Summary
“The Bell Jar” is another chapter where the women are judged more than the men, even for marital affairs and in work relationships — this episode hits close to the truth.
This recap of Netflix’s Bombay Begums season 1, episode 4, “The Bell Jar” contains significant spoilers.
“The Bell Jar” opens up with Ayesha looking empty after stopping a sexual advance from Deepak in the last episode. She seems to be stuck in her own thoughts, unable to forget what happened. Meanwhile, Lily reports to the police the vandalism on her new business establishment. Two women, pushed down by men. The next day, Rani is angry that the factory is not up and running and criticizes Ayesha. When Ayesha leaves the room, Lily tells Rani that she saw Deepak force himself on Ayesha, but Rani explains she cannot follow procedure unless Ayesha speaks to her. Lily threatens to expose Rani if she doesn’t do anything about it.
Lily still has power over Rani, and she’s using it for good — to try and expose a man abusing his power.
Ayesha claims consent
But unfortunately, it does not work — in a world that seems to judge women more than men, Ayesha denies anything that happened that was abusive.
Rani and Fatima ask Ayesha if she wants to make a formal complaint with Deepak. Ayesha says it was consensual, which irritates Lily. Fatima warns Ayesha that Deepak has a family and sarcastically says, “but that’s not your problem”. It’s strange how Ayesha is the problem, not Deepak. This type of language only worsens the problem as Ayesha’s world slowly falls apart. Later on, Rani learns that Deepak wants Ayesha in his department and reluctantly approves the move.
When Ayesha learns about the transfer, she isn’t happy.
The affair is leaked
And then another issue arises, and this time it lands on Rani’s desk; the news is reporting that Rani is having an affair with Public Resource Bank Governor Mahesh Rao with a video of them leaving a hotel together — again, the narrative is that Rani is the problem, and not the man. The media demands an investigation. Rani sits in the shower, devastated by what’s happened, and her husband tries to comfort her. She apologizes to him, but her husband is very forgiving and asks her to focus on fixing things.
Rani is asked for her resignation, but she tells the board that she isn’t leaving over a rumor; she threatens the board and states if she goes, she will take the bank down with her as stocks have already lowered massively. She goes to war and tells Fatima that FCB Asia has done this to her. Fatima seems bothered by the whole ordeal.
Ron has his opinions as well
Ron accuses Ayesha of sleeping with Deepak to advance her career, and she’s upset. Ayesha gets angry, and Ron calls her self-centered and selfish. She tells Ron that the only reason he’s doing everything for her is that he wants to sleep with her and asks him to get on with it; Ron walks off angry. This man believes he should have some entitled ownership over Ayesha. This is a typical story where the woman is the one who is ousted by their social circle, not the man.
Househusband
During sex, Fatima broaches a career opportunity to Arijay, which highlights where their sex life truly is. Her husband talks about staying at home for a couple of years to look after the baby. When Fatima is silent on the suggestion, Arijay gets insecure, believing Fatima is against a househusband.
Later on, Fatima talks about how she feels insecure about how the baby will not be hers with a friend. Her friend tells her to relax and that she will, of course, love the surrogacy baby.
Fatima is growing close to a business associate who has taken a liking to her in later scenes.
The ending
Ayesha tries to solve the municipal corporation that’s stopping Lily’s factory, but nothing works. Lily calls her a coward and that she needs to fight. She then meets Deepak, who tells her that the transfer can only be completed once the factory is sorted. As she looks at him, she experiences flashbacks of Deepak touching her. Fatima sees them from a distance and shakes her head. The flashes experienced by Ayesha get worse the longer Deepak speaks. Shai narrates how only the truth can set them free.
Fatima sleeps with the business associate, starting an affair. They lay in bed together, and they look at peace. Meanwhile, as Ayesha has sex with Chitra, she begins to cry — everything that has happened to her recently sets in — she’s beginning to suffer massively from the trauma.
Bombay Begums season 1, episode 4 is another chapter where the women are judged more than the men, even for marital affairs and in work relationships — this episode hits close to the truth.
