Madhuri: Society still judges women differently than men

Bollywood actress Madhuri Dixit, whose latest release is “Maa Behen”, has spoken out against the double standards women face in matters of love and relationships, pointing to the deep-rooted patriarchal mindset in the society.

Talking about how men are often celebrated for their romantic choices while women are judged for the same, the actress said such biases have long been normalized.

"It's a patriarchal society. I mean, from the beginning, it's like, that's the way it is. Men can have girlfriends… If he has girlfriends, he's a Casanova. If a woman does the same, she's called names. You know, she's like a very negative thing,” Madhuri told.

The 59-year-old actress shared that ‘Maa Behen’ challenges these conventions, presenting flawed, chaotic and relatable characters who break the rules society has traditionally imposed.

“So, you know, it's been a norm in the society. In this movie, we have broken every rule that the society has created. And we have had fun doing that. Though, I think the characters in this film are so, so chaotic and so, what do you call it? Confused. They are so real. You know, real, relatable people.”

“Maa Behen” is a black comedy thriller directed by Suresh Triveni. It stars Madhuri Dixit, Triptii Dimri, Dharna Durga, and Ravi Kishan. They are joined by Geetanjali Kulkarni, Arunoday Singh, and Shardul Bhardwaj.

At the heart of “Maa Behen” is Rekha, a mother who’s already juggling enough until life throws her the ultimate curveball, a dead body in her kitchen. With her two daughters, Jaya, the responsible one, and Sushma, the wild card, this trio must think fast, lie faster, and somehow keep their nosy neighbors from sniffing out the truth.

The film is streaming on Netflix.

Madhuri’s latest film also includes Mrs. Deshpande directed by Nagesh Kukunoor. In which, she was seen playing a serial killer.