Anandi Gopal is a Marathi film, starring Lalit Prabhakar and Bhagyashree Milind. The film tells the story of Anandi Gopal Joshi, who was one of India’s first women doctors. The Sameer Vidwans is filled with several heartwarming and powerful scenes starting with this one where Gopal comforts Anandi. A widower, he remarries again but his condition to do the same is that his partner would pursue studies and enter the field of medicine. Enter Anandi, who is 20 years younger to him.

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She is terrified of Gopal, who can be aggressive and mean. In this scene, Anandi and Gopal get married and the latter brings her home. On their first night, she breaks down and tells him that he can “do whatever he wishes to do, to her.” Gopal is taken aback with Anandi’s innocence and says that he will do nothing. He hugs her and puts her back to sleep. This scene is touching as you get to see Gopal’s soft and compassionate side.

Gopal loses his father and he and Anandi shift out of the city. The two live with Gopal’s mother and he notices that instead of studying, Anandi spends most of her time completing household chores. Gopal speaks with his mother and requests her to handle all work in the kitchen. She says she can’t do it as according to tradition, widows aren’t supposed to do certain chores. Gopal adds that they need not give into tradition and can bend the rules if they really wish to.

This scene is influential as it highlights Gopal’s broadminded thinking.

Anandi gives birth to a baby boy and soon gets busy fulfilling her motherly duties. But her happiness is short lived as her newborn becomes a victim of crib death. She loses her son to an illness she isn’t aware of. The lack of awareness gets to Anandi and she decides to become a doctor, with an intention to make sure no one goes through the pain that she has undergone.

This scene is powerful as you can see Anandi’s hurt as well as determination and fire to bring about a change.

Anandi’s English is weak and Gopal goes out of his way to make sure she learns the language. He enrolls her in a university abroad and Anandi is asked to speak on Christopher Columbus, during a lecture. She stuns everyone with her impeccable English and proves that if there’s a will, there’s a way.

A few inmates from Gopal’s village complain about his rebellious ways. They tell him that by allowing his wife to pursue medicine instead of doing housework, he is setting a wrong example for other women. Gopal is asked to adhere to tradition and norms of society. To this he says that if regressive thinking and narrow-mindedness are a part of the society, he wishes to be apart from it.

Going against the norms is not easy and yet, Gopal does the same, fearlessly. Watch the film above and tell us which of these scenes is your favourite. For more entertainment, check out the collection of all the Marathi TV Shows on ZEE5 here.