Daughter's Return

In India, marriage has long been treated as a one-way journey for women.

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Once a daughter leaves her parents' home in a wedding procession, social convention dictates that she must endure whatever awaits her in her husband's household. The cultural expectation is clear: a married daughter belongs to her marital home, and returning to her parents is seen as a sign of failure. That deeply rooted belief has often trapped women in abusive marriages, where silence and endurance are valued more than safety or dignity.A recent short film, Band Baaja Bitiya, directed by Prosit Roy and featuring actor Gajraj Rao, has sparked conversation precisely because it challenges this mindset. The story centres on a father who refuses to accept the idea that his daughter must remain in a violent marriage.