PILLION IS PASSE

Much like in the recent film, Dhak Dhak, women riders find grit, resilience and freedom through biking 

- POOJA BIRAIA JAISWAL

Four women motorcyclists in Taapsee Pannu’s latest co-production Dhak Dhak, embark on a journey from Delhi to Leh, to reach one of the world’s highest motorable roads, Khardung La. They come from diverse backgrounds—a sexagenarian grandmother (Ratna Pathak Shah), a middle-aged mom (Dia Mirza), a 20-something Zillennial (Sanjana Sanghi) and a vlogger in her 30s (Fatima Sana Shaikh). The only thing that brings them together is a deep passion for motorcycling and the freedom it brings.

Somewhere along the Manali-Leh highway, near the picturesque village of Sarchu, is the Tsarap river. Bikers must ford this river to continue the journey. On a good day, the water level is manageable, but flash floods are common. And then, many heartbroken riders have had to let their bikes go in the relentless surge. This happens to Shaikh’s character Sky in Dhak Dhak, changing the tone of the film from cheerful to sombre.

Anita Krishnan, a rider from Mumbai, can identify with this scene. She, too, had embarked on a similar two-week journey to Khardung La with seven fellow riders. They were trying to negotiate the waters in the same way. Thankfully, none of them lost their machines, but there were ‘unforgettable life lessons’. “We were stuck in a flash flood 15,000ft above sea level for four to five hours as the river had suddenly changed course,” she says. “Usually, bikers are prepared because water-logging is not unusual on this route, but the flow was beyond what we could have imagined.”