The Married Woman (2021) Web Series Review

『A Forbidden Love Blossoming Within the Boundaries of Family』

🎥 Series Overview

🎬 Title: The Married Woman (2021)
🌍 Country: 🇮🇳 India
🎞️ Genre: Romance / Drama / Queer
🗓️ Production & Broadcast: ALTBalaji, ZEE5 / Season 1 (11 episodes)
⏳ Runtime: 45–60 minutes per episode
📢 Director: Sahir Raza
🖋️ Screenplay: Jaya Misra, Surabhi Saral
📖 Based on: The Married Woman by Manju Kapur
📺 Platform: ALTBalaji, ZEE5

👩‍💼 Cast:
Ridhi Dogra – Astha
Monica Dogra – Peeplika
Imaad Shah – Aijaz

🧩 Story Deep Dive (Spoilers Included)

👩 Astha – A Woman Confined Within Expectations

Astha, a devoted wife and mother of two, fulfills her family’s and society’s expectations but feels unfulfilled and suffocated inside. The lack of emotional connection with her husband deepens her emptiness. Though briefly drawn to her colleague Aijaz, she soon distances herself—until fate introduces her to a new chapter of life.

💥 Astha and Peeplika – When Two Worlds Collide

Aijaz’s tragic death leads Astha to meet his wife, Peeplika. Unlike Astha, Peeplika is independent, outspoken, and unapologetically authentic. Drawn to Peeplika’s free spirit, Astha experiences a life unlike the one she has always known, and their connection begins to transform her sense of self.

💬 “When I’m with you, I become myself.”

Their conversations and artistic exchanges spark intimacy that soon transcends friendship. Through Peeplika, Astha discovers her suppressed desires and questions her identity. Torn between a loveless marriage and the liberating joy she finds in Peeplika, Astha confronts the cost of truth and the courage to embrace it.

🌪️ Conflict and Choice – Between Love and Responsibility

As her relationship with Peeplika deepens, Astha grows distant from her husband. No longer willing to live an oppressed life, she decides to reveal her truth to her family and chooses Peeplika. Yet when Astha learns about Peeplika’s complicated past, she is once again faced with hard questions—about love, trust, and rediscovering her true self.

🦋 Emotional Resonance and Significance

🎨 Cinematic Lens – Exposing India’s Social Framework

The Married Woman, adapted from Manju Kapur’s novel, unfolds in 1990s India. It delicately portrays a woman’s journey from conformity toward self-discovery, framed against a society bound by tradition and expectations.

🔍 Symbolism and Message – Women’s Agency and Freedom

The series questions conventional marriage and women’s roles, exploring identity through forbidden love. Astha and Peeplika’s relationship symbolizes courage, resistance, and solidarity, transcending mere romance to highlight women’s right to self-determination.

🕰️ Historical Context and Social Relevance

Set against India’s patriarchal society and rigid family structures, the series reflects the isolation women often face. By focusing on a same-sex relationship in a society where such love remains taboo, the drama amplifies marginalized voices while calling for broader acceptance of individual freedom and love.

🎯 Personal Rating

💕 Love Scene Intensity: ♥♥
⭐ Rating: ★★★★