Mrs. director Arati Kadav criticizes Bollywood for ‘glorifying’ Karwa Chauth and making it ‘gender-neutral’: ‘That portrayal bothers me’
Arati Kadav’s Mrs. has captivated audiences with its unfiltered take on a woman’s journey through marriage and the weight of societal expectations within a new family. A remake of Jeo Baby’s Malayalam hit The Great Indian Kitchen, the film has been widely praised for its thought-provoking narrative and Sanya Malhotra’s gripping performance. Recently, the director shared her perspective on the Karwa Chauth scene in the film, expressing concerns over how Bollywood has overly romanticized the tradition and presented it in a way that dilutes its gendered reality, a depiction she finds troubling. Arati Kadav, in a conversation with Indian Express, shed light on the inclusion of the Karwa Chauth scene in Mrs., revealing that it was a last-minute addition made just 20 days before filming. She felt it was impossible to depict domestic life in a Hindi film without addressing the widely practiced ritual, especially given how Bollywood has romanticized it over the years. Unlike the original Malayalam film, which deeply rooted its critique in South Indian customs, Kadav wanted to reflect the realities of …
