Mrs is not a film to be taken lightly. It’s a story known to every Indian household, and if it isn’t familiar to you, then you should know that a woman somewhere in the history of your family broke her shackles and, intentionally or unintentionally, freed all future generations of women in your household. As this thought-provoking film puts it rather bluntly, a woman has to take charge of her own life or a man will do it for her. A remake of The Great Indian Kitchen, Mrs stars Sanya Malhotra, Nishant Dahiya, and Kanwaljit Singh in the lead roles, and is directed by Arati Kadav.

The plot and characters of Mrs

Richa (Sanya Malhotra) and Diwakar (Nishant Dahiya) meet with their families in an arranged marriage set-up and instantly like each other. Diwakar is a gynaecologist and Richa is a professional dancer who puts her career on hold to settle into her new home. In the first few days of marriage, Richa and Diwakar are happy getting to know each other, and Richa tries her best to fit in with his family.

As viewers, we notice the film’s message almost instantly, thanks to the sharp edit showing the different lives the men and women of the family lead. Richa, however, takes her time to notice that humorous jibes about the situation won’t land well in a house of sexist horrors. Her mother-in-law does every single chore in the house. She wakes up early in the morning to cook an elaborate breakfast for her husband and son. Soon after, she starts preparing lunch for two men who want ‘pyaar‘ in their food and laundry, not convenience.

Soon after Richa and Diwakar’s wedding, Richa’s mother-in-law has to visit her pregnant daughter who is craving “maa ke haath ka khaana“. Haven’t we all wanted maa ka khaana without realising what our maas go through to make that khaana every day? Why don’t we ever crave papa ke haath ka khaana? Because papas who cook regularly, from start to finish, and not on special occasions with everything prepped for them, are rare if there are any at all.

As the responsibility of the household falls on Richa alone, she notices how her life is a whirlwind of chores while her father-in-law and husband carry on as usual. She is stopped from getting a job and the only thing her husband wants from her, apart from carrying his whole life, is a child.

Mrs movie review: A visual treat with an important message

Mrs can be an uncomfortable watch for some people, but it should be considered essential viewing. Especially for families where the burden of handling the home falls on women and men get away with “I’m too tired after office to help out”. And if newlyweds can watch and learn from films like Mrs and The Great Indian Kitchen, it will only make their marriages happier.

The film ends with a mix of hope and disappointment. Disappointing, because it shows that there will always be people in this country ready to oppress and be oppressed in the name of tradition. Hope, because it shows a woman taking charge of her life and overcoming the obstacles of “tradition”.

Mrs is streaming now on Zee5.

Can you watch Mrs with family? There are a few scenes of intimacy and sexual coercion but no nudity. If the adults in your family can sit through these few seconds, you should watch Mrs together.

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