This film turned the term into a viral search topic. Suddenly, drawing rooms in Behala and Salt Lake were debating whether Malini was a feminist icon or a villain.

Contemporary directors like and Aparna Sen were pioneers in deconstructing the traditional family unit.

For decades, Bengali cinema—particularly the mainstream output of Tollywood (Kolkata)—has been synonymous with a certain kind of love. Think of the Uttam-Suchitra era: shy glances under umbrellas, letters lost in the rain, and a love so pure it could survive poverty, family vendettas, and amnesia, but never a third person. The traditional Bangla romance was built on the bedrock of ekanta monogamy (absolute fidelity).

A significant pushback exists. Many traditionalists argue that labeling "open relationships" as a is dangerous. They claim that Tollywood is confusing "consensual non-monogamy" with simple promiscuity.