Chiraiya review: Divya Dutta shines in a hard-hitting social drama, challenging patriarchal dominance

With Chiraiya, Divya Dutta once again reminds us why she is known to be one of the most powerful performers in Indian cinema. Director Shashant Shah shifts from his usual genres, comedy-dramas Dasvidaniya and Bajatey Raho, to a hard-hitting social drama that tackles sensitive issues like marital rape and consent in a six-episode show.

Chiraiya (A bird in Hindi) is based in a middle-class household in Lucknow. The household’s humdrum is rudely disrupted when a new bride joins the family, as the incident shakes the family's foundation.

What is the social drama all about?

The story is set in Lucknow and follows Divya Dutta as Kamlesh, a traditional and middle-aged housewife who always stands for what is right when it comes to her family. She is the elder daughter-in-law of her household. Her perfect happy family gets shaken when her brother-in-law, Arun (Siddharth Shaw), gets married to Pooja (Prasanna Bisht). The conflict begins on their wedding night, when he forces himself on Pooja, despite her saying no.

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Arun subjects her to sexual abuse, forcing himself on her despite her clear resistance. Pooja takes a moment to gather all her will and tell Kamlesh that she wants to go to her mother's place to avoid her husband, Arun. When Kamlesh understands the gravity of the situation, she is hesitant at first to see the dark side of her favourite brother-in-law, Arun.

But a drastic turn leads Kamlesh to trust Pooja, and eventually she starts educating herself on the issue. She realises her own complicity in raising Arun to be abusive and decides to stand up against her family to help Pooja. But does the family believe the two women?

What works and what doesn't?

Chiraiya boasts of solid performances from its cast. Headlined by Divya Dutta, the series has credible performances. Dutta steers the show with her confident performance, playing a woman who is ready to unlearn and break stereotypes to become an ally and not an enemy of another woman.

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Actor Faisal Rashid, who plays a character named Vinay, also stands out. A total green forest, who is a positive male influence in the household, standing in contrast to the toxic behaviours of others. He cherishes and encourages Kamlesh for her stand against the patriarchal view and lets her do whatever she wants.

There is also veteran actor Tinnu Anand, who makes a brief cameo in the show, helping Kamlesh and Pooja fight against marital rape.

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While the writing of the series is solid, its non-linear narrative, with constant shifts to flashbacks, breaks the flow for the viewer. The show handles marital rape, a very sensitive topic, very deftly, ticking all the stereotypes that exist in society.

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Final verdict for Chiraiya: Is it a good watch or not?

Chiraiya is a meaningful and relevant social drama. Some may find it not so perfect, but it is definitely worth a watch. What stayed with me was, in today's world, where millions of women keep silent and bear this nuisance, this web show encourages them to stand up for themselves and speak out against the patriarchy and brutality.