Ruchira’s insightful review on DifferentTruths.com explores Hariye Jawar Aage, a progressive film championing women’s empowerment against deep-seated familial patriarchy.

 Lately, my attention was caught by Hariye Jawar Aage / Before it is Too Late (2020). This film is highly progressive, addressing themes of feminism and women’s empowerment, among others. It is the brainchild of the Avijit Guha-Sudeshna Roy team, known for consistently producing thought-provoking human-interest stories. The story unfolds as follows: One day, Suchismita, a young housewife and mother, and her teenage daughter vanish on the way back home from school. Their mobile phones are conveniently switched off. Panic erupts in their family home, where the protagonist (Payel Sarkar) lives with her dogmatic parents-in-law and her spouse, a hardcore goody-goody mama’s boy.

Gripped by anxiety, guilt (we’ll come to it later), and fear of impending scandal, wagging tongues, rumours, etc., the family alerts the police, who swing into action. The CCTV footage from strategic crossings in and around their locality shows the duo walking along certain railway tracks for a while. A foraging of hospital mortuaries across the metropolis is the next course of action, but that leads to a dead end. Quietly sighing in relief and hoping that the precious child is safe (the old couple cares for her in their own way), the trio intensifies their search through the police. After all, who truly cares for the daughter-in-law?

A determined feminist cop, played by Sudipta Chakraborty, takes charge of the investigation. As the story unfolds, we shift into a flashback. We learn about Suchismita, who, even while living in her parental home, before her marriage, faces hostility and opposition from the men in her family (her father and sibling) simply because she wants to pursue her passion for dance. Her only source of support is her mother, a timid, battered housewife. Although her mother can do little more than stand by her daughter like a rock, her presence offers some comfort.

After she completes her studies, Suchismita’s parents arrange a marriage for her. During a date, her prospective husband promises to support her passion for dance even after they marry.

However, the reality is starkly different. In her intensely patriarchal new home and environment, Suchismita is horrified to discover that her in-laws are completely opposed to her dreams and pursuit of dance. Her husband, who quivers like a jellyfish in front of his parents, disappoints her further by suggesting that she should focus on domestic duties, such as running the household and raising children.

Suchismita is devastated yet refuses to give up totally or succumb to despair. The silver lining in the cloud appears when she discovers her daughter’s passion for Dance. On the sly, the zealous mom gets the young girl admitted to a dance academy where her talent begins to blossom. But by a quirk of fate, the old couple discover these underhanded activities… and all hell breaks loose. That’s when Suchismita decides that enough is enough and chooses to get out of the rut.

Meanwhile, the female police officer, deeply moved by the former’s resilience and level of human endurance, contacts Suchismita and begins to form a connection with her to gain further insight into the story, particularly from the lady’s perspective.

In another dramatic turn of events, the protagonist’s husband realises his mistakes, rebels against his parents and storms out of the house. He relocates to the living quarters where his wife and daughter reside. With renewed vigour and enthusiasm, the couple gets their ward into a training course for an upcoming competition. The lady cop, all along, lends tacit and unwavering support to the family trio.

As the film draws to a close, the viewers are delighted by the child’s scintillating performance at the highly glittering live show, where she manages to bag an award. The parents are on cloud nine. Back in their family abode, the aged couple are overjoyed – their tears flowing unrestricted – as congratulatory messages begin to pour in. In a jubilant mood, the (crafty) duo brag about how they were the ones who had inspired their grandkid all along. Before the euphoria has died down, the old couple, full of remorse, call up their bahu, imploring her to come back home … a joyful reconciliation seems to be on the cards!    

Picture from IMDb

Ruchira Adhikari Ghosh

Ruchira Adhikari Ghosh brings a liberal, wide-ranging outlook shaped by extensive travel across India and abroad. Educated at Holy Child School, New Delhi, Sacred Heart Convent, Ludhiana, and Panjab University, Chandigarh, she holds a Master’s in English Literature and a postgraduate diploma in Journalism and Mass Communication. With three decades in media, she writes on travel, books, music, performing arts, women’s issues, and especially food, drawing inspiration from rich life experiences. She is our Features Editor.