In a joint family, there's always one matriarch or patriarch who is the decision maker. I lived in a joint family when I was young so I know.
Obviously, there are regressive joint families as well. One of my friends ..she is educated, had worked, had an arranged marriage into a huge joint family. Whenever she went out with her husband and his friends, she would leave wearing long kurtis over jeans. Once in a car, she would change into party wear. These are real stories.
At one level I can totally understand how this serial is doing well. It exposes the underbelly of a joint family..these politics, the power dynamics.
Yes even the fact that the husband is extremely loving to his wife in their private space but expects her to be the good bahu once outside.
Sorry that this is kind of a serious rant. And I'm not defending anything or anyone. I just thought of putting these thoughts out there.
Obviously, the serial goes beyond limits in showing scenarios because it's a daily soap..
536