Mrs.: A Movie That Holds Up a Mirror to Gender Roles and Home Life
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The 2025 Hindi movie Mrs. got everyone talking about gender roles, housework, and what society expects from women. Arati Kadav directed it, and Sanya Malhotra starred in it. It's based on the super-popular Malayalam film The Great Indian Kitchen. The movie shows a woman's life inside a marriage, and it really hit home for a lot of people, but some folks didn't like it.
How Much Did It Make?
We don't know exactly how much Mrs. cost to make, but people in the movie business think it was a normal amount for this kind of film. It came out on February 7, 2025, and instead of going to theaters, it went straight to the ZEE5 streaming service. This way, more people could see it, especially in northern India. So, instead of looking at ticket sales, we see how many people watched it and talked about it online.
What's It About?
Mrs. is all about Richa Sharma, played by Sanya Malhotra. She's a dancer who gets married through an arranged marriage and moves in with her husband's family. At first, she's excited to be a wife, but she quickly gets stuck in the kitchen. She has to cook, clean, and take care of her husband and his parents all the time. The movie shows her daily grind in detail—the endless chores that no one appreciates, which is what many women go through.
As the movie goes on, Richa gets tired of just doing what she's told and starts wanting her own life. The film points out how society pushes women into these housework roles and doesn't care about their dreams and happiness. Through Richa's story, Mrs. looks at gender roles, what people expect in a marriage, and how a woman can find herself in a traditional family.
Why the Fuss?
When Mrs. came out, it stirred up a lot of debate, especially with men's rights groups. The Save Indian Family Foundation (SIFF) called it leftist propaganda. They said it made men look bad and catered to cauvinists. SIFF complained online that the movie promoted toxic feminism by focusing only on women's problems and ignoring what other groups, like men, kids, and old people, struggle with.
But lots of viewers, especially women, really connected with the movie. They saw their own lives in Richa's character, like how women often eat after the men, wake up earlier, and go to bed later. This difference in how people reacted shows that the movie got people talking about old-fashioned ideas and how housework is divided up.
What Did the Critics Say?
Critics had different opinions about Mrs. Saibal Chatterjee from NDTV and gave it 3 out of 5 stars. He said that Sanya Malhotra is great in her role, and director Arati Kadav knows how to use her resources. Sukanya Verma from Rediff.com gave it 4 out of 5 stars, saying that it makes you angry for all the right reasons without being too dramatic.
Shubhra Gupta from The Indian Express also gave it 3 out of 5 stars. She mentioned that if you haven't seen the original Malayalam movie, this Sanya Malhotra movie is worth watching. A Bollywood Hungama critic agreed, calling Mrs. a remake with a great acting job by Sanya Malhotra.
What's the Message About Feminism?
Mrs. is mainly about the hidden work that women do at home. The movie questions why women are always expected to do all the housework and wants people to think about this and share the load. By showing how Richa goes from just following the rules to finding herself, Mrs. supports gender equality and wants people to recognize women's value outside of just being homemakers.
The movie's feminist ideas come through in Richa's change. At first, she's the perfect daughter-in-law, doing everything society expects. But when it gets too much, she starts standing up for herself and challenging the structures that trap her. This change connects with many viewers, especially women who have been through the same thing, making Mrs. a powerful look at feminism in Indian society.
Final Thoughts
Mrs. is like a mirror, reflecting the lives of many women navigating marriage in a world where men still wield the majority of power. While some people have criticized it, the movie is important because it gets people talking about gender roles, housework, and the need for things to change. With its interesting story and great acting, especially from Sanya Malhotra, Mrs. encourages viewers to question old ways and imagine a fairer world.
The fact that the movie got both praise and criticism shows how touchy the subjects of feminism and housework are. But this is why Mrs. is so important—it makes people face uncomfortable truths and have real conversations about gender equality.