A Pregnant Widow

A Pregnant Widow tells the heart-wrenching story of Ambika, a young pregnant woman from a marginalized caste in Kerala. Her husband, Shibu, a village officer, had fought against all odds to secure a prestigious government job—an achievement rare in their community. But the relentless caste-based discrimination he faced at the workplace pushed him beyond endurance, ultimately leading to his tragic suicide. His dream of building a home for his family remained unfulfilled.
Left alone and expecting a child, Ambika is urged by a few sympathetic well-wishers to apply for a government job under Kerala’s compassionate appointment scheme. The process forces her to travel from Palakkad to Thiruvananthapuram, where she faces the same systemic apathy and caste-based prejudice that haunted her husband. Harassed, humiliated, and made to return repeatedly with no help or money, she reaches a breaking point.
Even trans persons intervene to protect her from predators. In a moment of resolve, Ambika confronts the indifferent bureaucracy with fierce determination, forcing them to take notice.
But systemic change is elusive. Months pass. Her baby is now several months old, and Ambika still toils in the fields to survive. Government letters continue to arrive—each demanding more documents. In frustration, she casts them away into the rain.