Daughter’s Return

Statesman News Service

The Statesman

0
11.03.2026

In India, marriage has long been treated as a one-way journey for women. Once a daughter leaves her parents’ home in a wedding procession, social convention dictates that she must endure whatever awaits her in her husband’s household. The cultural expectation is clear: a married daughter belongs to her marital home, and returning to her parents is seen as a sign of failure. That deeply rooted belief has often trapped women in abusive marriages, where silence and endurance are valued more than safety or dignity. A recent short film, Band Baaja Bitiya, directed by Prosit Roy and featuring actor Gajraj Rao, has sparked conversation precisely because it challenges this mindset.

The story centres on a father who refuses to accept the idea that his daughter must remain in a violent marriage. Instead of quietly bringing her back, he does something radical in its symbolism: he celebrates her return with the same pomp and music that once accompanied her wedding procession. The message is simple but powerful ~ a daughter’s return should not be a matter of shame. The reaction to the film reveals how strongly the issue resonates. Domestic violence remains one of the most persistent and underreported social problems in India. According to the National Crime Records Bureau, thousands of women die each year in dowry-related incidents, while tens of thousands of cases of cruelty by husbands or their families are registered annually.

These figures, widely believed to be underestimated, point to a troubling reality that continues despite decades of legal reform. India does have laws designed to protect women, including the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act of 2005 and provisions in the Indian Penal Code, now BNS, dealing with cruelty within marriage. Yet legal remedies often come too late, or are never sought at all. Many women hesitate to file complaints because they fear social stigma, economic insecurity, or the disapproval of their own families. The pressure to “adjust” within marriage remains powerful across regions and social classes. That is why the role of parents is so crucial.

For generations, families have invested enormous emotional and financial resources in arranging marriages for their daughters. Weddings are celebrated as milestones of honour and prestige. When those marriages fail, parents often worry more about social embarrassment than their daughter’s well-being. The result is a culture where women are urged to tolerate behaviour that would otherwise be unacceptable. Changing this mindset requires a shift not in law alone but in family values. When parents openly support daughters who choose to leave abusive marriages, they challenge the stigma that has long surrounded separation and divorce.

Such acts signal that a woman’s dignity and safety matter more than preserving appearances. India is changing rapidly in education, employment, and public life for women. Yet true social progress will be measured within the walls of the family. A daughter should never have to choose between personal safety and parental acceptance. When families make it clear that their homes remain open, they weaken the very foundations of domestic abuse.

On International Women’s Day, we bring you a range of stories…about women, for women and of course, by women.

For the love of terracotta

When women and children ravaged in War or dominated by social patriarchy is the theme of an exhibition, then it sways every heart, every soul and sends a strong social message to the world.

Killed woman for resisting sexual assault, man lynched by villagers while trying to flee

The angry villagers, after catching hold of the culprit, thrashed him till he was rendered motionless. The accused was shifted to a nearby hospital where he breathed his last later in the night.

visit website

Categories

Sources

Popular

Daughter’s Return

Statesman News Service

© The Statesman