Bahnishikha Das: Binddii traces the journey of a girl born in prison who dreams of freedom

It takes a team to bring a show to life, from writers and directors to casting and technicians. Writing often becomes the backbone of the narrative. Bahnishikha Das, the creative mind behind Binddii, has been part of the project since its inception, working on everything from development to recce. Interestingly, she first approached the channel as a producer before taking on the role of writer. Recalling how it began, she says, “I had gone to the channel to pitch one of my stories as a producer. During the discussion, they mentioned a show they were planning and asked if I would like to develop it. I grabbed the opportunity and got involved in setting it up, creating its premise, rooting it in the flavour of Mathura, and connecting the protagonist Binddii’s birth in jail with Lord Krishna’s birth in prison.” For Bahnishikha, the journey has been personally meaningful. “I have been involved from the very beginning, from naming the protagonist Binddii to conducting research by visiting Mathura jail and NGOs in Mathura with the producers and channel team. Developing the show has been a special experience.” On the thought behind the title, she explains, “Binddii is not just a name but a concept. I chose it because the protagonist is meant to bring calmness to the lives she touches, much like how the bindi on our forehead was originally believed to bring calmness. Her mother, Kajal, is also named to carry that connection, as Binddii is a part of her mother, a ‘kajal se bani hui Binddii.’” At its heart, Binddii is a mother-daughter story. Bahnishikha sums it up, saying, “It is about a girl born inside Tihar jail who steps into the outside world with nothing but innocence and a dream to free her mother and live with her.”