So, the play is not only the story of Kalki and the actors on stage, but also the story of the majority of Indian women, who believe that childcare is primarily their responsibility and how they take for granted all the hard work they have to do and the endless hours they devote to raising their young.
In a scene where most mothers reflect on their own lives, a young couple talks about what their day was like when the man came home from work. He’s tired, but at least he has a story to tell about his day.
And he asks his wife how her day was. She opens her mouth to speak and then mutters. “I was just taking care of the baby.”
According to the latest government data reported in Times of India., externalIn urban India, approximately 69% of women are excluded from the labor force due to child care and housework, compared to only 1% of men.
And mothers who choose to pursue a career have to work twice as hard, Kalki says.
“There is so much pressure because today we are told that we are lucky to live in this era where we can work, be mothers and have everything. But at the same time, there is an expectation to be a kind of supermom. And we do not neglect domestic duties either. We have to always be the CEO of the house,” says Kalki.
But part of the pressure, Kalki says, is women beating themselves up about what’s expected of them. Being a good mother.
“I often call my daughter’s nanny during filming to organize lunch. I think it comes from the expectation of being the perfect mom.
“But I think it’s important to allow fathers or other family members to fill that space. And we wanted to let women know that doing so won’t make everything fall apart. It’s okay to drop the ball and not feel responsible for everything.”
