It was a pleasant Sunday evening, and I was flipping through the movie icons on the Television. And suddenly, I bumped into a recently released movie, “Mrs.” on Zee 5.

Starring the Dangal actress Sanya Malhotra as Richa, the protagonist, this short family drama had a realistic plot that kept me hooked throughout. The movie “Mrs.” is about Richa, a fervent girl from a traditional Indian middle-class family who chooses to enter wedlock with gaiety. It is a journey of Richa traversing the journey from Miss to Mrs. in a conventional Indian family setup.

An altruistic person with an infectious smile and gentle gestures, Richa was what anyone would want as a daughter-in-law. She dedicates herself to the institution of marriage, leaving no stone unturned, being a good wife, a good ‘bahu’, and a good homemaker. So far, her dreams had taken a backseat in this process of unconscious transformation. Though dissatisfied at times, she wholeheartedly tried to accept the situation as it came.

However, over time, she realised that the life she was leading was hardly a life anymore. Eventually, her innocence was considered reprehensible; her dreams were assumed incomprehensible, and her warmth was taken for granted by the people around her. Slowly and sadly, her cheerful exuberance turned into a melancholic depression. Finally, Richa, who’d entered matrimony with the highest possible optimism, dares to step out of the vicious circle, paralysed with helplessness.

The context of the movie seemed quite relatable, being born and brought up in the Indian culture. The correlation with the context was even higher for the older generation of our mothers and grandmothers.

Leaving aside the correlation, the greater question in hindsight that knocks the mind having seen this movie, is the extent to which one should take oneself for granted or let others do so. Reflecting upon the Mahabharata is a testament to how costly peace can be and the extent to which one can sacrifice for the sake of peace. We’ve grown up listening to the Shloka:

“कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्तेर्ा फलेषुकदाचन“ ( You have right to action only, never to fruits)

None of us can disagree on the truth of this thought, but the extent to which we can accept it is way too subjective.

When life puts us in situations where our efforts to be understood fail, the most honest efforts go unacknowledged, and our dreams are jibed at, we are truly tested. Tested on our ability to judge the mental battle, decide what is a victory for us, and ultimately, which trade-off is worth the pain.

The movie is not about feminism alone, but a thought-provoking piece for each of us as an individual, reminding us to pose two questions time and again:

• Are we taking the people, their efforts, and situations around us for granted, selfishly thinking of our good only? If yes, then it is probably time to course correct ourselves.
• Have our efforts become too non-existent for the people around us? If yes, it is the right time to realise the value of our actions and make it felt.

Let us open our eyes and ears around us to see.

Maybe a friend who is suffering a trauma silently,

Maybe a child who is unable to express,

Maybe a house help who is waiting to be heard,

Maybe a newcomer who is feeling vulnerable,

Maybe we ourselves are suppressing our emotions.

and pose the above two questions.

Quite possibly we could make a difference to their or our world!