Ishti Kutum

Despite the hardships, village belle Baha lives and idyllic life. But destiny ties her into a forced marriage, and thus begins the saga of love and betrayals.

The story revolves around the life of an 18 year old Munda speaking tribal love-child Bahamoni Soren from a secluded region called Palashboni in rural West Bengal and her wish to marry a Bengali speaking high caste person from Mukherjee clan. Bahamoni (Baha), who had just completed her 11th standard upon scoring star marks and wants to attend college, is brought up by her mother Konkamoni (Konka) and stepfather Satyakam who is also a tribal activist and leader. Baha and her mother Konka had to face a lot of humiliation from her grandmother, who always yelled at her and Konka.

They were insisted to make 500 baskets out of which 310 was made for the fair. Konka and Dibyo recalled their past when Dibyo came to Polashboni 18 years ago and had an affair with Konkamoni and puts vermillion on her forehead but they were not legally married, but Dibyo eventually leaves Konka as Dibyo was already married to Anushree with a 7-year-old daughter Kamalika/Mun. Rupanjana stays at her paternal home after an argument with her in-laws and was in a trauma after her marriage, as a result she had to return and was unable to adjust with her family.

A famous journalist from the city of Kolkata, Archisman Mukherjee, visits Palashboni to interview Satyakam. Baha and Archi cross paths when Baha carries food for Satyakam and when the food falls down. Archi and Baha become close. One stormy night Baha was forced to spend the night in the Tourist Lodge in Archi's room. The next morning, the villagers decided to kill Archi, but Baha stopped it. Archi was in a difficult situation and to save his life, he was forced to marry Baha.

Archi was having a tough time, thinking that what face he will go to his family. On that day, Baha knew Archi has a fiancée in the city so she promises Archi that she will never talk about this forced ritual. Baha goes to a washroom and removes all the signs of her fake marriage so that nobody knows it. Archi, who has a six-year-long love relationship with Kamalika, refuses to recognize the ceremony and asks Baha to decide what she wants to do. Baha then comes to Kolkata with Archi as a maidservant, but the family members treat her as the daughter of that house. Archi always had a anger on Baha. She commits blunder all the time. One day the family went out for shopping and told her that dacoits are there in the city and takes it seriously. That day Dibyo arrives with sweets and Baha thought him as a dacoit and dragged him out and feeling bored, had sleeping pills and was in a deep sleep when the family arrived. The Mukherjees receive a phone call from Dibyo about Baha. The Mukherjees learn of Baha's qualification and she starts studying there.

On the day of Kamalika's ceremony, Baha searches for her father on knowing that her father stays in Ballygunge. She gets lost in the city and knows Archi's office name 'Pratham Khabar' and goes there with the police and Archi loses his reputation there.

One day, Hiranmoy and Baha go shopping and Baha argues with the shopkeepers and pours jaggery on one of the shopkeepers angrily. Archi and Kamalika get married and Baha stays there. Kamalika goes for excursion with her students and gets stuck in an earthquake and family gets tensed. Baha always made blunders. One day she went to the shop to buy spices and the shopkeeper says her that she would be getting them after his lunch, despite Baha saying that she has no time. Baha steals the spices and goes home. Dibyo visits the Mukherjees and Baha prepares tea with ginger, garlic, milk, onion, spices and tea leaves which turns out a different colour and food. She serves the members and they get shocked on seeing the tea served by Baha. One day, Baha goes to the bus stand to take Sondesh from his bus after his dispersal from school. Baha argues with the Rickshawala and steals the Rickshaw and brings Sondesh home. The Rickshawala is angry on Baha and wants fine for her blunder and the Mukherjees are fed up of Baha's immature behaviour.

