Not Happily Ever After: 10 Original Shows That Narrated The Tales Of Troubled Marriages

A good story of romance is not that easy to draft. While the swoony, sweeping gesture of love is too cliched, the so-called ‘forever’ formula has been very typical. However, the sub-genre of romance which revolves around stories of relationship in crisis has been quite noteworthy, real, and impressive. And in most of these shows or movies ‘a marriage story’ is in the spotlight. Similarly, essaying a very realistic side of marriage, ZEE5 has a variety of interesting shows and movies.

The troubled marriages in movies and shows can bring in some great performances and moments of an uncomfortable reality. These stories are just the right mix of drama, passion, and flaws. While some of these stories portrayed the trauma of living with abusive partners, the others revolved around insecurities in love. And all of these stories are impeccable on their own terms.

So, here’s taking a look at some ZEE5 movies and shows that had troubled marriages in focus.

Black Widows

Birsa Dasgupta’s Black Widows is as dark as it gets. The story revolves around three housewives Veera, Jayati, and Kavita who deal with the trauma of their abusive marriage. The show is slow-paced at the beginning giving the viewers an in-depth insight into the psychology of women dealing with abusive husbands.

However, the most interesting part of Black Widows is when the trio decides to get rid of their troubled marriages. To do so, they hatch a plan to murder their husbands and the show further follows how they try to escape from the law. Unfolding more like a revenge saga, Black Widows has a quite dark and at times real approach towards troubled marriages.

Forbidden Love – The Arranged Marriage

In The Arranged Marriage, the story revolves around a gay couple Dev and Neel who struggle to keep their relationship alive. While Dev is quite bold and brave, Neel prefers to keep their relationship a secret. Eventually, Neel ends up marrying Keya and chaos ensues. In the beginning, Keya fails to understand the reasons behind her colourless relationship with her husband. 

However, the romantic drama takes a thrilling turn when Keya learns about Neel’s “forbidden” relationship. The ending of this segment will leave you with an unexpected surprise.

The Married Woman

Astha is a dutiful wife and a doting mother who leads a peaceful life with her husband Hemant. Her life takes a turn for good when she meets Peeplika, an artist who helps her mirror her self-worth. Astha soon realizes that her marriage always revolved around her self-centred husband Hemant. She embarks on the journey of self-discovery while battling her inner chaos. The show essays the transformation of a dutiful wife to a bold woman.

Here, the marriage story depicts a husband and his beliefs on the role of women in society. And that’s what leads to trouble.

Expiry Date

Through its gripping plotline, Expiry Date portrays the story of a young couple Vishwa and Disha who lead a happily forever life. But soon their marriage runs out of flavour with Disha cheating on her husband. The lovey-dovey story morphs into a murder saga as Vishwa kills his wife and files a missing complaint of hers.

However, Vishwa’s life turns topsy-turvy when he finds himself deep in the world of crime. New secrets get revealed and the story of run and chase begins. A troubled relationship fuels this romantic thriller.

Forbidden Love – Anamika

After being involved in the routine of her flavourless marriage for eight years, Anamika falls in love with a young guy Ishaan. This new love of hers and their relationship comes up as a second chance for her. And as the story paces further, we vibe over the charming chemistry of Anamika and Ishaan. But a tragic series of events gives Anamika a reality check.

Anamika’s life story gives us an insight into a routine-like marriage which she deals with. Her daily life involves taking care of her children, looking after her aged father-in-law, etc.

Dark 7 White

In this political thriller, Yudhveer Singh is the anti-hero driven by a sense of power. After a series of amorous affairs, Yudhveer gets married to Daisy to accomplish his political dreams. And problems in their married life arise after Daisy gets aware of Yudi’s real intentions. Though the show did not primarily revolve around a troubled marriage, it gave us an overview of an absurd relationship.

The Verdict

Based on a true story, the plot of The Verdict is fueled upon a troubled marriage. The show revolves around the story of Nanavati who surrenders to the police after murdering a Sindhi businessman. The series further unfolds as the secrets of his wife’s affair with the businessman come to the light. From anger, loneliness to the desire for love, the show captures everything beautifully through Sylvia’s character. The relationship between Nanavati and Sylvia is the core of this show.

The Chargesheet

The show revolves around a murder mystery of a National level table tennis player Shiraz Malik. Unfolding as a whodunnit, this episodic saga is blended with many twists and turns. And one such surprise plotline is the romantic triangle that resurfaces. It essays the extramarital affair between the tennis player’s wife Antara and a powerful politician Ranveer Pratap Singh.

The affair begins after Antara’s “not-so-happy” married life with Shiraz. Her husband treats her with respect in front of the public and media but their relationship is contrary in real life. This leads to chaos.

Kehne Ko Humsafar Hain

Just as the title explains, the story of Kehne Ko Humsafar Hain revolves around a marriage that loses its shine after a specific time. The show essays the story of Rohit, who walks out of his married life after he falls in love with a girl named Ananya. While the tales of infidelity are always looked upon as “unethical”, this romantic drama will give you an interesting perspective. Kehne Ko Humsafar Hain goes beyond the usual principles of TV storytelling.

The marriage story of Rohit and Poonam is quite interesting and very real. It perfectly captures all the nuances of a long-ranging marriage.

Karrle Tu Bhi Mohabbat

Karrle Tu Bhi Mohabbat revolves around the love life of an alcoholic actor Karan Khanna and a dutiful doctor Tripurasundari. Citing the similarities they share and after finding solace within each other, the couple decides to get married. However, just like every relationship, Karan and Tipsy too deal with each others’ flaws which start off as mere problems but soon seem unbearable. This leads to their problematic married life. The relationship between Karana and Tipsy is sweet and relatable.

So, that was the list of some interesting dramas revolving around ‘relationship-in-crisis.

Meanwhile, stay tuned to ZEE5 for more interesting content and stories.