- TWO YEARS AGO - (Sukumar) There's no greater sin
than humiliating a woman.
What happened in the Treta Yuga?
Ravana kidnapped Sita in The Ramayana.
And then?
His Lanka was burnt down.
Ravana was killed along with his son and brothers.
Dwapara Yuga?
Dushasana disrobed Draupadi in The Mahabharata.
It led to the great war.
All the 100 brothers were killed.
What about the Kali Yuga?
What will happen if someone sins now?
- PRESENT DAY - (tense music)
(clock ticking)
Arun.
Hmm?
Say it.
Sorry.
Great! Problem solved.
Kamlesh, make some kidney beans for dinner.
(dramatic music)
(theme music)
ONE NIGHT AGO
- Met him? - Yes, I did.
He gave Rs. 6,000 too.
- Transfer the money to her account. - Okay.
ONE NIGHT AGO
No tea for us today?
Kamlesh.
- What happened? - Uh...
I have something to tell you.
Go ahead.
(suspenseful music builds)
Pinky, go inside.
Why?
(suspenseful music continues)
What's wrong, Kamlesh?
Cat got your tongue?
(music intensifies)
She won't say anything.
Let's go to bed.
- Come on. - Father.
Uh...
Arun has hurt Pooja...
(dramatic music)
(music crescendos and stops)
Aren't you going to say anything?
How dare you say that word?
You know how hard it was for me to hear it?
Sorry.
It must've been hard for you to say it.
You're worried about the one who said it.
Think about the one who went through it.
Have you lost it?
It's not possible. He's her husband.
Relationships between a man and a woman are complicated.
People often make mistakes in understanding them.
Just like Pooja did.
These things are complicated.
And women don't get it?
When did I say that?
Then why are you brushing off what we said?
I did hear you out.
But you didn't believe us.
So what your daughters-in-law are saying have no value?
It doesn't.
But why would they say that?
Are they out of their minds?
Are your sons married to crazy women?
I've raised Arun and if I'm saying this,
there must be a reason.
You're just arguing for the sake of it.
(dramatic music)
You taught me
to speak up.
To read books.
I'm learning.
I'm speaking up.
I'm reading the front-page news.
But you're scolding me now?
Didn't expect you to talk back to me.
I've loved you more than Arun and Vinay.
Try to understand.
I don't want to.
What do you want me to do?
Do the right thing.
You're my father-in-law.
You can do no wrong.
You've read a lot of books.
You've written so many.
You returned your award for some strangers.
Do something for your daughter-in-law.
Okay.
I'll talk to Arun.
If you think he's done something wrong--
We don't just think so.
It's a fact.
All right then, it's done.
It won't happen again. End of story.
What about what's already happened?
What do you want?
Want me to send my son to jail for a crime he didn't commit?
Want me to invite the police into my house?
That's what I want.
You're a fool!
That's never going to happen.
I won't go against my son.
Never.
(intense music)
(intense music swells)
(music fades out)
(pressure cooker whistles)
(Kamlesh) "Know your worth but don't lose your honour.
"Be brave like Sita, but never defy your limits.
"Not just a bloom, be the garden.
"Not just a tune, be the song.
"Don't let rage control you.
"Be not a flame, burn like the fire.
"Be not a flame, burn like the fire."
BHRAMAR
(melancholy music)
We've always been taught
women should stay within their limits.
If Sita didn't cross the line...
she'd never have been kidnapped.
SUKUMAR BHRAMAR RETURNS AWARD IN SUPPORT OF MINORITIES
But when women are unsafe within their homes...
we have to cross the line.
(birds chirping)
Tell me.
You always did what’s right.
But you aren't anymore.
Someone has to do what's right.
So...
I've decided...
I'll do what you should've done.
You'll go against your family?
You'll file a complaint?
You'll go to court?
Okay, then.
You can't stay in my house and go against me.
You'll have to leave.
Get out.
Bless you.
(dramatic music)
Where will I go?
Don't want to leave?
No.
- Want to stay here? - Yes.
Then you'll have to live by my rules.
Forget everything and move on.
Will you go back to being how you were?
(dramatic music continues)
No.
No, Father.
(tense music builds)
Take them wherever they want to go.
We have no place to go.
Hmm.
- Dad. - No.
You really think she'll leave?
She's stubborn like a kid.
So we'll have to deal with her like that.
She'll come back,
touch my feet and beg for my forgiveness.
What if she doesn't?
Mark my words, she will.
Let's go inside.
(ominous music)
(cars honking)
WE'LL MEET AGAIN
Mom, what's going on?
I don't know.
I have never...
doubted my father-in-law.
Never thought he wouldn't stand up for the truth.
Where will we go, Pooja?
What will we do?
(tyres screech)
(indistinct chatter)
(suspenseful music fades in)
I can't go...
(Kamlesh sobs)
I can't...
(Kamlesh sobs)
(gentle music)
(Kamlesh sniffles)
A few years ago,
a guy was harassing a girl on the bus.
The girl was crying.
I saw it all.
But I looked away.
Didn't have the courage to do anything.
It feels like that all over again.
