a trip, don’t be surprised.

Can you watch Dhak Dhak with your family?: Yes, of course. Just be ready for at least one person to say, “Yaar, Ladakh jaana hai bike pe.”

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