‘Women often make worse choices in love marriages’

Director Arati Kadav’s mother was a PhD holder, but societal expectations kept her from pursuing a career. She could only resume work near retirement. This personal experience impacted Kadav, who even named the character of Richa’s (actress Sanya Malhotra) mother-in-law, Meena, after her mother in ‘Mrs’, recently released on ‘Zee5’.

A remake of the acclaimed Malayalam film ‘The Great Indian Kitchen’ (2021), ‘Mrs’ is a powerful statement about patriarchy in most Indian households. The film calls for a more equitable division of domestic responsibilities. From facing gender biases firsthand to directing her next sci-fi film, Kadav shares her journey with ‘Millennium Post’.

The Malayalam film ‘The Great Indian Kitchen’ (2021) raised important points about deep-seated patriarchy, marriage, gender biases and superstitions. It sparked conversations upon its release. Why was it necessary to adapt it to Hindi with ‘Mrs’ on ‘Zee5’?

By the time we started making ‘Mrs’ for ‘Zee5’, the conversation around ‘The Great Indian Kitchen’ had died down. We also felt that the original had a certain sensibility that resonated strongly in its cultural context. With ‘Mrs’, we wanted to reach families in North India, where such issues remain extremely prevalent. In the process, I spoke to many women and having Sanya Malhotra already attached to the film was fortunate. Together, we engaged with more women and realised how urgent and important this film was. However, it was equally essential to retain the essence of the original without making it overly ‘Bollywoodised’ or glossy. That would have diluted its impact.

We aimed to preserve the core of the story while bringing our own perspective, shaped by lived experiences. Many of us have seen these expectations placed on newlywed women - if not in our own homes, then within our circles. The challenge was to depict it truthfully and through a female gaze.

Why did you choose Sanya Malhotra in the lead role of Richa, the housewife?

Sanya is an incredible actress with a strong connection to young women. Many young girls are making reels about the film, saying, “This is me. This could happen to me.” That relatability is crucial.

She brings both vulnerability and sincerity to her roles. She’s inherently warm and kind, which comes across on screen. As a result, you empathise with Richa - you want to protect her, yet you also understand her eagerness to seek validation, whether through cooking or adjusting to new expectations.

I’ve always admired Sanya’s work and choices. She is incredibly hardworking and in ‘Mrs’, she outdid herself with her dedication to the character.

How much of Richa is drawn from your own experiences with patriarchy?

Richa’s personality is quite similar to mine. Like her, I get excited. I aim to please and I tend to avoid confrontation. Many of us have been conditioned to adjust as much as possible.

While I haven’t faced these struggles in my personal life, I have encountered them in my career. There were times I felt invisible; my contributions diminished because I was a woman. It took me years of making short films and a feature film to establish my own voice as a director.

The mother-in-law’s story in ‘Mrs’ is very personal to me. It closely mirrors my mother’s life. She was a PhD holder, but societal expectations held her back. Her guide had even told her that women pursuing a PhD under him often ended up leaving their careers after marriage. My mother insisted she would be different, yet due to my father’s transferable job and family responsibilities, she had to sacrifice her ambitions. She only resumed working near retirement, but by then, the unfulfilled potential had left a restlessness in her. That story was woven into ‘Mrs’ and I even named the mother-in-law in the film Meena, after my own mother.

Some social media posts describe ‘Mrs’ as a ‘horror film about arranged marriages’. Do you think this applies specifically to arranged marriages?

Not at all. In fact, women often make worse choices in love marriages because they feel the need to conform even more and prove that their choice was right. They hesitate to ruffle feathers after already defying expectations.

That said, marriage itself isn’t the horror here. Some arranged marriages are very equal and happy, just as some love marriages are. The real issue is the broader gender expectations that many women - perhaps 70-80 percent - navigate daily. The extent may vary - some face it completely, while others experience it to the smaller degree they can tolerate. The key is recognising a woman’s full humanity.

‘Mrs’ doesn’t condemn cooking or household work. In fact, Richa enjoys cooking. But the problem arises when that becomes her sole identity and she isn’t allowed to do anything else. The issue is when she is reduced to a role rather than seen as a person.

Your next film is a science fiction project. You’ve explored this genre before with ‘Cargo’.

I love science fiction, but for me, it’s always a vehicle to explore deeper themes. ‘Cargo’ was about urban loneliness and existential questions - why we live and why we die. ‘Mrs’ dealt with gender roles and expectations.

Even in my next sci-fi film, there will be a central theme that anchors the story. Regardless of genre, my films should always have that deeper message for audiences to take away.

Social Impression

The film highlights deep-rooted patriarchy, gender discrimination and superstitions - even in an educated household led by a doctor. How much does this mirror society at large?

When we spoke to women - many of them highly educated, even those who had studied abroad - we found that these issues persist regardless of economic or educational status. Patriarchal attitudes are deeply ingrained and passed down through generations. Unless someone consciously challenges these structures, they continue under the guise of tradition. It takes an empowered woman - or a conscious effort from a family - to break the cycle.

That’s why we set the story in an upper-middle-class, educated household. We wanted to make it clear that this is not just an issue among the uneducated or financially struggling - it happens everywhere. This choice also made the film more relatable.