No rage over dahej? Showbiz rarely focuses on this subject anymore
TNN / Jun 09, 2026, 12:40 (IST)
Dowry did not disappear from Indian screens; it got a makeover. As overt demands gave way to urban, aspirational love stories, the practice was repackaged as “gifts”, contributions towards “the couple’s future”, or the belief that “shaadi achhi honi chahiye”. In the wake of the deaths of Twisha Sharma and Deepika Nagar, the issue has once again entered the national conversation. A closer look at films and shows over the last few decades reveals how dowry continues to be depicted – not always by name, but in ways that make it seem normal or inevitable