Real heroines of the reel world

If one thing the never-ending serials have made mainstream, it’s the inevitable divorces and multiple marriages of its leads, be it the ever-so-distressed damsel, or the hero. Oddly enough, we find ourselves agreeing to the divorces than sticking to a loveless, soulless marriage crushing the participants every moment.

Interestingly, they are the only progressive reality in the sinfully regressive tele serials of the day. Though not this dynamic, the lives of many TV actresses have found a strong resemblance to their onscreen avatar. They have ordealed through bad marriages, combatted all odds and resurfaced as powerful and independent women.

One popular actress who had suffered the most in a bad marriage was Sweta Tiwary. She was young and famous as the protagonist in Kasautii Zindagii Kay, and was a mother to a toddler. While juggling these major responsibilities of personal and professional life she had to put up with a tormenting marriage also. Glimpses of her unhealthy matrimony was seen in Big Boss season 4, where she had to share screen space with then husband Raja Chowdhury. Lucky for her, she didn’t have to live through the venom and was soon out of the viscosity of it all.

Today, the actress is married to Abhinav Kohli and is enjoying motherhood for a second time. When KKsumum took a 20-year-old leap, the world was introduced to two beautiful actresses, Aashka Goradia and Rucha Gujrati. If hell is at all a thing more than concept, Rucha has sure been through it.

An unfortunate victim of domestic violence, she was not only forced to quit her career but relinquish all rights over her hard-earned money, was starved and locked in a room. It was only after a series of tough legal proceeding that the girl found her freedom back. The interwebs have seen her all broken and bruised, an image that could make any stone melt into tears.

And in bruises we saw reality TV star, Dimpy Ganguli, who won Rahul Dulhaniya le Jayega and married him on a widely televised occasion. It took less than a year for her to reach the police station to file an FIR against her renowned husband for not only manhandling her but also holding a gun against her forehead. Those horrific days are far behind her now that she lives a blissful life with husband Rohit Roy whom she married after her divorce from Rahul. The couple have a beautiful daughter together and we can’t get over the cuteness she spreads through her mom’s Instagram posts.

The list doesn’t wrap here. Bigg Boss-9 contestant, Mandana Karimi made headlines last year alleging domestic violence against second husband Gaurav Gupta. Actress Deepshika Nagar, Former Miss World Yukta Mookhey, ‘Kala Tika’ fame Daljeet Kaur, and the very adorable Reshmi Desai are few among the many actress in television who have seen and come past these nightmarish days.

In era of awakening it hurts to witness so many strong women of unmatched merit and talent having to face such brutality. We can only imagine what women hidden under layers of anonymity are put through. Celebrating women empowerment just one day a year doesn’t solve the problem. It’s only through continual voicing and protest that a safe space for the fairer sex can be created within the four walls of matrimony.

By: Avantika Debnath