A kitchen. A marriage. A revolution simmering on low flame.
The Great Indian Kitchen, the 2021 Malayalam film directed by Jeo Baby, didn’t need big sets or dramatic music to start a cultural conversation. It simply placed a camera in the middle of an average Indian home—and let the silence speak.
On the surface, it’s about a newly married woman adjusting to her husband’s household. But look deeper, and it’s a powerful critique of patriarchy, cultural conditioning, and the unpaid, unacknowledged labour of women across generations.
If you haven’t watched it yet, here’s why you absolutely should.
1. It captures the invisible labour of women like never before
From cooking elaborate meals to scrubbing greasy utensils and wiping floors—all without thanks or thought—The Great Indian Kitchen makes you feel the weight of what has long been considered “just part of being a good woman.”
There’s no dramatic music, no violent fights—just repetition. The monotony becomes its own kind of pain. This quiet rage is exactly what makes it so unforgettable.
“You don’t even realise when you’ve internalised the oppression,” the film seems to whisper.
2. It’s the most honest take on post-marriage life
For many Indian women, marriage isn’t a new beginning—it’s the beginning of sacrifice. The film shatters the illusion of romanticized weddings by showing what happens once the rituals are over and the real expectations begin.
Adjusting to a new home
Losing autonomy
Becoming a caregiver overnight
The protagonist isn’t abused in obvious ways—but she is constantly erased, expected to perform domestic perfection in silence.
3. It shows how tradition can be a tool for control
The film also critiques how culture and tradition often act as shields for patriarchal control. From menstrual taboos to “the right way to make tea,” the husband and father-in-law enforce rules not out of cruelty, but out of deep conditioning.
This makes the film even more chilling—it shows how patriarchy survives not through villains, but through everyday normalcy.
4. It validates the quiet frustration so many women feel
Every Indian woman has felt it: the irritation of not being asked what she wants to eat, the exhaustion of being the last to sit down, the anger of being interrupted mid-thought. This film is a mirror for all those silent moments we’re told to brush aside.
Watching it can feel triggering—but also immensely validating.
5. The ending is not just powerful—it’s liberating
Without spoilers: the final act of the film is a moment of quiet rebellion. There are no grand speeches, just one woman choosing herself—and it feels revolutionary.
It reminds us that even a simple "no" can shake foundations.
A must-watch for everyone, not just women
While The Great Indian Kitchen resonates deeply with women, it’s equally essential viewing for men, parents, and young adults. It challenges how we see housework, respect, autonomy, and “adjustment.”
In a world that often celebrates female sacrifice as virtue, The Great Indian Kitchen reminds us that freedom can begin with the smallest refusal.
It’s not just a film—it’s a lived experience for millions. And that’s exactly why every Indian woman—and every Indian home—needs to watch it.
Have you watched it?
