Rani Mukerji's 'Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway' released in theatres on March 17 and it promises to be one emotional rollercoaster, sure to make even the strongest hearts weep.
The film tells the tale of a mother who wages a war against an entire country to win back the custody of her children.
'Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway' is inspired by true events, and indeed, it is the story of real-life Indian couple Sagarika Bhattacharya and Anurup Bhattacharya.
Real story behind 'Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway'
Sagarika and Anurup had migrated to Norway where they lived with their two kids Abhigyan (then 3) and Aishwarya (1). It was back in 2011 when the Norwegian Child Welfare Services landed at the couple's doorstep and decided to take their kids away from them.
It all started when Sagarika had allegedly slapped her son over some mischief and the CWS then received an anonymous tip-off about the same.
For the unversed, Norway has some of the strictest rules in the world for child protection, which also labels slapping your kid as "illegal", irrespective of the cultural differences.
Post the tip-off, the CWS officials issued a warning and would often visit the couple's household to observe Sagarika and her behaviour with the kids while Anurup was off to work.
When Norway CWS raised objections over Sagarika's upbringing methods
During those visits, the officials frowned upon the fact that Abhigyan slept on the same bed with his parents, that Sagarika fed with the kids with her own hands, which was termed as 'forceful feeding', and that the couple provided unsuitable clothes and toys to their kids.
They then decided to take away the kids from the couple and admit them to a foster care system, while also forbidding the parents to meet their children until they turned 18. And thus began the fight of Sagarika with the entire child welfare system of Norway.
After a diplomatic row between India and Norway, the custody of the kids was finally transferred to Anurup's brother, who was then allowed to get them back home.
Sagarika's separation from Anurup
However, the entire ordeal took a toll on Sagarika and Anurup's marriage, and the two decided to part ways.
It was in 2013 that Sagarika finally won yet another legal battle for the custody of her kids, this time against her estranged husband. The Calcutta High Court awarded the custody of Abhigyan and Aishwarya to Sagarika in January 2013.
About Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway
Rani Mukerji returned to the silver screens after a couple of years with 'Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway'. She stepped into the shoes of Sagarika, while Anurup's character has been played by Anirban Bhattacharya.
Besides, the film also stars Jim Sarbh and Neena Gupta in key roles.
