Aahana Swrup
In ‘Maa Behen,’ there are many rumors that circulate about the protagonist, Rekha, in her neighborhood in the central Aadarsh Colony. Many believe that she’s a manipulative, money-hungry agent of chaos who wants to seduce innocent men and ruin their lives. They retain unflattering opinions about everything, from her business ventures to the kinds of morbid secrets many believe are hiding under her front yard’s flower bed. One of the more persistent rumors around her revolves around the untimely death of her husband and her mother-in-law. The deaths happen shortly into the newlyweds’ wedding, leaving Rekha widowed and the sole inheritor of the house, Kripa Niwas, at the age of 25. If the rumors are to be believed, the accident that befell her family could have been a calculated and premeditated tragedy. SPOILERS AHEAD!
Rekha’s Husband and His Mother Died Due to Electrocution
Rekha’s arrival at Aadarsh Colony is one of the most controversial and scandalous things to happen to the neighborhood in a long time. Her beauty, her affinity for sleeveless blouses, and the fact that the couple has their first kid seven months into the marriage, all of it gives way to idle gossip. The people in the neighborhood become convinced that Rekha is a femme fatale and a temptress who has preyed on her husband for his wealth. While the men lust after her in secret and blame her for it, the women remain concerned with the possibility of her “bewitching” their husbands and sons. As a result, even without doing anything, the woman earns an unfair reputation for herself. Thus, it’s no surprise that the public’s penchant for disparaging assumptions grows in the aftermath of a tragedy.
Rekha loses her husband and her mother-in-law in a freak accident where an electric line falls into the house during a heavy storm. The mother-son duo died of electrocution, leaving the protagonists widowed and all alone. As an indirect result, this means she’s the new head and owner of Kripa Niwas. For the same reason, the neighbors begin believing that Rekha staged the electrocution accident in order to free herself from her husband and her mother-in-law. These rumors and mischaracterizations of the widow all stem from the same source: the misogyny that runs rampant in the neighborhood.
The Husband-Killing Rumors Depict the Neighborhood’s Hostility Towards Rekha
As the rumor mill runs in Aadarsh Colony, it paints a certain picture of Rekha and her daughters. It depicts the mother as a greedy seductress, her older daughter as a backstabbing manipulator, and her youngest daughter as an attention-seeker. However, for every piece of gossip, there are two sides to the story. The people believe that Jaya stole an arranged marriage to Manas from under her best friend, Rati’s nose, by beguiling him when the two families met each other. However, according to Jaya, Manas was the one who cornered her and made a move on her on that day. In the aftermath, she knew that her reputation would forever be stained, which is why she married the man.
Likewise, according to local legend, Sushma made a video of her and her boyfriend making out for five minutes in an attempt to seek internet fame. Nonetheless, the video was actually uploaded by the boyfriend rather than Rekha’s youngest daughter. In both these instances, a man’s actions and decisions were transferred to be a woman’s burden to carry. The instances tarnished the sisters’ reputation and brought no real consequences to the men. This showcases the kind of mentality and ideology that flourishes in Aadarsh colony. The neighborhood is eager to blame women, paint them out to be witches who are on the hunt for “innocent men” to exploit and prey upon. Thus, it stands to reason that Rekha, who was labeled a murderer but never legally proven to be so, must have suffered the same fate when she was freshly widowed at 25.
Read More: Maa Behen Ending Explained: Who Made the Ransom Call?
