Being a woman feels really tough sometimes. From the moment we transition from being a girl to becoming a woman, we face numerous struggles. We start by discovering who we are, our preferences, and what we truly want in life. But even when we figure that out, we’re bombarded with expectations from society and even our own families. These expectations can feel overwhelming, and often, we’re forced to conform to them rather than being our authentic selves. When we don’t fit the traditional mold of what a “good woman” should be, we face shame and embarrassment. It feels like an endless battle that we can never win. The movie Sharma Ji Ki Beti by Tahira Kashyap captures these struggles beautifully. It tells the stories of Swati, Jyoti, Kiran, Gurveen, and Tanvi, who share the same last name, Sharma, but face different challenges in their lives. Through their journeys, the movie highlights the unique and often difficult experiences women go through. It’s a heartfelt exploration of womanhood, now streaming on Amazon Prime.
Spoilers Ahead
Why did Swati and Jyoti often fight?
Swati was an eighth-grader with unmanageable curly hair and felt that her life was just as difficult to manage. She felt like there was something wrong with her body because, unlike the other girls in her class who had all started their periods, she hadn’t. Even her best friend, Gurveen, had started hers, which made Swati feel left out. The other girls at school were growing into young women and their bodies had started developing beautifully, but Swati felt stuck as if she was lagging behind. Swati listened to her classmates talk about being proposed to and receiving love letters, but she didn’t get any attention from the boys in her class. It wasn’t that she craved their attention, but the lack of it made her feel frustrated and different.
Even Gurveen, who preferred girls and was afraid to talk about it with her parents, got attention from boys. Swati felt she wasn’t going to become a woman anytime soon. This insecurity led her to see a doctor with her mother, as she worried there might be something wrong with her. But she didn’t understand that everyone’s body developed differently and that she was perfectly normal. Swati couldn’t share these feelings with anyone, not even her mother, Jyoti, who was always busy. Jyoti was a teacher at a tuition center and didn’t have much time for household chores or for Swati. As the wife of a middle-class household, Jyoti worked to support Swati’s expensive school fees. She loved teaching kids and didn’t see herself just as a wife and mother, but as a working woman too. Luckily, her husband was very understanding. Swati felt especially hurt when her classmates got awards for playing different roles in the school play while she got an award for playing Ramuchacha, a male character. This made her feel even more out of place. What was worse was that her mother couldn’t even take the time to come and watch her perform. Other friends’ mothers were always present, but Swati’s wasn’t, which strained their relationship. To Swati, it felt like a mother’s duty was to take care of the household and her children, but instead, her father filled that role. The poor young girl didn’t understand that there were no definitive roles for women. This misunderstanding led to frequent fights with her mother. Swati felt that Jyoti only seemed to focus on Swati’s grades, like a teacher, and there was no personal connection between them, which deeply hurt her.
What did Kiran find out about her husband?
Kiran was Gurveen’s mother, a housewife who had moved to Mumbai from Patiala after getting married. Life in Mumbai felt very different for her compared to Patiala. She often felt lonely because her husband was always busy and used to come home late after long, tiring days at work. They hadn’t been on a holiday in years. To pass the time, she would look out from the balcony to watch people go about their days. Her world revolved around Gurveen. She would throw birthday parties and make handmade arrangements, from masks to party poppers, all crafted with her incredible skill. Yet, no one seemed to appreciate her talent or take the time to talk to her, not even her own mother, who was busy with her own life. Because of this, Kiran spent her time making these handmade crafts alone. She often felt shamed for being “just” a housewife, even by other women in her society who mocked her for hosting kitty parties to pass the time. They believed being a housewife meant sitting around doing nothing and thought their career-driven lives were better than hers. Kiran’s intrusive thoughts made her wish she could be a superwoman so that she could do anything and save people, because only then did she think she would be prioritized. Sometimes, when her husband didn’t give her attention, she even thought that maybe if she could just kill him for not being attentive, she would find peace. Despite her feelings, Kiran remained devoted to her husband. One day, when she remembered their anniversary, she dressed in a beautiful red saree and went to his office to surprise him. That was when she got to know that her husband had left and was at a hotel where he was having a secret affair. Of course, she was devastated and started thinking that maybe there was something wrong with her. Maybe she wasn’t pretty enough or smart enough, and that was why her husband was embarrassed by her and didn’t acknowledge her as his wife. But that was far from the truth. When she confronted him, he revealed the truth: he’d never wanted to get married to her. It had happened due to family pressure, and that’s why he didn’t feel connected to Kiran anymore. Kiran’s world shattered.
Why did Tanvi break up with her boyfriend?
Tanvi was a state-level cricketer, and her boyfriend was an aspiring actor. Tanvi was not the typical girl who did manicures or adorned herself in beautiful, girly clothing. She was always in her t-shirts and track pants, focused solely on playing cricket. Cricket was her passion and her life. But her boyfriend was deeply embarrassed by the way she dressed, not showcasing herself like the other attractive girls who always surrounded him. He acted as if he was doing her a favor by being with her, even though she wasn’t conventionally attractive. He mocked her physical strength and even questioned why she had broad shoulders and why she could do better push-ups than him. Instead of acknowledging and being proud of her achievements, he always pushed her down. Yet, Tanvi thought he genuinely loved her. When he got his big break and landed a role as the main lead in a movie, he proposed to her. But there was one condition: she had to leave cricket and be his woman. Tanvi wasn’t one to listen to such demands. She was a champion in her matches, with great skill and sportsmanship. She wasn’t going to leave it all for some guy. All this time, she had listened to what he told her to do—painting her nails, wearing sarees—but giving up her dream was something she wasn’t ready to do. That’s why she decided it was better to leave him than her passion. So, she finally broke up with him.
In Sharma Ji Ki Beti‘s ending, Tanvi wasn’t the only one who overcame her struggle. Remember Gurveen, who was afraid of coming out? She finally did, and her mother, Kiran, was proud that she felt safe enough to talk to her about it. Kiran loved her just the same, which was a huge relief for Gurveen. In her own life, Kiran separated from her husband and focused on opening a shop where she could showcase her craftsmanship. She started selling her handmade products, which people really liked. Sitting around and making things, being “just a housewife,” finally did something good for her. But that didn’t mean she forgot about her husband. She knew what it felt like to be left alone, so she often called him to ask about his day so he wouldn’t feel lonely without her and their kid. And what about Swati and Jyoti? Well, Swati finally got her period, and finally becoming a woman felt like such an achievement to her! By the end of the film, she also realized her mother’s achievements and supported her in her work. She saw how good her mother was at what she did when Jyoti got an award for being the best teacher at the coaching center and even got a car. Swati saw how happy the students were to see her mother win and understood that, as a daughter, she should support her mother too. All of them learned to cope with their challenges in life. Yes, I know the ending was a bit too perfect, with everything ending up nicely like a fairytale where some characters had to make sacrifices for the greater good. But this doesn’t always happen in real life. So, the picture-perfect ending wasn’t entirely my favorite thing. But it’s Bollywood, and there’s always this “all’s well that ends well” magic in most of the films, and this one was no exception either.
