True Story Behind Rani Mukerji’s Mrs. Chatterjee Vs Norway That Shook The Nation

The trailer of Mrs. Chatterjee Vs Norway was released on Thursday. The movie by Ashima Chibber is all set to release on March 17, 2023. The Rani Mukerji starrer new movie’s trailer was loved by all. Rani’s acting was showered with appreciation. The movie highlighted a decade-old case that an Indian couple fought in Norway. The couple had to go through a lot to get back the custody of their two children. Mrs. Chatterjee Vs Norway real story is shocking and grueling.

The film is based on the true story of an Indian couple’s fight for custody of their two children. The ordeal started 11 years ago.

The child-rearing strict policies of Norway got the entire world stunned when the case came to the light. It also followed a diplomatic row between India and Norway. Everything started when the child of the Indian couple Anurup and Sagarika Bhattacharya’s two children were taken into custody by the child welfare authority of Norway.

Let’s take a look back at the case that shocked the entire world before the film hits the theatres.

Here is everything about the real story behind Mrs. Chatterjee Vs Norway

In 2008, an Indian couple in Norway, Anurup Bhattacharya and Sagarika had a son Abhigyan. Their kid began to show “autism-like” symptoms. According to reports, their son displayed behaviors such as banging his head on the ground due to frustration, facing difficulty in communicating, and not making eye contact.

Meanwhile, not long after their first child, the couple had another kid, a daughter whom they named Aishwarya. A team from the Child Welfare Services (CWS) showed up at Sagarika’s house in November 2010 after “receiving disquieting alerts about Abhigyan and his relationship with his mother”. To follow up, members of the team started visiting their home frequently.

Sagarika recounts that,

“the lady officer from the agency would often come to observe us. She would be there at any odd time, while I was cooking or feeding my baby. She just used to sit and keep looking at me”

In May 2011, one day when Sagarika had left her son in kindergarten and was at a meeting with the social worker at home, there was an argument between the two.

One of the daycare workers took baby Aishwarya out. Giving the reason they are taking the baby for a walk till the situation cooled down. After some time, the care workers informed the parents that their children are in CWS custody.

Norway’s child welfare service also called Barnevarne took custody of Anurup and Sagarika’s children. Sagarika’s emotional outburst at the police station two days later made things worst for them. They placed them under foster care in 2011.

The couple had to involve the Indian government to get hold of their children. The case took two long years. After two years the children could unite with their parents in around April 2012.

Reuniting with her children, Sagarika said,

“I am overwhelmed… as I am able to kiss them and hold them in my lap after one full year. I can’t express myself.”

What actually happened with Mr. and Mrs. Bhattacharya?

In 2007, the Indian couple Anurup Bhattacharya and Sagarika Bhattacharya moved to Norway. Soon after they shifted, they had their first child, a boy named Avigyan. The following year they had a baby girl Aishwarya. As Avigyan reportedly developed ‘autism-like’ symptoms, he was placed in a family kindergarten near the family’s home.

In May 2011, the authorities seized away the couple’s children citing the reason as bad parenting. Sagarika used to hand-feed the baby which is very common in India, but in Norway, the Child Welfare Committee equated it to force-feeding.

They raised objection to it. They also raised the issue that children are not supposed to sleep with their parents. The CWS observed that the children are sleeping on the same bed as their parents, which is very common in Indian households. They objected to it.

Charges against the parents also included a slap by the mother, Sagarika Bhattacharya, just once. They also charged that the children did not have enough room to play. They were also accused of providing “unsuitable” clothes and toys to their children.

Norway’s Child Welfare Services (CWS) – Barnevernet

It is commonly known as Barnevernet in Norway. It is a public organization responsible for child protection in the country. The organization imposes strict regulations for all citizens living in the country. It is extremely strict about child protection and charge irrespective of the parent’s cultural background. A mild slap to a child from their parents is also considered to be illegal.

The duty of the Child Welfare Services is to implement measures for children and their families when special needs are required in accordance with the home environment. They assist by counseling, providing advisory services, and providing measures like external support contacts, access to daycare, and relief measures in the home.

In the case of the Indian family, they were provided with counseling, which the couple claimed to have followed.

The Diplomatic row between India and Norway

The parents sought aid from the foreign ministry to intervene in the case. The Government of India severely condemned The Child welfare service of Norway for taking the children away from their parents.

Berit Aarset, who heads Human Rights Alert, Norway, termed the incident “state kidnapping”. She said,

“This is not the first time such a thing is happening in Norway …the legal system favours the Child Welfare Services and they do what they want all the time… quite often when a Norwegian is married to a non-Norwegian they also do the same thing; they also do this to asylum seekers and in almost every case they say one of the parents has a mental problem just to make their case strong …that is what has happened in [this] case too.”

A diplomatic row followed between the two countries. Finally, the Norwegian authorities decided to award the custody of both children to their father’s brother. This enabled the family to bring them back to India.

By then Sagarika and Anurup’s marriage went through a rough patch and they separated

The mother Sagarika had to go through another legal battle, this time in India, to win custody of her children. She disclosed that her husband and her in-laws had falsely accused her of being mentally unstable. Hence, incapable to take care of the two children.

After such a disturbing journey, Sagarika Chakraborty was granted custody of her children by the court in 2013. As per the sources, she now lives in Kolkata, India with her children. The mother and the children spend a quiet and private life in the city.

In the movie, Mrs. Chatterjee Vs Norway, Rani Mukerji will play the lead

The real story of Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway is shocking isn’t it? Ashima Chibber’s film features Rani Mukerji as Mrs. Chatterjee, the lead. She is going to play the part of the mother who fought for their children, Sagarika Chakraborty. The film also features Anirban Bhattacharya, Jim Sarbh, and Neena Gupta in fundamental roles.

While talking about Mrs. Chatterjee vs Noway, producer Nikkhil Advani said that it is a huge responsibility to bring Rani Mukerji back on the big screen in a new avatar. He said,

“It is a matter of pride and responsibility with which we have made our film and are delighted to bring the inimitable Rani Mukerji to our audiences”

Speaking on the role of playing Sagarika, Rani Mukerji said that of her 25-year-long career, this is

 “one of the most significant films”

Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway trailer looks promising and it will be released in theatres on March 17.

Watch Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway trailer below