Through the Prism of Social Constructionism: Family Dynamics and Memory in “Paromitar Ek Din”
Sadiqa Jissan Nabila
Department of English, University of Delhi, India.
10.46679/9789349926639ch20
This chapter is a part of: Cultural Memory in Translation: Revisiting Cultural Memory Through Interpretative Lens from India
ISBN (Ebook):978-93-49926-63-9
ISBN (Hardcover Print):978-93-49926-41-7
ISBN (Softcover Print):978-93-49926-75-2
© CSMFL Publications & its authors.
Published: November 10, 2025
Abstract
Paromitar Ek Din (2000) “House of Memories” is an Indo-Bengali film directed by Aparna Sen. It reflects on the family sphere of a Bengali household, where the responsibilities of Paromita, a Bengali bride pinned down with societal pressures of starting a family line and looking into the stereotypical duties of a married woman. The film sheds light on the complex relationship between women in a household where the expectations of the community judge Paromita’s friendship or bond with her mother-in-law (Sanaka). Although their bond grows stronger as they deal with conflicts and personal issues, Paromita’s marital status with her husband ends. As she moves on in life opting for a second marriage, she is constantly misjudged in her former in-law’s house and her friendship with Sanaka is stricken down with failure. The film touches on the subject of integrated relationships in an Indian household, women’s autonomy in decision-making, etc. by building a plotline with the framework of cinematic memory. Aparna Sen precisely blends memory with the present case of the film. Visiting Sanaka on her deathbed, Paromita bridges a connection between memory and her current life where she is established as an independent woman. This back-and-forth transition of the film helps spectators to understand the shift in women’s role in modern India. This paper aims to analyse “Paromitar Ek Din” through the lens of social constructionism where characters will be reconstructed based on social identities and focus on how experiences shape the individual roles in a household.
Keywords: Friendship, Indian Household, Identity, Memory, Social Constructionism.
References
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- Banerjee, R. (2018, April 3). Memories of female solidarity in Paromitar Ek din. In Plainspeak. https://www.tarshi.net/inplainspeak/paromitar-ek-din-recalling-memories-sexual-solidarity/
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- Tarafdar, S. (2018, August 23). Paromitar Ek din Taught Me That Women Can Be Women’s Best Friends! Women’s Web. https://www.womensweb.in/2018/08/paromitar-ek-din-classic-bengali-movie-aug18wk4mc/
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