Takeaways from 'Gobhir Joler Maach' On Hoichoi: A Feminist Bengali Thriller

Gobhir Joler Maach on Hoichoi is a Bengali series that is available exclusively to Hoichoi subscribers. This series is a thriller that revolves around the murder of one of four girlfriends. 

However, that is not all that the series has to offer. This series offers a diverse palette of love, betrayal, friendship, and extramarital. Can friends really be called friends? Can lovers really be called lovers? And is the institution of marriage indeed rock solid? This Hoichoi original series subverts what ought to be.

Gobhir Joler Maach Review

Women in Hoichoi's Gobhir Joler Maach

When one of the friends shares their marital troubles, the others are quick to point out that problems arise owing to the wife's inability to tie down her husband. 

'I know how to keep my husband loyal'

The most important tip to keep a loyal husband is to tightly hold onto the rope of youthful beauty by going to a beauty parlour and a gym. Working on one's external beauty is not the only step. Another step is to keep one's husband busy with financial investments so they do not have the time for an extramarital. The most essential tip shared by Aratrika is the importance of the marital bed.

'Jotoi jhogra hok, amra dujonei jani bichanaye shobta mitey jabe.'

(No matter how much we fight, we both know that sex solves all our problems.)

The already aggrieved friend was heartbroken when her 'friends' body shamed her and blamed her current shape for not being able to keep her husband loyal.

She suggested a little game to find out if physical charms and a woman's cunning were all that was required to mint a loyal husband.

Her game suggested each of her girlfriends flirt with the spouse of the other to test how loyal their husbands were.

'Tradition mene chola bonedi barir chele o'

(He comes from a traditional household, he would never dream of cheating.)

The three girlfriends agree to play this 'deadly game' to prove their aggrieved friend wrong. 

The Deadly Game on Gobhir Joler Maach

The shallow upbringing of three friends led them to believe that dominance, external charm, and a woman's cunning were enough to sustain a marriage.

The aggrieved friend was the only one who saw the institute of marriage as a partnership and a partnership of equality.

However, she had the ill fate of landing a scheming husband who did not have an ounce of respect for his wife.

The three friends despite their substantial talks on marriage and relationships took the first chance they got to flirt with each other's husbands. Each intended to create a rift in each friend's spousal relationship.

A friend's broken home was not their concern as long as their feminine charm got the validation they seek. Each realised after playing the game for a few days that they had lost to their friend. They realised that external charm and looking attractive had nothing to do with an extramarital ">relationship and had everything to do with one's intention toward loyalty.

Despite this realisation, their collective egos did not allow them to accept their defeat. They went on flirting with each other's spouses to the extent of breaking each other's marriages.

Gobhir Joler Maach is an essential watch for those struggling with friendship. One's own company is far more effective than those of fiends disguised as friends.

It shows us that having sex cannot replace communication as an effective problem solver. Things start looking a little brighter for the three friends once they come clean to each other.

Indian households are quick to place the blame on the wife for an unloyal husband. Indian women have long struggled with devices to tackle this evil. This show is an eye-opener for anyone who believes that good relationships are synonymous with good looks.

The views expressed are the author's own. 

Suggested Reading: 25 Feminist Bengali Movies Of All Time You Should Watch If You Haven’t Already