Baha comes home one day with fruits and few local boys play cricket and Baha insists them to give some space for her to go home. One of the boys throw Baha's fruits and in anger, she breaks their wicket and runs and the boys follow her towards the Mukherjee house. She was scolded by the Mukherjees as usual. Baha's birthday was celebrated by the Mukherjees and she was missing Konkamoni and Ashapurna gifts her one of her oldest necklace to Baha. Seeing Baha's closeness with his family and especially Kamalika and feeling guity Archi asks Baha to leave. Baha sees Archi's bike lying on the road and grows made her suspicious and informs the police. Police save Archie and Baba leaves for Palashbani without informing the family. Archi and the Mukherjees get worried for Baha but she calles Hiranmoy and tells his she if save and in her village. Growing anxious without Baha, Archi goes to Palashbani to meet her, there he gets bitten by a snake and again Baha saves him by rushing him to the doctor on time. Meanwhile, Kamalika grows restless having not been able to contact Archi and decides to go to her mother's house for a few days. Dibyojyoti visits Palashboni and Archi overhears his conversation with Konkamoni and finds out Baha is Dibyojyoti's daughter and Kamalika's half sister. Eventually Archi confessess to Baha that he has fallen in love with her. Baha asks him to not break Kamalika's heart and asks him to leave for Kolkata while Baha stays at Palashbani. Seeing an unknown number on Archi's phone and sensing his distant and werid behavior, Kamalika decides to call that number and Prakash answers the phone. Kamalika introduces herself as Archi's wife on the phone. Baha admits to Prakash that Archi remarried but asks him to keep this a secret. Baha goes to Kolkata with Prakash and intends to stay in a ladies hostel. While crossing the road, Hiranmoy spots her and asks her to come to the Mukherjee home, but she refuses and says she will stay at the hostel. Archi gets to know this and goes and meets Baha and asks how could she refuse Hiranmoy like this who treated her as his daughter. Archi then convinces Baha to return home. He tries to get close to her, but she tries her best to maintain distance.

Baha and Mithai anxious wait for their exam results. Meanwhile, Hiranmoy and Baha cook Biryani and Baha makes it so spicy that no one could eat it later. Mithai scores 62% with 1st division and Baha scores 89% in her Higher Secondary exams and makes her known ones proud. She goes to Palashbani to collect her result and her news is published in newspaper and shown on TV. Archi and Baha become closer, leading Kamalika doubtful. Baha goes to her college but she gets trolled by her classmates and college mates because of her dressup and behaviour. Kamalika rubs off the vermillion from Baha's forehead but she goes and buys vermillion and fights with a boy of her college who called her bull. Kamalika thinks luckily Baha was not there in her college otherwise she would have lost her job and prestige. Kamalika lashes out at Baha for her uncommon behaviour and dressing.

She finds vermillion in her bag and throws it out in anger. Archi and Kamalika plan of staying away for a few days and Baha blames herself for everything. Baha goes to her college where she had a flower in her hand and was proposing her professor with the flower saying that he loved flowers, leaving everything laughed. The Mukherjees and the Majumdars go out for Baha's award ceremony for her brilliant result and she shares a speech that left everyone speechless and emotional.

Kamalika attempts suicide and Anushree calls and blames the Mukherjees in anger for her condition. Archisman was blamed for all this and everyone goes to the hospital. Baha was crying a lot for Kamalika and Rupanjana and Baha later arrive at the hospital. Baha donates her blood O- which is same as Kamalika for which Kamalika survives back. Dibyojyoti and Anushree plan to take Baha to their place for a few days and the Mukherjees start crying at her departure. Ashapurna and Jaya never treat Baha badly as the caretaker rather as the guest of that house. Baha was about to be rusticated for her blunder but was actually tested on her confidence which made everyone speechless that day. Archi takes Baha with her on a bike after her college and Anushree sees it. Upon her arrival at Kamalika's place, Baha lies that she was travelling on a bus and Anushree slaps her for lying and badly lashes out at her and gets scared and plans to go back Palashbani after the deadly attack by Anushree on Baha and Archi and Kamalika return from their honeymoon and knowing about Baha's absence, Archi goes to Palashbani.

Baha informs Debraj about Dhritiman's illness which he hid it from everyone and Debraj lashes out at Radharani for not growing up Dhritiman properly and Parna and Rupanjana see it as a shocker. Archi goes to Palashbani and sees Baha and both stay for a few days. Baha was hesitant to go back Kolkata and was in a trauma after Anushree's deadly attack on her. She comes and Kamalika brings her to the Mukherjees place and Kamalika plays a game with everyone and lies that she will go for her project during Puja. The Mukherjees go and enjoy Durga Puja and Kamalika goes to Palashbani and gets to know that Dibyojyoti, her biological father is also Baha's biological father, leaving her shocked.

Baha participates in Dhunochi dance and dances with Dhunochi on her hand with some boys and Archi sees it and was warned by Rupanjana to not fall in trouble. After seeing it, Baha stops and goes home and Archi was angry on her and the family goes for Rupanjana's music programme and Baha doesn't. Dibyojyoti goes to Kamalika's college and gets to know everything and understands Kamalika lied everyone. Baha suffers from dengue and gets hospitalised.

