Chiraiya Review by Rajeswari Kalyanam
This amazing story of sisterhood and a very important subject that is not often talked about ticks this right boxes except for one
Chiraiya, the web series on Jio Hotstar is about two women who come together in their fight against marital rape, and societal pressures.
The title of the series reminds us of the soulful song by Swanand Kirkire which he penned and composed – O RI Chiraiya – for Aamir Khan’s Satyamurthy Jayate. Infact the premise is much similar too.
Story of Chiraiya with Divya Datta stealing the show
Kamlesh is the eldest daughter in law in a seemingly progressive household. She isnt well educated, but is amidst family members who are all academically brilliant. Her husband encourages her to break free of her preconceived notions on the role of a woman, while her father-in-law is an accomplished poet, scholar, who returned his government award for what he believed in. Kamlesh is in absolute admiration of him.
On the other hand is Pooja, a young girl who believes in her identity and women rights and questions Kamlesh at every step. And her entry into the household is the beginning of Kamlesh’s transformation.
And, the two come together as a force to fight against marital sexual assault. Pooja faces humiliation when her husband forces himself upon her against her consent. As she struggles with her situation and tries running away from home Kamlesh stands with her to fight against her father in and the law that fails women who suffer marital rape.
The series stands out in its characterisation. Divya Dutta as Kamlesh, a doting wife, mother and daughter in law, comes across as traditional and even bogged down by it. But she is brave, open to ideas and by far more modern in her thoughts and empowered than her father in law whose writing on women rights turns out to be without conviction. And throughout the series Kamlesh brilliantly portrayed by Divya stays as bold and righteous.
The Cast of Chiraiya
It is not just the character of Kamlesh, Director Shashant Shah‘s Chiraiya cast including Prasanna Bisht as Pooja, Siddharth Shaw as Arun (Pooja’s husband and Kamlesh’s brother-in-law), Sanjay Mishra as The Father-in-Law, Faisal Rashid as Vinay (Kamlesh’s husband and the elder brother), Tinnu Anand as Kamlesh’s uncle, a lawyer, and Sarita Joshi as (The grandmother) fit into the story well. He handles the nuances to perfection especially in the case of Divya Dutta.
Chiraiya Review
While this amazing story of sisterhood and a very important subject that is not often talked about – ticks the right boxes – cinematically the ending lacks the punch needed for a climax. The flaw for such a story rooted in a raw, close to reality narrative set in Lucknow and its charming mahallas is the way the issue is resolved. If one has to explain the end – it is about how the two women find strength in each other and in other women to deal with the situation. So, well it is a utopian approach, wish the world in reality had that much empathy if only it’s towards one’s own self.
Directed by Shashant Shah and created by Divya Nidhi Sharma, the drama series Chiraiya is streaming on Netflix, an important watch and an engagingly weaved screenplay to keep you hooked till the end.
Rating
2.5/5
