The Gender Divide in Domestic Labor: Insights from Bollywood and Government Data

The Bollywood film 'Mrs' reveals the enduring reality of women's unpaid domestic work in India, resonating with findings from the latest government Time Use Survey, which shows women performing more than double the unpaid labor compared to men. Despite small shifts towards paid employment, the burden of domestic responsibilities remains heavy.

The release of the Bollywood film 'Mrs' has reopened critical discussions about gender roles in Indian households, highlighting the persistent struggle faced by women. The film, which tells the story of a woman married to a gynaecologist who becomes engulfed in family duties, demonstrates a sad reality: even in educated families, unpaid domestic tasks are still primarily women's responsibility. While the film has garnered attention and criticism—particularly from men's rights groups—it closely mirrors findings from a recent government report.

According to the latest Time Use Survey (TUS), Indian women dedicate over seven hours a day to unpaid domestic and caregiving tasks, compared to men who spend significantly less time. Specifically, the survey shows that women engage in 289 minutes of unpaid domestic work and 137 minutes in caregiving, while men are reported to spend only 88 and 75 minutes respectively. The disparity is alarming, especially in light of ongoing government campaigns aimed at promoting gender equality.

The TUS tracks how individuals aged six to 59 spend their time, revealing that despite a slight decrease of 10 minutes in unpaid domestic work for women, they still engage in more unpaid activities than men. Additionally, women's employment rates have risen marginally over the years, yet this shift may be offset by the economic distress forcing them to juggle multiple roles. According to professors and economists, the increase in the Female Labour Force Participation Rate (FLFPR) from 23% in 2017-2018 to 37% in 2022-2023 does not reflect a significant upward trend in employment opportunities so much as an urgent necessity for women to support family incomes.

The TUS data reveals that globally, women spend approximately 2.8 hours more on domestic labor compared to men. In India, however, this figure leaps to a staggering four hours, emphasizing the severe impact of deep-rooted patriarchal norms that dictate women's roles, even among the educated elite.

Despite the film's intention to catalyze societal change, it faced criticisms as well. Men's rights advocates accused 'Mrs' of promoting negativity towards traditional family structures. Comedian Kajol Srinivasan commented on how personal experiences illustrate the imbalance of power in household tasks, stressing that the societal reinforcement of these roles limits women's recognition and chances for empowerment.

As echoed by social commentators, the journey toward gender equality in domestic responsibilities is far from over. Gender stereotypes continue to shape women's experiences, suggesting that meaningful change will take time. Yet, narratives like 'Mrs' are essential in igniting conversations about the questions many prefer to sidestep: namely, who is really responsible for the domestic work?