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Neena Gupta Says Patriarchal Controls Endure in India, Cites ‘Virgin Wife’ Expectation and Family Incidents

Her new interview uses family anecdotes to argue that everyday restrictions from in‑laws still shape many marriages.

Overview

  • In a Feb. 17 interview with Shubhankar Mishra, the Panchayat actor said many Indian men still seek a “virgin wife.”
  • She argued that claims of progress overlook realities where women continue rituals of deference such as covering their heads and touching in‑laws’ feet.
  • She recounted a relative in Mumbai being told by her mother‑in‑law to remove a Sai Baba picture and display the in‑laws’ chosen guru.
  • She said a niece was instructed by her mother‑in‑law not to keep a photo of her own family on her bedside table.
  • She contended that urban progressive circles are a minority unrepresentative of “real India,” with her remarks published the same day by The Indian Express and News18.