Faced with the indignity and discomfort of having to defecate in the open, these women chose to weather the social pressure and return to their parents’ homes, something unthinkable for a married woman in rural India.
Set in Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar district, the documentary is a grim reminder of the desperate situation of women who are supposed to observe purdah on the one hand and on the other are forced to relieve themselves out in the open.
Through interviews with the protagonists and a social activist, Asma, also the narrator, the film tells the stark tale of the indignity and dangers women face while defecating in the open.
While documenting the stories of these women, the film questions the priorities of the families who spend beyond their means on the wedding but do not have enough money to build a toilet in their backyard.
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's reference to the issue in his Independence Day speech is a reflection of how much still needs to be done in the area of sanitation.