Domestic Chores in Spotlight: Bollywood Film Reflects Stagnation in Gender Roles

Despite shifts in participation rates for women in the labor force, a recent survey highlights that Indian women still bear the overwhelming burden of domestic work. The film "Mrs," a remake of "The Great Indian Kitchen," reflects on these realities while facing criticism from some quarters, revealing the enduring gender norms that persist in society.

In recent discussions surrounding gender roles in India, the Bollywood film "Mrs" has emerged as a significant catalyst, revealing the relentless nature of unpaid domestic work women are often subjected to, even in educated households. The film's protagonist, a married woman to a gynaecologist, is ensnared in a continuous cycle of cooking, cleaning, and caregiving, with her aspirations repeatedly sidelined not by overt coercion but by societal pressure and criticism.

Echoing the themes of the film, a new governmental survey unveils alarming data: Indian women engage in over seven hours of unpaid domestic and caregiving tasks daily—more than twice the duration men spend on similar activities. Specifically, women allot 289 minutes to domestic chores and 137 minutes to caregiving, while men only contribute 88 minutes and 75 minutes, respectively. The survey indicates a stark imbalance, as women's time spent on paid employment and self-care is considerably less than that of men.

Worse yet, these figures aren’t new. The latest Time Use Survey (TUS) results, released by the government, reveal that while there was a slight decrease of ten minutes in unpaid domestic work for women aged 15 to 59, the overall situation has remained largely unchanged since the last survey conducted six years ago. Despite government initiatives to empower women, data shows a persistently harsh reality where domestic labor remains predominantly a "woman’s job."

The TUS data compiles insights from various demographics across the nation, tracking individuals aged six to 59 about how they spent their previous day. The survey underscores that while there is an upward trend in women's participation in employment—rising from approximately 23% to 37% between 2017 and 2023—economists suggest that this is not strictly due to more job opportunities but also economic necessity. Women often find themselves engaging in what has been termed "double shifts," navigating both domestic responsibilities and formal employment.

Internationally, the sharing of domestic labor remains a pressing issue. On a global scale, women still engage in an average of 2.8 hours more than men on such tasks, but in India, this disparity balloons to nearly four hours, a reflection of the country's deeply entrenched patriarchal structure.

While the film "Mrs" ignites important conversations, it has also faced backlash, particularly from men's rights groups who claim it perpetuates negative stereotypes of traditional family structures. Comedian Kajol Srinivasan, reflecting on the film's impact, notes how it compelled men to confront the underappreciated labor behind housework. She recounted how her father briefly took on household tasks, only to discover that housework extends beyond physical labor to the intricate dynamics of power distribution within families.

Srinivasan highlights that societal expectations often position women as caregivers, with their sacrifices being framed as virtues rather than burdens. Although the TUS results signal incremental change, true progress remains slow. Films such as "Mrs" serve as vital vehicles for discussion, forcing society to face uncomfortable truths—questions like, "Who's truly responsible for the dishes?" resonate deeply in a context where gender norms continue to dominate.