“Times have changed, but one thing has not changed: the nature of husbands.”
These are the narrator’s words at the beginning Pati Patni Aur Woh Dothe spiritual successor to 2019’s Pati Patni Aur Woh. The first part gave viewers a glimpse into the ‘innocent’ frustrations of a husband portrayed by Karthik Aryan. However, both films were preceded by the Sanjeev Kumar-starrer of the same name in 1978. The film followed the story of an unfaithful husband and set in motion on-screen acceptance of male infidelity as long as it was couched in humor.
A scene from “Pati Patni Aur Woh” from 1978. Photo credit: BR Films via IMDb
There have been many such stories over the past four decades, focusing on the same narrative: lonely married men and their decision to “share” their love. Films using this trope avoid portraying it as an ethical issue, instead portraying it as a situational inevitability. The husband is rarely described as someone who makes a conscious decision; Instead, the plot aims to deprive him of his freedom of choice, generate sympathy for him and ultimately reinterpret responsibility as victimhood. The husband becomes a man “caught between” women, “trapped” by circumstances, and “torn” between desire and domesticity.
Make cheating palatable
The above narrative is evident not only in the films themselves but also through their paratexts: trailers, posters, OTT descriptions, interviews and other promotional materials. The films are almost always described as “offbeat,” “chaotic,” “weird,” “humorous,” or a “comedy of errors.” The language surrounding them almost entirely avoids the words “cheating” or “treason.” Even though there is no cheating in Pati Patni Aur Woh Do, the “comedy” is based on the false assumption that the protagonist is unfaithful and ultimately makes cheating seem more palatable through its tone and treatment of the subject.
YouTubers and streaming platforms use words like “a miserable married life” or “saddled with three wives” to talk about the unfaithful husband. Infidelity is then woven into the plot as “turmoil”, “confusion”, “temptation”, “thrill” or as the result of a “boring marriage”.
Not only do the descriptors and descriptions act as a draw for the audience, but the emotional and moral weight of the infidelity is also tempered before the audience begins to watch.
For example, the synopsis of Pati Patni Aur Woh (1978) on a streaming platform describes the “other woman” as the storm that enters the male lead’s life. Similarly, the synopsis of the film Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon (which also features a cheating husband) on another platform reads: “Bhalu acquires three wives.” It’s actually all his mother’s fault. She told him never to break a woman’s heart or home.’ Not only do the descriptors and descriptions act as a draw for the audience, but the emotional and moral weight of the infidelity is also tempered before the audience begins to watch.
External crises that overshadow infidelity
In these films, the man’s infidelity is often accompanied by a larger external crisis: blackmail, mistaken identities, “accidental” bigamy, ghosts, death, murder, or similar situations. This larger conflict becomes a distraction designed to minimize deceit and betrayal.
A poster of Pati Patni Aur Woh Do. Image Credit: T-Series Films/BR Studios
By the time the woman learns of the affair or the possibility of an affair, the narrative has already shifted its focus, and now it is “the problem” that requires greater attention. This issue also serves as a moment of bonding and reconnection for the couple.
In the climax, the husband is often forced to confess, but this scene focuses too much on the circumstances that lead him to cheat rather than the pain suffered by the wife or partner(s). He carefully structures his explanation around inevitability, loneliness, sexual deprivation, emotional neglect, temptation, thrill, boredom, or confusion, or simply declares that he is “a man.” The logic is that it happened “unintentionally,” so it can’t fully be considered a betrayal.
The caricaturization of women
For stories where infidelity is disguised as comedy, a “happy ending” is a must. Therefore reconciliation is necessary. First, wives are often described as extremely accommodating figures, willing to preserve the marriage at all costs. Their “unconditional love” never makes them think that separation is an option, even if they are financially independent.
In some cases, they are also held to be partly responsible for the husband’s actions. Their perceived “flaws” of being cocky, emotionally unavailable, boring, too demanding, too conservative, or too controlling are subtly positioned as contributing factors. When the husband cheats, the wife needs to look within.
While wives are portrayed as caricatures with exaggerated flaws, the “other woman” is reduced to a spectacle and a “temptation.” Both women are flattened, allowing the man’s dissatisfaction and confusion to seem emotionally reasonable.
While wives are portrayed as caricatures with exaggerated flaws, the “other woman” is reduced to a spectacle and a “temptation.” Both women are flattened, allowing the man’s dissatisfaction and confusion to seem emotionally reasonable.
These films rely heavily on this binary of what each woman represents. The contrast between the woman and the “other woman” is intentionally exaggerated. The latter takes on a role that represents youthfulness, modernity and sexual expression, which is visually encoded as freedom and thrill. Rarely written with emotional depth, it serves more as an “experience” to fulfill the male lead’s fantasy. The woman symbolizes stability, family and routine, while the “other woman” represents escape, risk and excitement.
A scene from 2019’s ‘Pati Patni Aur Woh’. Image source: T-Series Films/BR Studios
Additionally, the women with whom men cheat are often held to a higher moral standard than the husband who commits the betrayal. The anger is directed at the “other woman” for committing adultery, while the husband’s role becomes negligible and emotionally explicable and therefore forgivable.
Movies about male infidelity also contain layers of misogyny and homophobia disguised as humor. In the trailer of Pati Patni Aur Who Do, an angry patriarch can be seen saying, “Jise kul ka deepak samjhe the who phuljhadi nikla (The one I imagined as a worthy successor turned out to be Phuljhadi).” Phuljhadi, which translates to “sparkler,” is a derogatory term for gay men, especially those considered flamboyant.
The main character, on the other hand, is hypermasculine, and his masculinity is used to justify his cheating by claiming that this is the “nature” of men. Casual jokes about wives, domestic violence, sexual violence or Marital rape Because of the comedic nature of these films, in which any seriousness quickly turns into “humor,” you can glide past them. The constant tonal instability creates confusion about what should be taken seriously and what should just be laughed at.
The “Pati Patni Aur Woh” Universe and Minimizing Fraud
The box office success of this subgenre over these four decades raises the question: Can these films really be considered neutral entertainment?
The Teasers by Pati Patni Aur Woh Do pays homage to the prequels and refers to all three films as “Patiyon ka Universe”. Although the film’s makers insist he doesn’t advocate this cheatThe association and categorization with the prequels themselves conveys a contradiction. And while the film is not about cheating, its tone, its integration into the broader universe of Pati Patni Aur Woh films, and its misogynistic and homophobic humor do not support the argument that it does not at least downplay the seriousness of the cheating.
A scene from 2019’s ‘Pati Patni Aur Woh Do’. Image source: T-Series Films/BR Studios
The continued production of these films shows that they are making a profit and that they remain in demand. This humor survives because it creates comfort, fantasy and lack of consequences. These films written by male authors also cater to the male gaze. The visual language and music further encourage the audience to laugh at the deception.
These films provide a moral framework in which cheating is condemned not because it is unethical, but because it is difficult to deal with without getting caught. This distinction speaks volumes. For now, the cheating or “misunderstood” husband remains the emotional center of these romantic comedies, while the women around him become double images such as wife or seductress.
