Review: ‘Chiraiya’ bluntly confronts marital rape The six-episode Hindi series, available on JioHotstar, tackles the sensitive and often overlooked issue of marital rape in India. The show challenges the notion that marriage inherently implies consent, delving into the complexities of power dynamics within relationships. Initially, the series presents itself as a character-driven drama with a clear setup, but it gradually shifts toward a more direct and less satisfying approach. The series is based on an idea by Soumyabrata Rakshit, created by Divy Nidhi Sharma and directed by Shashant Shah. Set in Lucknow, the story centers on Kamlesh (played by Divya Dutta), an ideal daughter-in-law in a tightly-knit family led by the scholarly Papaji (Sanjay Mishra). Kamlesh embraces tradition, takes pride in her role, and ensures others adhere to societal norms. She dotes on her younger brother-in-law Arun (Siddharth Shaw), almost like a son, and shares a loving marriage with her husband Vinay (Faisal Rashid), which reinforces her belief in the system’s fairness. She overlooks her own disappointment at having given birth to a daughter, instead indulging Arun. The narrative takes a turn when Arun’s new bride, Pooja (Prasanna Bisht), enters the household. Pooja is forced into sexual relations within her marriage, and her resistance is dismissed as immaturity or stubbornness. Kamlesh, at first, participates in this dynamic, urging Pooja to adjust, maintain peace, and protect the family’s reputation. The first few episodes highlight how deeply ingrained these attitudes are, from Kamlesh’s belief that women should focus on domestic tasks like reading recipes while men handle important matters, to the silence of older women in the household.#lucknow #shashant_shah #divya_dutta #soumyabrata_rakshit #divy_nidhi_sharma
