Disney+ Hotstar’s latest release A Thursday, starring Yami Gautam in the lead role is the story of a commoner who holds 16 kindergarten kids hostage with the intention of changing the entire system. For the first time, we have seen Yami Gautam play a grey character. The title and the plot of the movie resembles a lot to the 2008 film A Wednesday.
In the film, Naina Jaiswal (Yami Gautam) puts forth her demands on the fulfillment of which she would release the kids. One of her demands is to talk to the Prime Minister of India. Maya Rajguru, played by Dimple Kapadia.
Maya is worried about the innocent lives held hostage by Naina and talks to her over phone. After this, Naina releases one more kid. Putting forth her next demand, Naina says that she now wants to talk to the PM in person. At this point, the PM’s team sends out a message that she won’t meet Naina in person without asking the prime minister herself.
Her personal assistant and others cite the reason that she (being a woman) gets emotional in such situations. And this is when Maya shuts them right.
When they try to explain themselves, the PM gives them a lesson on the importance of emotions in leadership.
This powerful scene showed how society confines women to being overly emotional and does not trust them with crucial decision-making. No matter what position they hold, they are often subjected to tantrums.
During the Covid-19 crisis, we’ve heard about women leaders doing a better job even research has backed this claim that women are more effective leaders during a crisis.
It’s good to see how Maya Rajguru handled people around her and didn’t become another puppet.
You can watch A Thursday on Disney+ Hotstar.