Extreme Workouts, Abuse, Forced Abortion: UP Man's Bid To Make Wife Resemble Celeb

Recently, a 28-year-old man from Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, has been accused of forcing his wife to extreme workouts, denying her food, and forcing an abortion, just so she could resemble a certain Bollywood celebrity. According to NDTV, the wife alleged that she was also subjected to physical abuse by him and his family. She further claimed that her husband was a womaniser and watched inappropriate videos of women online. The duo got married in March 2025, with the woman’s family reportedly paying a hefty dowry and spending over ₹77 lakhs on the wedding.

This case of gender violence is not an isolated incident. In July, a Haryana man shot his daughter, a budding tennis player, for being mocked about living off her money. Elsewhere, an 18-year-old was strangled by her father and uncle in a suspected honour killing, after the uncle claimed that co-education might make her “fall in love and defy norms.”

These cases are symptoms of a system that views women’s autonomy as a threat, repackaging violence and control under the guise of “tradition.” The stories are not exceptions but warnings. They reveal how deeply entrenched misogyny continues to be, that women’s individuality is still feared, still punished.

How 'Trad Wife' Aesthetic Is Soft-Launching Patriarchy

Recently, my Instagram algorithm has been filled with 'Trad Wife' aesthetic. Wrapped in the aesthetics of obedience, homemaking, and submissiveness, it celebrates women who abandon independence, while slyly shaming those who choose careers, freedom, and self-respect.

The number of times people talk about modern women's defiance on social media is truly staggering. It’s nothing but regression repackaged as tradition. Videos of girls in 'conservative outfits,' performing household chores, are often glorified by men. Comments claiming that good women are a 'rare breed' nowadays make me reflect on the troubling path we are treading as a society.

At the same time, these very people don’t hesitate to take digs at women who choose to live on their own terms, independently and self-sufficiently. Such women are conveniently labelled as bad influences or pseudo-feminists by society. In reality, women deserve to be celebrated for their individuality, the freedom to choose homemaking, a career, or both, without judgment or coercion.

Regression Repackaged As Tradition

Recently, upon the release of the movie Mrs, the Save Indian Family Foundation (SIFF) criticised the film, calling it 'toxic,' and took issue with Sanya Malhotra's character Richa for her inability to cook for two people. Some netizens even went so far as to call the film a woman’s reply to Animal or Kabir Singh.

But the truth is that women like Richa are everywhere in India. They exist in small towns and big cities, waiting for their stories to be acknowledged. It never ceases to astonish me how patriarchy manages to reshape itself every century. Yes, we hear stories of Atul Subash and Raja Raghuvanshi, but what about the generations of women who continue to be silently consumed by the fire of sexism? 

The horrifying stories of sexual abuse have now become everyday occurrences. Fathers who hand over dowries in exchange for their daughters’ dignity in a new household. Wives who endure domestic violence because it is considered a “family matter.” Women who are constantly mocked for their supposed shortcomings, while quietly bearing the weight of expectations.

The Burden Of Being A 'Modern Woman'

Yes, with time, things are changing for the better, but only on the surface. The same society that encourages women to be educated and financially independent now seeks to cage them within the shackles of age-old patriarchy. A woman today is expected not only to earn and support her husband’s family but also to manage the household, cook delicious meals, fulfil her own desires with the money she earns, and still live up to her husband’s and in-laws’ fantasies.

Yet, the expectations never seem to die down, do they? Since childhood, girls deemed 'obedient' or 'cultured' are the ones who avoid talking to boys, who wear clothes deemed 'acceptable' by society. Are values and achievements ever judged beyond these narrow parameters? A girl is made responsible for upholding her family’s honour, but why does society fail to extend the same respect to a woman?

Women deserve to be celebrated for their individuality, not confined to roles society finds comfortable. True freedom lies in allowing women to define their own lives. Patriarchy may reinvent itself, but so must resistance. As GD Anderson aptly said, “Feminism isn’t about making women stronger. Women are already strong; it’s about changing the way the world perceives that strength.”

Views expressed by the author are their own.