Welcome to the circus

Delhi is talking about why it is talking about what it is talking about.

Gudiya is not a Delhi girl. She is Arif's wife. She is Taufeeq's wife too. And Arif and Taufeeq are not Delhi boys. But they are in our boardrooms and bedrooms, courtesy the midwife called TV, labouring 24X7 to deliver premature babies right into your living room. In a country where a substantial percentage of women die at childbirth, Gudiya is dying a thousand deaths, byte by TV byte.

Cast of characters
Gudiya was married to Arif, an Army jawan. Years ago, Arif disappeared in the Valley of Kashmir. The Army termed him a deserter. Family presumed he was dead. Gudiya was married off to Taufeeq last year. She was happily married and pregnant.

Then the news came that Arif was in a Pakistani jail, arrested after he strayed across the border. Gudiya was happy that Arif was alive, but he was also past. She said in no unclear words that she was Taufeeq's wife and there was no question of going back to Arif. She's happily married and pregnant.

Then everything changes
Arif is released by the Pakistanis. He comes home as a hero. Generally the Army doesn't give back jobs to PoWs. Arif gets his. Then Arif wants his wife back, minus the child in her womb.

The panchayat says Arif has the first right over Gudiya. Imams say Shariyat says so. Shariyat says Gudiya is Arif's wife till he divorces her, so her marriage to Taufeeq stands null. Maulvis say Gudiya should have requested a qazi to annul the marriage when Arif was not found.

And in so many people saying it all, Gudiya has no say in her future. The child in her womb has no voice. Gudiya has found a new man. Arif can find a new woman. The child can't find a new mother or a father for that matter.

Hijack drama
Arif was released by Pakistanis, but he won't release the technically-his wife. He has dragged his trophy woman to Delhi. The girl has obscene-looking boom mikes in her face as pretty women ask her questions that include what if the society brands her yet-to-be-born child a bastard.

Arif who spent five years as a PoW in Pakistan is again a PoW, prisoner of channel wars. Zee TV is not letting him and Gudiya out of its studios fearing other channels will get him. Other channels have got Taufeeq, Taufeeq's cousin, Gudiya's mamu, Arif's chacha, Arif's grandfather's son-in-law's distant relative.

It's an entertainment show, and Gudiya doesn't even know.