Sampurna is a drama TV series directed by Sayantan Ghosal and stars Sohini Sarkar, Rajnandini Paul, Anubhav Kanjilal, Prantik Banerjee, Laboni Sarkar and Rajat Ganguly, alongside other cast members. The series has 6 episodes, each with a runtime of around 25 minutes.
Hoichoi describes the series as:
Does marriage mean the end of a woman’s rights over her own body? As Sampurna raises her voice against the abuse Nandini’s husband inflicts on her, her family and the law of society become the biggest obstacles in her quest for justice.
– Sampurna Review Does Not Contain Spoilers –
The series starts off with what lies in wait for our protagonist Sampurna and leaves a question regarding the choices she’ll have to make before jumping straight into the good parts – the sweetness of love and marriage and the anxiety of a good life together. During these moments, you wouldn’t think anything could go wrong, but it goes so wrong!
As newly-wedded Nandini walks into the house, her relationship with Sampurna gets defined with every step the young bride takes into the house. Thus, as the atrocity starts, you see a power couple forming between the sisters-in-law.
We all need someone like the Sampurna in our lives – her character is a symbol of trust in her family but more so for Nandini. You want her to see Nandini’s pain from the first moment, the red flags that pop up left, right and centre. the older daughter-in-law’s character, of course, isn’t without flaws; you see her not thinking about herself and her needs and wants as the series starts. These moments make her human. Thus, when she goes through an arc of her own, you root for her.
The series has a very gripping plot – you are hooked on Nandini and Sampurna’s struggles and root for them vehemently. The plot paints a picture of the household filled with a bunch of people who would rather hide behind fake pleasantries than try to make the situation better. It’s nothing new in our cultures, isn’t it? Yes, I know, things are getting better and all that. But, we know the reality of these situations.
The various set pieces of the series make it real and relatable – you won’t be able to help yourself but feel scared for and angry on behalf of Nandini. This relatability factor for the seemingly everyday characters makes the show such a gripping watch. You don’t watch it just like that – you are transported to their lives.
Of course, as it goes with a subject matter such as this, it’s not a fun watch. It’s not supposed to be. It’s difficult, uncomfortable and very shocking. Reality seldom is roses and sunflowers. Thus, if you’re not in the mood for something extremely heavy, probably revisit later. However, I think it is important to look into the subject matter like this – we never really know our most close ones, and the series makes that very evident. I must say, though, Hoichoi’s Sampurna‘s ending is rather dramatic and feels a bit much with the emotion dump, but as the show reaches its last minute, it leaves you feeling satisfied, although it ends on a cliffhanger.
Sohini Sarkar and Rajnandini Paul take this story forward and are the tiny rays of hope in this rather bleak affair. Their relationship is almost jealousy-inducing, and you almost want an older sister just like Sarkar’s character, thanks to how she tackles the horrible situation head-on. Rajnandini’s quiet demeanour in a new household, where a lot goes ignored, feels genuine and makes you want to reach out and hug her. On the other hand, Anubhav Kanjilal is also great, and you’d love to hate him.
Summing Up: Sampurna
The 6-episode series is a gripping watch. Marital rape is such a difficult subject matter that Indians don’t really believe it to be an issue or a probability and would rather keep it under wraps than help innocent victims stay alive. Our cultures and our reputations in society are much more important than a young woman’s comfort, privacy and health – Sampurna might just make you introspect a little.
Hoichoi’s Sampurna is streaming now.
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