Chokher bali

by Rabindranath Tagore · 1970

When the newly married Mahendra and his innocent bride Ashalata welcome the strikingly beautiful widow Binodini into their home, the delicate balance of their lives begins to crumble. Mahendra, already enamored with his wife, finds his desires stirred by Binodini’s sharp intellect and restless spirit, while Ashalata’s childlike trust is tested by the growing tension. Around them, Mahendra’s mother Rajalakshmi and steadfast friend Bihari watch as love, jealousy, and societal expectations collide. Tagore’s masterful portrait of forbidden longing and the complex inner worlds of three women reveals how a single arrival can unravel the fabric of a seemingly harmonious household.