In the southern Indian state of Kerala, a region often regarded as a global leader in literacy and healthcare, dowry-related violence still persists. Despite legislation banning dowry, young women and their families continue to face the consequences of this entrenched tradition. This documentary investigates how dowry demands and domestic violence claim lives and foster fear of marriage among Kerala’s women.
Featuring heartbreaking accounts from a family who lost their daughter to dowry, the film brings to light the deep trauma that these incidents inflict on entire communities. It explores how the coverage of such cases in the news media creates an atmosphere of apprehension, particularly among young women nearing marriageable age.
The documentary portrays the emotional and psychological toll, underlining the urgent need for societal change.
Fear in silence was produced by Ayshath Libana as her final year journalism project in 2024.
