society and motherhood

I just started watching this series and I came across a episode where people taunt dhara for not having kids and rishita takes the stand.

I think rishita was absolutely correct women are not born to bear kids, they have their own lives,own problems and most importantly it's personal choice to have kids or not.I know society still people don't understand such things.I thought after rishita their mother in law will take a stand for dhara also but instead of that she gave strict instructions to rishita and raavi to have kids within year.The most disturbing thing is its coming from woman.they should have shown her mother in law supporting dhara and also they can show the talks about adoption.Movies and series have great impact on our audience.I think instead of showing such backward thinking they should show some good things.I completely understand having own children and adoption are different things.Dhara is right on her own place of having her own child but they can show other options too.In next scene just because no one is giving her grandkids thie mother in law jumped in water.I don't think makers should show such thing specially nowdays.

What are your thoughts?

I totally agree with you. Motherhood is choice. Its not like if a person is unable to conceive means her world ends there. There are so many other things also. They can show how difficult it is in India for adoption. In other countries adoption is very easy. But here it is very difficult. Though there are many couples without kids and wish to adopt, and many kids living like orphan still it is very difficult. Our procedure is like that. Why can't the show writers discuss on such sensitive point. They can make people aware of these. Also there are many fertility treatments, they can discuss on them but no. They took some different side. As Rishitha said in one of the episodes we are not against of mannat and all, but they should also show the treatment part also.

There is a lot of scope for the show, but don't know why they are ruining it.

Lovely post! And I too loved Rishitha for standing up for Dhara- her words were on point.

Unfortunately, Suman's reaction is pretty common, even today. Even kind, understanding and educated women harbor such ideas- where having children is the ultimate peak of womenhood, a woman is incomplete otherwise. Small mercies, but atleast PS does not espouse having a male child over a female child 😳

One thing we need to understand and acknowledge is that PS is now a TRP drama- it is no longer a show that can run quietly in a lesser known time slot, it needs to garner some minimum TRP for it's continued existence. That is a bitter truth- the majority of the audience they are catering to might not be interested in realistic protrayals, nuanced storytelling, or even social advancement. I suspect many of them have a way of life that they don't want questioned or challenged. They want a neutral drama, catering more to interpersonal relationships.

That said, if we were in an ideal TRP less world, this is how I would have liked things to play out. Suman is unfortunately a reality. She is not very well educated, and is not exposed to ideas of motherhood as a choice, especially because such topics are yet to gain grounds in India, particularly in smaller towns. Given this scenario, the brothers and the new daughter in laws could have slowly started to influence her- by talking, arguing, showing her stories on SM. She would have been extremely resistant at first, but Suman has shown to be strong and accepting change- being exposed to such topics, her views might have changed. She might have accepted a progressive viewpoint and even supported her children the next time around. Who knows, she could have been convinced for adoption too.

But understand- this will not fly with the TRP audience. The show will probably shut down in a matter of 1-2 months. We can change the costumes, settings, hairstyles, maybe even add in more English. But the core ideas still remain stuck on a regressive level. Even socially conscious shows try to slip in their message in a flood of regressive content.

You are right,it's all about trp.

If they will show such track the show will be off.

The makers have missed the mark and their own storyline. Early on it was shown that Dhara decided to take contraception pills so that she wouldn’t become pregnant. The logic was she wanted the 3 younger brothers of Gautum to be her main focus. Now that they are grown up adults it makes sense she wants her own children. The show however makes her look like some desperate woman. Why? Coming off the pill it will take the body time to adjust and she is so stressed out all the time so no wonder. Why not highlight the theme of women deciding to take contraception measures until the time is right? That would be a better social message.