This weekend, I watched a movie titled ‘Mrs’ starring Sanya Malhotra as the lead actress. And no this blog post is not a a review of the film! I just want to share a few of the emotions that I felt or some thoughts or memories that conjured up in my mind.

Talking about the movie in a nutshell, it is a movie about every woman of India, I suppose who is celebrated to put everyone first but herself. And where do you find such women in MAJORITY? Yes, you said it right, in the kitchen. Not at the board meetings, not scrolling reels, not clubbing away, not traveling solo! Yes, women do all this but only the privileged ones not all. You may argue, but what if they enjoy putting others first? I would say, that would be fantastic! But to enjoy something, you have to feel for yourself first. Women in general are conditioned to feel for others, to be caregivers, and to be primary nurtures! But what happens when this giving attitude becomes a source to ‘use’ her in general and to top it, at the cost of her own dreams! If you are a female reader, you will definitely connect with it! And if you are a father of a daughter, maybe you will understand. I am not quite sure about the others.

The number of dreams that go into the coffin because of the kitchen duties of the ladies is innumerable. Cooking is a life skill & all must learn it! But you have to watch the movie, to understand what actually happens in the kitchens across our country! I am not advocating for women to neglect their family or kids and choose otherwise, but a woman does not have to burn her dreams, her self-esteem, and her own individuality to prepare that lip-smacking dish for the entire family especially when she is forced to! The portrayal of suffocation, the claustrophobic moments & the frustration of being dominated by someone who is highly educated but has a pea-sized brain to feel emotions is just unparalleled. And why is it a norm for most men to feel so masculine to dominate themselves over their wives/partners/lovers especially the ones who lack the spine to support her in public? I will never understand I guess!

I am not going to give away the plot of the movie, but the movie has some beautiful plots to showcase how things are so different as they seem on the top layer! I do not know who should watch it, but I would recommend & urge every man, irrespective of whether you are young or old to at least watch it & maybe they will get the message. The chain of events that leads to the depletion of the innocence of the protagonist has been beautifully showcased & I had many instances where I felt goosebumps throughout this film.

In my opinion, such kind of movies which are deeply rooted must be celebrated because they carry a strong message and can bring in a positive change in society. Otherwise, we do not have a dearth of item songs to lure the youth! So, all in all, I loved the movie, the plot is brilliant & the entire crew is just awesome. So if you are someone, who loves realistic portrayals of life on the screen like me, please go & watch this movie! And, Sanya, you were outstanding in playing your character!

Love,

Chinmayee