Laxmi Agarwal, who spearheaded the campaign to stop the sale of acid after she was attacked with acid at the age of 15, now also has a movie being made on her undaunted spirit. The activist and motivational speaker shared her story at the Speakers’ Fest organised by the FICCI Ladies Organisation in Jaipur recently, where she was also felicitated with the Women Achiever Award. Remembering every detail of the fateful day in 2005 that changed the course of her life, Laxmi began by singing the song, Naam Gum Jayega, Chehra Yeh Badal Jayega, to a huge round of applause from the audience.

‘Girls are regarded as liabilities and the male child is always welcomed’
After Laxmi’s rendition of Naam Gum Jaayega, she admitted that she always wanted to be a singer. Opening up about her childhood dream and the incident that changed it all, she said, “I have always wanted to be a singer – I still do. I was 15 years old when a 32-year-old man fell in love with me. I knew him before the attack and was even friends with his sisters. That man proposed marriage to me and I got scared. Uss waqt main apne sapnon ke baare mein soch rahi thi. He had a cellphone at his house and when he called me, I told him that I am not interested and asked him to never call me. Ten months before the attack, that man started stalking and troubling me. Main kahin pe bhi jaati thi, woh wahaan aake mujhe thappad maar deta tha. Jo uske mann mein aata tha, woh mere saath karta tha. Now you would ask me why I didn’t object to his behaviour or tell this to my parents. Girls are regarded as liabilities to the family and the male child is always welcomed. From the moment of a girl’s birth, her parents worry more about her dowry than education. I couldn’t tell my parents about all these problems. If I would have told them about that man, they would have made me stay at home, not letting me go to the school and would have eventually got me married to someone.”
Laxmi Agarwal
‘Always wanted to be a singer’
Laxmi further shared that she wanted to become a singer, but her career choice wasn’t welcomed by her parents. “One day, my parents asked me about my career goals. I excitedly told them that I want to be a singer. They said no to it. There was a lot of craze for reality shows like Indian Idol and Sa Re Ga Ma Pa at that time. I told my parents that I want to take up a job – the idea was to earn money so that I could join a singing class. So I started working at a bookstore in Khan Market (in Delhi). On April 19, that man messaged me on my cellphone, saying, ‘Lakshmi, I love you and want to marry you.’ I didn't respond to his message. He again messaged me saying, ‘Mujhe abhi and isi waqt jawab chahiye.’ On April 21, he called me and said, 'Lakshmi, I know you want to do something in your life and make your parents proud.' I said, ‘Yes, you are right.’ To which he replied, 'Chalo theek hai' and then disconnected the call,” she said.
‘Doctors said I won’t survive, but I HAD TO’
Recalling the fateful day, she shared with the audience the details of the attack. “Just when I thought that everything would be fine, the next day at 10.45am, I saw that man with her younger brother’s girlfriend waiting near my house on a bike. They were carrying a beer bottle and glass. After the attack, I realised that the beer bottle contained acid. I was walking towards the bus stop and had no idea about their intentions. I was only a few steps away from the bus stop when that girl pushed me and I fell down. Then they threw acid at me. I lost consciousness and thought that all this is happening in my dreams. I regained consciousness after some time, but nobody came forward to help me. I felt as if someone had set my entire body on fire. Then, a man came forward, splashed water on my face and called the PCR. My skin was dripping from my hands and face. As soon as I reached the hospital, they poured 20 buckets of water on me. That’s when my journey started. Doctors told my parents that I won't survive. But I had to survive to share my story with all of you,” said Lakshmi to a roaring applause.
'People told my family to give me an injection that would kill me’
She has undergone seven surgeries so far. “I used to have a mark on my nose before the attack. I had told the doctor to remove that during the operation. After my initial two surgeries, I thought I would look prettier than before. But when I saw my face for the first time in the mirror, I was devastated. I thought of committing suicide. When I reached home, neighbours and a few of my family friends starting saying things like, 'Ladki hai, iski shadi kaise hogi ab?, ‘Body ke kisi aur part pe acid daal deta, face hi kyu?’ People told my family to give me an injection that would kill me,” she said. “That person attacked me once, but the society kept attacking me again and again with their negativity,” she added.
Laxmi being awarded at the event in Jaipur
However, Lakshmi credited her family, particularly her father, for motivating and helping her realise that nothing is impossible in this world. In 2006, she filed a Public Interest Litigation in the Supreme Court to seek a ban on the sale of acid. In 2013, the court ruled in her favour and directed state governments to issue acid-sale licences to only select retailers. And any outlet authorised to sell acid was mandated to ask buyers for address proof and a photo identity card, so that they could be traced in case of an untoward incident.
However, despite all this, Lakshmi rued that not just the sale, but acid attacks still continue. She cited the recent case of a Mathura constable who was attacked with acid by a jilted lover. “Humare desh mein police tak safe nahi hai,” she said.
‘My attacker had the audacity to tell the judge that he would still like to marry me’
She also informed that her attacker who was sentenced to jail for 10 years will be out next month. Talking about the time she had come face to face with the attacker for the first time after the attack, Laxmi said, “There was no remorse on his face. And he had the audacity to tell the judge that he would still like to marry me. Maine judge ko kaha ki usne mera chehra badla hai, dil nahi,” she said.
When the house was opened for a question-and-answer round, one of the audience members asked her if she is scared that the man can harm her since his jail term is ending next month. To which, she firmly replied, “He should be scared of me now.”
‘I am elated that a celebrity like Deepika is playing me’
Laxmi’s indomitable spirit has prompted Meghna Gulzar to make a biopic on her life in which Deepika Padukone is playing her role. While she is not supposed to talk much about the film titled Chhapaak, she said she is excited about the release. “I have never won a medal in school. Who would have thought about a biopic being made on me? I am thankful to Meghna ji for considering my work worthy enough to be converted into a film. I am also elated that a celebrity like Deepika is playing me. I just want to say that this film will be a tight slap on that attacker who thought he has ruined my life and to the society who looked at me like a criminal,” she said.
Deepika Padukone plays an acid attack survivor in Meghna Gulzar's Chhapaak
On being asked what she thought when she saw Deepika's first look from the film, she responded, “I was sleeping when the look was released. When I saw her picture on Instagram, the first thing that I said was, 'Wow!' I saw a lot of makeup artists on social media recreating Deepika's look from the film. Unhone vaisa makeup karke apni photos mujhe bheji hui hain. Kabhi socha nahi tha ki ek acid-attack survivor ke face ko bhi log recreate karenge.”