Has anyone ever asked Indian women what makes them happy?

How many times have we seen our mothers serve us dinner, making sure everyone has a dish of their choice on the menu, garam rotis and happy tummies, before they sit down to eat themselves? Waking up early to pack everyone’s lunch dabbas and usher the kids through their morning routines, all before they get ready for office.

Self-sacrificing, multi-tasking women are celebrated as superwomen who can do it all. Rarely are they asked the important questions: What makes them happy, beyond playing the roles of wife, mother, employee, and more in everyone else’s lives?

Pushpa is not one to shy away from defying society’s expectations. The protagonist of Sony SAB’s acclaimed show Pushpa Impossible, played by Karuna Pandey, is a strong-willed single mother who never minces her words when it comes to doing what’s best for her children while also prioritising her own goals.

On TV screens nationwide, Pushpa has taken the message that women can (and must) put themselves and their happiness first – for a change. We saw this single mother of three return to school at 42 to complete her education, pursue her dream, and open a business. She is paying little mind to log kya kahenge.

This comes with its fair share of challenges since society isn’t always kind to women who want to play by their own rules. Yet, Pushpa has her allies. While stories of fraught relations between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law dominate TV screens, Pushpa never saw her daughter-in-law, Dipti, as competition. Rather, they became trusted partners, supporting each other in their endeavours.

Even with all the challenges life threw her way, Pushpa wasn’t one to back down, staring down her new challenge of venturing into the Patola sari business. It’s a male-dominated field where the art form is passed down from generation to generation by male family members.

She decides to pursue her passion by starting her business, supporting local workers involved in the craft to give back while doing what truly brings her joy. Pushpa is determined to take control of her identity and sense of self rather than let it be defined by her relationships – mother, mother-in-law, and daughter.

Pushpa is fictitious, but her story is real for countless women nationwide who have fought tooth and nail to build their dreams. In a society that deifies women’s sacrifices, thousands like Pushpa make the empowering (and often scary) choice to prioritise their happiness. Putting their needs on the same table as everyone else’s in the family. After all, how can you pour from an empty cup? Pushpa Impossible is on Sony SAB Monday to Saturday at 9:30 PM.