‘Gehraiyaan’ is a Hindi romantic drama movie on Amazon Prime. Directed by Shakun Batra, it follows the relationship between Tia and her cousin Alisha that gets complicated due to her fiancé Zain. Unhappy with her boyfriend Karan, Alisha finds solace in Zain and they get involved in a secret affair. As the flame of their passion gets ignited, it soon threatens to burn their happiness as well as those around them.
A troubled Alisha finds herself in a dilemma whether to pursue her love for Zain or save Tia from getting hurt. ‘Gehraiyaan’ skilfully explores the many layers of adult relationships and the emotions that lie underneath them. It further makes the audience ponder over the fragile line between desire and immorality and generates curiosity about the meaning of the intriguing title. Without much delay, here is the answer to everyone’s question. SPOILERS AHEAD.
What is the Significance of the Gehraiyaan Title?
“Gehraiyaan” is a Hindi word that translates to depths, a concept that is beautifully justified in the movie. It dives deep under the surface of love and depicts the complexities of lust, longing, and family secrets by referring to the ocean. The waves are a major symbol in the movie that signifies Alisha and Zain colliding yet not meeting as they drown deep in their forbidden passions. Furthermore, she grapples with her mother’s suicide which causes a deep impact on her perception of intimacy. Hence she fears to feel trapped in a meaningless relationship with her boyfriend Karan.
On the other hand, Tia and Zain share a relatively shallow relationship based on his need for the financial aid she provides. He rather feels more emotionally connected to Alisha, with whom he is comfortable sharing his dreams and past traumas. However, soon their secret affair becomes turbulent when he is torn between choosing between his love for her and the desperation to save his career with Tia’s help. The hunger for preserving his ambition finally consumes him and he decides to sacrifice Alisha to achieve what he wants.
When Zain tries to kill Alisha, a scuffle ensues resulting in him falling and drowning in the very depths of the ocean that once symbolized their love. Meanwhile, Tia and Alisha share a bittersweet relationship as cousins who grew up together, and the latter is consumed with the guilt of betraying the other’s trust by getting involved with her fiancé. This guilt becomes worse when Alisha is accidentally involved in Zain’s death and tries to hide her actions. However, things take a pivotal turn when Tia discloses that her father had an affair with Alisha’s mother, thus making them biological sisters.
Alisha who always blamed her father for her mother’s death is hit with the revelation that she killed herself out of guilt and not her husband’s actions. She feels horrible thinking that she has ended up being just like her mother, but her father helps her in forgiving herself and her mother’s decisions. As time passes, Alisha bumps into Tia again and aims at letting go of her past but is still haunted by her demons. This indicates that previous karma is not so easy to get rid of and often immerses a person in the depths of remorse and fear.
Alisha, Zain, Tia, and Karan all are connected by the secrets they hide, that unfold to serve them the fruits of their actions. Thus, ‘Gehraiyaan’ represents the intricacies of human emotions and how the inability to maintain a balance between past secrets and present situations can cause severe repercussions. Lastly, it implies that in order to seek redemption from one’s burdens, they must introspect deep within themselves and face their hidden selves.
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