A Silence We Call Normal.

For the last few days, my Instagram feed has been filled with clips from a Hotstar special Hindi series.

It is a series titled Chiraiya.

I still haven't watched the entire series, but from the trailer and the clips I came across, it's about a 23-year-old woman who is independent, loves being herself, has her voice, and gets married to a man through an arranged marriage happily.

But on her wedding day, she feels ill, so in between rituals she keeps taking medication, which the groom also notices. On their wedding night, when she says that she is sick, she tells her husband not to have intercourse that night.

But he says, how can she neglect it like that? She keeps saying she feels weak and wants to postpone it, but he forces and manipulates her, saying there is nothing wrong in doing it.

At one point, when she firmly says NO, he can't take it. He forces her and makes it happen. He doesn't leave room for her consent and eventually rapes her. And very proudly calls it his “right.” As a wife, she must do it — that too on their wedding night, she can't say no.

When she calls it as rape, he says,

“Could you go and say that out?

Go tell people outside that your husband has raped you. Doesn't it sound ridiculous?”

Woman’s silence seen as dignity, but her truth seen as disgrace?

This shows the system women are imposed into. They can't go and say that out as it causes a wound to their dignity. Also, between husband and wife, it's “never rape.” As they don't realise the meaning of the word consent.

"No means no."

But there isn't space for that in this so-called marriage structure.

Even when the female protagonist shares this with her mom, she says:

“You are a wife.

As a wife, you can never say no.

Also, this is normal. You are just supposed to do this.

Everyone goes through this.”

See how easily it's normalised.

They don't want to realise it, deliberately, as the truth would be painful. Instead, they accept this painful life as a happy one - pretend to be.

Even your home becomes a stranger at such times. People who are supposed to understand her try their best to make her believe it's her duty at the end of the day. Half of the women don't get that support from family.

When her husband beats her, the first question she gets is:

“What did you do?”

But never, “Why did he hit you?”

Such Men are being protected and seen as victims very easily.

I'm glad at least I see a little change where parents value their daughter rather than strangers.

One more scene haunted me. After this repetitive torture, one day she somehow wants to skip.

She needs some rest for both her body and mind, so she locks herself in the restroom. Her husband keeps hitting the door hard. She cries loudly. She doesn't know how to escape from this. So she says she has gotten her periods, so they can't be involved in intercourse.

But that monstrous human says, “Let me see it. Come out.”

With no other choice left, she takes a blade and make a cut in her body parts.

In the hospital, amidst all this pain, he doesn't care or even have basic human courtesy to look after his wife. Instead, he urges the doctor and asks when they can again resume their physical relationship.

I couldn't find peace after seeing this scene. And to realise such people exist in this world, living only for lust and personal satisfaction. It's not just glorification or something unreal.

Still, it's happening in a lot of women's lives within the four walls of the house. Few break that wall boldly, whereas a few are still deceived by this systematic suppression.

What was even more depressing was reading the comments under these clips. And it made me realise it's not just cinema — it's actually a replication, an imitation, a true portrayal of what it is.

“These comments disturbed me more than the scenes. Because they prove this isn’t just a story — it’s a mindset.”

Such men exist — some with masks, some as they are — believing they are being the best, and never realising the bad upbringing and cheap values they carry.

Few comments are:

The men who have those traits in them are offended, I guess.

And not only men — a few women out there support it without realising it, because they were made to believe that worshipping and offering service is their duty — internalised patriarchy.

As there is a dialogue in this series, where a old woman of the house says " in the name of family... in the name of tradition... in the name of love... we women have been systematically fooled". 

It's frightening to see such people, and for each comment, the number of people who have liked it is even more scary.

I hope women never find such men.

( I know this isn’t about all men — and I’m glad there are those who understand love, respect, and consent) .

Even if, unfortunately, they get into such toxic lives, they should voice out boldly. No matter whether they have support or not, her voice should be loud, heard, and she should come out of it no matter what.

It's painful to see that marital rape still isn't a crime and people are never punished for it.

Maybe conversations like this are where change begins — though we feel uncomfortable because of the stigma associated with it, they are necessary.