By Nupur Pavan Bang
Corporate India is making significant strides—women directors have risen from 5% in 2014 to 20% in 2025, and the Female Labor Force Participation Rate surged from 23.3% in 2017–18 to 41.7% in 2023–24 (Press Information Bureau, Government of India, 2023). Despite these promising advances driven by proactive government and institutional initiatives, true gender equality remains an unfulfilled promise. Without a shared commitment from both men and women to challenge traditional norms, progress in the workplace risks remaining isolated from broader societal change. This dual reality sets the stage for our exploration of a Tale of Two Spheres—where impressive professional breakthroughs coexist with enduring traditional expectations at home.
A Tale of Two Spheres
Professionally, women have made remarkable advances globally, including in India. Even as workplaces evolve, the domestic sphere continues to demand an unacknowledged “mental load”—the invisible cognitive labor of managing household tasks, scheduling, caregiving, ritualistic religious demands, and keeping track of endless family needs, forcing many women into a relentless cycle of planning and multitasking that is rarely recognized. This imbalance forces capable women into making excruciating choices: pursue professional advancement while juggling disproportionate domestic duties, or retreat from the workforce entirely.
Even when they remain in the workforce, the persistent gender pay gap ensures that their contributions are systematically undervalued. This reality not only stifles individual potential but also curtails broader societal progress (World Bank, 2021; International Labour Organization, 2020).
Entrenched Patriarchy
Patriarchy—a social system where men wield more power than women based on the belief in male superiority, a notion that has seeped into the mindset of both genders.
It is said that good cinema often mirrors the society. Let us consider the 2020 short film Ghar ki Murgi, featuring Sakshi Tanwar, which delivers a potent commentary on domestic realities. In the film, a housewife longs for a moment of respite—a simple, human desire to reclaim personal time. Yet when she contemplates taking a break, her family immediately calculates the financial cost of her absence, reducing her vital contributions to mere numbers. Ultimately, she decides against taking the break, reasoning that she cannot leave her family because vacations are meant to be shared—a decision that underscores her deeply internalized belief that women are not entitled to self-care or personal fulfillment.
Similarly, the OTT-Zee5 film Mrs., a 2024 Hindi-language drama starring Sanya Malhotra, portrays unyielding domestic expectations. The film shows a world where the men are entitled and even the other women, steeped in patriarchal norms, fail to imagine a life beyond traditional roles like cooking and housekeeping.
But what is bothersome are the discussions that erupted on social media and WhatsApp groups following the release of Mrs. Many men questioned why women should be lauded for performing household chores, dismissing tasks like running a washing machine or making rotis as trivial—completely missing the underlying point. At the same time, some women were quick to blame themselves for not raising their children to break this cycle, worrying that such discussions might upset the equilibrium of society. This duality—of external dismissal and internalized self-blame—lays bare the pervasive influence of patriarchy, one that not only restricts women’s roles but also perpetuates the very beliefs that keep them confined.
A Collective Call for Change
While economic shifts have boosted women’s participation in formal employment, many men remain insulated by traditional roles. This selective inattention perpetuates a domestic environment where change is painfully slow. Genuine progress, therefore, cannot rest on women alone; it demands a collective, inclusive effort.
True gender equality is not a zero-sum game. It is not about elevating one gender at the expense of the other but about creating a society where every individual—regardless of gender—is empowered to realize their full potential. This vision requires a fundamental rebalancing of responsibilities in both public and private spheres. It is about recognizing every contribution, whether paid or unpaid.
For equality to be truly realized, the progress seen in boardrooms must be mirrored at home. Every breakthrough in the public domain must be accompanied by a corresponding shift in domestic life—a transformation that requires the active participation of both men and women.
In the Final Reckoning
As we stand at the crossroads of progress and possibility, let our rallying cry echo from boardrooms to living rooms. Let this be our clarion call—a future where every daughter, every son, every partner, and every individual can dream freely, work equitably, and live without the weight of outdated norms. When the scales of responsibility and recognition are finally balanced, true freedom and human dignity will flourish. In dismantling these age-old shackles together, we do not simply liberate one gender—we set humanity free.
Nupur Pavan Bang is Director-cum-Dean, Institute of Chartered Accountants of India’s Centre of Excellence, Hyderabad.
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