The movie “Mrs,” starring Sanya Malhotra and directed by Arati Kadav, initially appears to be a simple story about food, family, and love. However, it carries a deeper message, revealing itself as a feminist take on patriarchy, which has become so ingrained in our daily lives that we hardly notice it anymore.
Released on OTT recently, on Zee 5, the film centers on Richa (played by Sanya Malhotra), who marries a gynecologist named Diwakar (Nishant Dahiya). While the marriage isn’t forced on her, her opinion was never directly asked either. She plays the role of a dutiful daughter-in-law, helping her mother-in-law in the kitchen, and taking care of her husband. But when her mother-in-law leaves to tend to her daughter, Richa is left alone to manage all the household chores. As she struggles with the workload, she feels increasingly burdened, especially since she receives no help from her husband or father-in-law.
While the men in her life are not portrayed as abusive, they are oblivious to her struggles. Her father-in-law affectionately calls her “beta” (daughter) throughout the movie, but expects hot ‘phulkas’ on time without noticing her efforts. The kitchen becomes a symbol of unrelenting labor, with Richa working tirelessly to please her family, yet her emotions and desires remain unacknowledged.
This film is a remake of the Malayalam movie “The Great Indian Kitchen,” directed by Jeo Baby. It is absolutely remarkable to see how a male director could create such a strongly feminist movie, depicting the silent suffering of women in households across generations.
A Father-in-Law who would never say a thank you, a husband who would never truly understand his wife, parents who keep explaining the virtues of adjusting.
The women of the house can’t sit and eat together with men because they don’t have to go to clinic for work.
However, the movie portrays that all men are the same. There’s a scene where the husband of Richa’s friend is considerate enough to serve Richa Pizza and Cassata ice cream, while her husband had never bothered to remember Richa’s likings.
The Metaphors in Mrs Movie
The film is filled with metaphors that highlight Richa’s struggles:
- The Food: The food that helplessly looks at her upward from the kadahi on which she is toiling over. The elaborate dishes Richa prepares represent her patience and desire to make things work, while the preparation of food reflects her growing exhaustion.
- The Prime Number: There’s a running metaphor about being a prime number because prime numbers are those that cannot be divided by any number but itself. Can Richa be that prime number? Starting off as a sweet smiling bride, she wants the relationship to work, but we see her wilt in front of our eyes.
- The Russian Dolls: The dolls in the movie symbolize gender hierarchy, with the male dolls always standing taller than the female ones.
- The Overflowing Sink: The overflowing sink represents the buildup of household chores and burdens when responsibilities are not shared. The broken pipe beneath it symbolizes the deep-rooted patriarchy, and the dirty water represents the daily exploitation Richa endures.
As the movie progresses, the pipe worsens. Richa keeps the bucket of patience under the pipe but once all her identity is lost, then she makes them taste the same water.
In the end, while men should certainly watch this film, younger girls might find it somewhat unsettling as they might question whether it reflects facts or fiction and also might be traumatized.
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