Sleeping Partner Short Film Review: Divya Dutta, Sanjay Kapoor starrer is an engaging tale of a Bhabhi turning bold, bindaas, badass

In Sleeping Partner, Divya Dutta and Sanjay Kapoor bring to light how a woman in a bad marriage, experiencing domestic violence and marital rape, breaks the circle.

By Smrity Sharma
Published: February 26, 2021 9:25 PM IST

Movie: Sleeping Partner (Zindagi inShort – an anthology)
Sleeping Partner Cast: Divya Dutta, Sanjay Kapoor, Jitin Gulati
Sleeping Partner Director: Punarvasu Naik
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Domestic violence and marital rape. What comes to your mind when you read or hear these two words? These issues have been raised creatively in the past, but more often than none, to bring to light the issue itself. What a woman suffering in a bad marriage can do or should do is often left out. Produced by Guneet Monga, Achin Jain under Sikhya Entertainment, Sleeping Partner introduces you to one such woman, played by the uber talented Divya Dutta, who has been in a marriage where domestic violence and marital rape are the order of the day. But she is a ‘survivor’. And not because it is not cool to use the term ‘victim’ anymore, but in the true sense of the word ‘survivor’. Also Read - Cannes 2023: Urfi Javed SLAMS Vivek Agnihotri's 'costume slaves' remark over Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's outfit; 'Mai jaan na chalti hu...'

Scroll down for the full Sleeping Partner Short Film review... Also Read - Saas Bahu Aur Flamingo director Homi Adajania points out similarities between Saif Ali Khan-Sara Ali Khan; reveals if he would cast them together in a film or not [EXCLUSIVE]

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What's it about
Beena (Divya Dutta) is married to Sahay (Sanjay Kapoor). The way he treats her and the words he uses to address her or talk about her, clearly state that the man doesn’t have any love, respect or concern for his wife. If Beena is hurt, she never expresses and Sahay never sees or acknowledges her pain. Things change when Ravish (Jitin Gulati) comes into their lives. On a steamy afternoon, Ravish makes advances towards Beena and while she resists at first, her heart, parched of love and affection, gives in eventually. She feels desired again, valued again and that gives her wings to finally be able to take flight and breakaway from her situation.

Check out the trailer here...

What's hot

‘Ek aurat agar chahe toh kuch bhi kar sakti hai’. While we have read and heard this line often, it is more often than none attached to something more ambitious. To inspire women to do bigger things, achieve more, be more. Here, in Sleeping Partner, the underlying message is rightly directed to all those women who have dedicated their whole lives and beings to their husbands and kids. They may not even have a dream or an ambition of their own, but the message is too strong, relevant and relatable to ignore. That it is only you who holds the power to change your situation. Divya Dutta as Beena goes from being a bechaari Bhabhi, to a woman who is unapologetic about her decisions; who knows there is nothing and no one who can hold her down.

What's not

The way the film pans out may come across as a little too filmy. But then let’s blame it on the patriarchal mindset of our society, which stops us from believing that some woman, somewhere may be able to change her reality and break the circle of marital rape and domestic violence, the way Divya Dutta’s Beena does in Sleeping Partner.

BL Verdict

Sleeping Partner is an engaging tale of a simple home maker, a Bhabhi who turns bold, bindaas and badass. It fills your heart with hope and immense himmat, that you have the power to change your situation. It is a must watch for every woman out there, who is suffering in silence while those around her stay oblivious of her angst and agony. If you were wondering what to watch this weekend, well, now you have an answer.

Rating : 4 out of 5

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BySmrity Sharma
Published: February 26, 2021 9:25 PM IST