Chiraiya On OTT: Divya Dutta Reflects On Consent And Conditioning In Marriage
Updated on: 24 March, 2026 01:49 PM IST |Shweta Shah
Divya Dutta in Chiraiya series
When OTT shows you uncomfortable yet slap-in-the-face kinds of societal truths, you cannot help but wonder what kind of a world we are building for women. Chiraiya, led by Divya Dutta, is one such web series that is a tight slap on every man`s face.
Dutta feels while the series, unfortunately, might connect more with women, the six-part series is a strong and brutal message for all men.
What started over charcha over chai with Chiraiya director Divy Nidhi Sharma narrating one episode to the actress that went on for two hours. By the end of it, Divya was left “moved, jumping in my seat, saying, ‘Yeh story karte hain.`"
What made Divya Dutta do Chiraiya?
At the core of the series lies one line: "Shaadi license nahi hai (Marriage is not a license to do anything and everything)." The JioHotstar series unpacks what consent means in a marriage.
Also Read: As Veer Zaara Turns 20, Divya Dutta Thinks There Should Never Be A Sequel Made
It even confronts the disturbing truths of marital rape, which continues to be a legal debate in the Indian judiciary system.
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For the Veer Zaara actress, the instinctive pull came from the story`s very foundation, which addresses normalised violence within a marriage and the silence expected to sustain it.
Divya shared, “I think it’s a story where there’s a combined synergy from the platform and director [Shashant Shah], who is very sensitive. You need sensitivity for a subject like this. It cannot be made any other way.”
Divya Dutta`s POV in Chiraiya
The actress plays the eldest daughter-in-law, Kamlesh, in the societal drama series. She embodies everything that the society expects from an "ideal" daughter-in-law.
But Kamlesh is also, as Dutta puts it, “a product of patriarchy.” She adds, “As women, we are conditioned by the system [since childhood]. Somewhere along the way, we start forming our own opinions about what is right and wrong.”
Also Read: 5 Eye-Opening Feminist Films You Cannot Miss
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What makes Kamlesh riveting is that she wasn`t a rebel from the beginning. “She has been conditioned that this is what a happy family looks like,” Divya notes. “Until someone shows her that this is not normal, she doesn’t question it. But [once aware], despite what’s at stake, she takes a stand.”
One of the most tragic moments in the show is when her character learns her sister-in-law (played by Nidhi Sharma) has been raped by her brother-in-law.
“[The shock] is the natural reaction,” she says, adding that the emotion is then followed by denial, “You start thinking, maybe she misunderstood." There’s also that thought, `Yeh mere ghar mein nahin ho sakta.` When you realise that it can happen, it hits you.”
Speaking about the heavy confrontational scenes, Divya Dutta explained, “When you are playing it, you’re not thinking you’re acting. You are living that life. I wanted to understand how it feels to be on the other side. I had asked the DoP [director of photography] and director to keep it for the last because it shook me up. I took some time to come back. [Realising that while] I am only living it for a month or two, there are people who live this life every day.”
Why should you watch Chiraiya?
While the Divya Dutta-led series does not offer any solid solutions, the actress believes the problem stems from “lack of listening”.
“The husband is not listening to the wife when she says [no]. That’s where it begins. Respect is missing. Relationships are built on love, yes. But the fulcrum is respect. [That’s true] everywhere,” she said.
The Chhava star also feels that while the series may connect more with women, it is an ideal watch for men.
“These are very normal men. You see [them] around. They are not bad, but their conditioning is such. Sometimes it’s not even about intent. It’s taken for granted,” the actress notes.
A remake of the Bengali series Sampurna, Chiraiya is now streaming on JioHotstar.
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