Three Sisters Synopsis

 

Summary

“Three Sisters,” which is inspired by Chekhov’s play of the same name and by Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, is a satirical look at the snobbery and misguided values of the Sen family. The story focuses on a mother, Mrs. Sen and her three daughters, Rita, Tina, and Dipsy who were unwillingly transplanted from Calcutta to a small pre-industrial north Indian town in the 1970s, by the now deceased Brigadier Sen. Tony, the son, is viewed by the mother as the heir. There is a nanny, Doris, who was a de facto mother of the Sen children, and subsequently serves as the underpaid servant. She is also a catalyst in helping Rita develop empathy for others and come closer to a fellow teacher and union organizer Mr. Bose. 

Rita’s main objective at the beginning of the story is to return to Calcutta from this provincial small town and to marry someone within her class like her father. Gradually, as she gets close to Bose, she learns to think outside the confines of her family and to care for those less fortunate. As she navigates, several challenges she realizes that the real value of a man is not the outer trappings but an inner core which stands for something greater than one’s own comfort. One crisis takes place when Bose is beaten by the police during a peaceful election rally with the bidi workers and Rita is compelled to shield and nurse him. During another confrontation, Bose is attacked at the behest of the Bidi mafia boss and Rita has to shield him from the corrupt administration that rules this pre-industrial town. The subtext of the story reflects the evolution of a western centric colonial India to an indigenous, messy, post-colonial world.

Writer Statement

I chose to write the script, "Three Sisters" because I lived through this era of great tumult in Indian society in the 1970s. The post-colonial western centric political elite was facing pressures from a more indigenous elite which was often less educated and caring of how the world viewed the country. Expectations for Indian women were also rapidly changing. From being glorified as Goddesses and abused at home, women were now demanding their own political and economic space. Despite having a female prime minister, India at this point in history was an extremely traditional society. Women were expected to carry on traditions which were often detrimental to their wellbeing.

 

I wanted the readers to experience the journey of one Indian family who lived through this turbulent era. The story centers on the journey of the eldest daughter, Rita who initially shares the prejudices and regressive views of her mother but moves to a more enlightened viewpoint as the story progresses. It is essentially a story of a woman who finds the inner strength to work towards changing society and not just ensuring her own security.

This story mirrors the life of women during the 1960s and 70s across the globe as they journeyed from a position of being controlled and seen as objects to later being viewed as equal partners in society. The story is, therefore, relevant across communities and allows the viewer to experience one period of Indian history. It also shines the spotlight on women as they struggled to obtain equal rights within their families and in society.