The man who used to work at the company is now an alcoholic and frustrated. He has become so bitter and angry that he has turned to alcohol to deal with his frustrations. Interestingly, the title comes from his untrained tongue. For almost every English word he speaks, Badru feels the urge to put an “s” at the end of it.
The film is stylized as a social issue think-piece wrapped up in a thrilling battle of life and death. Although Darlings remains mostly in the former’s vein, disparate elements of suspense do make their way into the story. Under Jasmeet Reen’s capable supervision, Darlings presents an acting powerhouse.
The performances in “Darlings” are what make the film shine. When we see our characters at their most vulnerable, “Darlings” shines the brightest. In this piece, we take a look at some of the film’s deeper themes and explain the intricacies and hidden meanings in the plot. ..
Why does Hamza turn into an alcoholic?
Hamza tells Badru that he has found a government job and asks her to tell her mother that he has got it. This is a traditional way of saying that Hamza has found a job that will provide him with a pension after he retires. This is an important symbol of stability and security in the life of a middle-class Indian.
He is a ticket checker on the railway, but despite his status, he is like a slave to his boss. We see him cleaning his dirty bathroom. Later in the film, we see him explaining to Zulfi that the title of his job is just for the namesake. His real job is actually serving Damle, who takes advantage of his seniority and the rich and toxic babu culture prevalent in India’s institutions.
The evidence suggests that Hamza was already an alcoholic before marrying Badru. He had different expectations when he introduced himself to others as a ‘government officer’ and was probably too fed up with picking up after his tyrannical boss. He had great plans with Badru to make a bright future but the lack of progress towards that added to the frustrations.
How does Hamza learn that it was Zulfi who made the complaint against him?
After being released from jail, Hamza immediately suspected Shamshu, Badru’s mother, of registering the complaint. But it turns out that neither of them made the complaint and left him wondering about the real “culprit”. Zulfi had bribed the police officer into making the complaint by giving him a brand new mobile phone. ..
That was a great protection against his identity. In India, the law lays down that the identity of the complainant cannot be revealed under any circumstances. So the police officer was under the duty, irrespective of what Hamza or anyone else gives him, to respect the law.
Instead, when Hamza offered to solve an ongoing crime for the officer that he was stuck with, he revealed that Zulfi – who had come to deliver Shamshu’s biriyani at the station – made the complaint. ..
Why does Badru want Hamza to sign the deal with the builder?
Hamza is refusing to sign a contract that would give the builder access to his home.
The city is a place where the poor live and work. In order to change that, many big corporations, with the support of the government, try to buy out the buildings and renovate them into corporate offices or malls.
The only person who refused to accept the offer to be shifted into a new home was Hamza. This refusal meant that his house would be sold/rented, which is in direct contrast to the wishes of the builder. ..
Badru is asking the man to sign a document that will allow her to move into a new building that will provide her with all the amenities she has always dreamed of. She imagines her life in this building with all the amenities, and she wants him to sign it so that she can move in and start living the life she always wanted.
The reasons behind Hamza’s kidnapping – Symbolism and Plot observations
Badru was a clear victim of domestic violence. What made matters worse was that Hamza thought that he was entitled to be abusive because Badru was his “property” after being married. It was not just the alcohol, that he himself admits later in the movie, that forced him to behave this way.
Badru, a woman who was by nature violent, ended up in the hospital after sending her husband Zulfi down the stairs. She almost jumped out of the window before realizing that she was not the one who should suffer. Instead, she concocted a plan to teach Hamza a lesson by role reversal. She thought that if Hamza was subrogated in her position, he might be able to better understand her suffering. ..
The symbolism in how she keeps him – wrapped up in dupattas and house-made knots – is fascinating. Reen does not want the viewer to perceive Badru as an equally evil person as Hamza. Instead, she wants Badru’s internal scourge to manifest and show Hamza that she is no frog. If need be, she can be equal to him in the things he does to her and maybe even worse.
This article highlights the emerging spirit and consciousness among women to fight back against injustices based on gender discrimination. It is the 21st century and there is no suggestion that women should be any way inferior to men. The article discusses how women are beginning to stand up against discrimination, and how they are working to become more equal and powerful.
“Darlings” Ending Explained: Does Hamza commit suicide or is he killed?
When the police suspected wrongdoing on part of Badru and Zulfi, they showed the initiative to search her house. They found Zulfi there but no sign of Hamza. Zulfi reveals to Shamshu and Badru that he has untied him with heavy dosages of the injections Kasmi’s friend from the mental asylum gave him. Hamza reaches the station and his inarticulate speech suggests he may be drunk again. ..
Badru and co are informed of the situation and take care of it. They bring him back, fill him with alcohol and decide to push him off the terrace. Given it was raining that night and he was drunk, the suspicion of foul play would be averted. But, Badru instead, decides to give him a chance to leave and record his confession of beating her and the fact that he will be responsible if anything happens to Badru.
Badru frees Hamza from the tracks and it is then revealed that she only recorded the parts where it would seem like Hamza was committing suicide. Hamza inadvertently is struck by an oncoming train and dies. ..
It was her intention that she be free from Hamza forever and luck played a huge part in making her wish come true. So to answer the question, Hamza’s death falls squarely in any classification and hence, must be taken in this altered state. ..
Darlings is a heartwarming and touching film that will make you feel good about yourself. The story follows a group of young people who are forced to leave their home in order to live with their grandparents in a new town. Despite the challenges, the young people manage to find happiness and love in their new lives.