I still don't have the courage.
Only the weak know what courage really is, Kamlesh.
So don't lose courage.
Be brave, Kamlesh.
Or you'll regret it
just like I do.
Look.
I can't be a hero.
But I can be the hero's husband.
You're my hero.
- Hmm? - (sobs)
You're my real hero.
(both sniffle)
(sombre music)
- (Kamlesh sighs) - (sniffles)
It's important to know when to tighten the leash.
Got it?
Kamlesh.
She's back.
Bless you.
What did I say?
"She'll come back and beg for forgiveness."
(sniggers)
I'm not here to apologise.
I'm here to seek your blessings.
I'm leaving.
(dramatic music)
(dramatic music swells)
Take care of yourself.
And don't bother your mom.
(indistinct chatter)
Bye.
Listen.
I love you.
- (gentle music) - (Vinay sighs)
(giggles)
I love you.
I love you too.
Bye.
(soft music)
Let's meet Sona.
She might help us.
We don't need help.
We want justice.
BHRAMAR RESIDENCE
- (wings flapping) - (temple bell rings)
(bus honking)
Where are we going?
People think of their grandmas when they're in trouble.
I think of my grandpa.
(man) Lawyer sir.
We don't perform the Kanya Pujan ritual every day.
But we should.
- (pleasant music builds) - (vehicle honks)
(indistinct chatter)
(Nanaji) Kamlesh!
(pleasant music)
Hey!
(chuckles)
Grandpa's little princess is here after years.
Right?
(chuckles)
Tell me something.
You used to break other's windows as a kid.
Whose window did you break this time?
(laughs)
It's...
It's far more serious, Grandpa.
Hey.
What happened?
3rd October.
2024.
The Government of India said to the Supreme Court
that criminalising marital rape would be "excessively harsh"
and therefore, totally "disproportionate".
There's no law against this crime.
(eerie music fades in)
So we can't fight legally?
How can you when there is no law?
But...
there's another way.
What?
Look.
There's no law against marital rape.
But there's a law against dowry.
It's a strict law and totally favours the women.
Only if it's a case of dowry.
But this is not a case of dowry.
It's a non-bailable offence.
They'll be behind bars for a long time.
(temple bell rings)
We'll have a fair fight.
Why?
Why do you want to be fair?
Why is the onus always on women?
You know...
You go to the market
and a mad dog chases you,
you throw a stone at it.
(scoffs)
That's because it has sharp teeth
and claws.
They might be invisible.
But even society has sharp teeth.
And claws too.
It's no less dangerous than an animal.
So you'll need a stone to fight it.
Even if it's a fake one.
My dear,
pick up the stone and hit back at society.
Yes.
Do it.
(dramatic music builds)
File a dowry case against them.
Oh!
Pinky.
Let's go.
- Come on. - Yes.
(dramatic music intensifies)
(dramatic music fades out)
One way or another.
We'll get justice.
How can we charge him with a crime he didn't commit?
We can't charge him with what he did.
So we'll file a false case against him.
- And the truth? - What about it?
We did tell them the truth.
It was no use.
You were making kidney beans right after it.
Kamlesh.
You spoke up for me when I couldn't.
You stood by me.
Thank you.
But this is my fight.
I've spent seven nights with him.
I've endured the pain.
So don't... Don't lecture me on the truth.
I am the victim here.
And I'll decide how I'll fight.
(poignant music)
(Kamlesh) It's hard to fight for what's right.
Doing it the right way is even harder.
One who does often stands alone.
- (typewriter clicks) - (indistinct chatter)
(chanting prayers in background)
Here you go.
Read it and sign.
Then we'll go to the police station.
Tomorrow, the police will arrest
your mother-in-law, father-in-law and husband
on charges of dowry.
Sign it.
(indistinct chatter)
(Kamlesh) What's wrong with you?
Why are you dragging Mother and Father into it?
What did they do?
That's the problem. They didn't do anything about it.
They could have.
- But they didn't. - Pooja.
I was just like them two weeks ago.
I didn't believe you either.
Would you have sent me to jail too?
Don't try to save them.
I don't care about those who don't care about me.
Don't abuse the law...
I won't let this happen.
Pooja!
Grandpa...
How can you let this happen?
(paper rustles)
Kamlesh?
- Kamlesh! - What's wrong with you?
(dramatic music builds)
Kamlesh!
(dramatic music continues)
Stop!
I said stop!
(dramatic music swells)
(dramatic music intensifies)
(music stops)
(song playing indistinctly)
Don't worry, my dear.
We can file the case online too.
Oh, no!
Do you have internet on your phone?
Hmm.
Good.
(tense music)
BHRAMAR RESIDENCE
POLICE
(tense music)
Come on.
Okay.
What?
(tense music builds)
The police went to your in-laws' house.
(tense music intensifies)
Hold on.
I've got a court order.
(tense music swells)
But they got anticipatory bail.
You said it's a non-bailable offence.
I did.
But they already knew
that their daughter-in-law
would file a dowry case against them.
So they applied for anticipatory bail.
(dramatic music)
(dramatic music swells)
(dramatic music crescendos)