Kamalika was still madly in love with him saves Archi's career, reputation, and jail-time by lying to everyone that she herself is not interested in this marriage.

Kamalika develops a relationship with Dhrubo, a lawyer. Kamalika eventually divorces Archi to free him from this marriage and arranges for his wedding to Baha even though Kamalika's heart was broken everyday. Archi and Baha are married in the eyes of the law. Baha continues her studies and performs brilliantly. Kamalika forces her father Dibyojoyti to accept Baha as his daughter. Dibyojoti regrets his past behavior and tries to build a relationship with Baha.

Meanwhile, Archi's elder brother, Dhritiman, returns home and is suffering from leukemia. He breaks off his engagement with Sanjhbati, a singer, because of his illness. With Baha's help, Dhritiman and Sanjhbati resolve their differences and marry. Archi grows jealous of Baha's intimacy with Prakash, her friend and professor, but later realises she is innocent and becomes possessive of her. Dhrubo Sen, a lawyer, falls in love with Kamalika. Kamalika takes his help in getting bail for Satyakam. Finding a good friend in Dhrubo, Kamalika agrees to marry him. But Dhrubo's first wife Rusha, who had run away and was missing for many years, suddenly returns leaving Kamalika shocked. Baha and Archi try to fight for Rusha, unaware of her criminal connections. Baha gets arrested as she lies to police and take a packet of drugs. Archi and Baha again breaks Kamalika's marriage by bringing Rusha in their life. Rusha returns to Dhrubo and Kamalika leaves him becoming lonely. As a result, Dibyojyoti disowns Baha as his daughter.

Later on, Baha travels abroad for higher studies. Kamalika is pregnant with Dhruba's child but hides this from him. She meets Bikram (her true lover) who falls in love with her and accepts her unborn child. Meanwhile, Archi discovers that Bikram is his cousin brother. Kamalika finally decides to marry Bikram and gives birth to a son, Aasmaan. Rusha steals the baby who is rescued and returned to Kamalika by Bikram and Archi. After a long time, Baha returns in a new look.

Baha unintentionally causes Archi's sister Nilu to miscarry. Archi threatens to divorce Baha. Kamalika sees Baha and her colleague on the street and informs Archi suspecting Baha is having an affair. An angry Baha threatens Kamalika with filing a case if she interferes between her and Archi. Archi reminds her of Kamalika's sacrifices that Archi would have been in jail and Baha would have had no life if Kamalika did not show mercy on them while divorcing Archi. Archi started moving away from Baha because of her behaviour and considered her a nuisance. Kamalika is diagnosed with cancer. She goes to Palashboni and donates her money to build a hospital there. She dies in Archi's arms on her birthday and leaves her child in his care. Baha realizes no matter how much she tries Archi will never forget his first love Kamalika and leaves finally. Elsewhere, Mithai later marries Dibakar.

Baha and Archi meet at a function and Archi talks about Kamalika's son who wants to see Baha. Baha decides to stay with him happily again and the serial ends.

• Raneeta Das / Sudipta Chakraborty as Bahamoni Mukherjee (née Soren/Majumdar) aka Baha – Dibyojyoti and Konkamoni's daughter; Satyakam and Anushree's adoptive daughter; Kamalika's half-sister; Ashapurna's granddaughter; Archisman's first and third wife; Aasman's foster mother (2011 – 2014)/(2014 – 2015)
• Rishi Kaushik as Archisman Mukherjee aka Archi – A journalist of Pratham Khabar; Pallab and Parnabai's son; Suranjana's brother; Kamalika's ex-husband; Baha's husband; Aasman's foster father. (2011–2015)
• Ankeeta Chakraborty as Prof. Kamalika Mukherjee (formerly Sen, née Majumdar) aka Mun/Muniya/Poymonti – An Economics professor of Kolkata Womens College; Dibyojyoti and Anushree's daughter; Baha's half-sister; Archi and Dhruba's ex-wife; Bikramjit's wife; Aasman's mother. She had a relation with Archi for six years and get married but because of Baha and Archi's intimacy, she divorces Archi and marries Dhrubo and creates a rivalry with Baha and Rusha, Dhrubo's ex-wife returns and then marries Bikram, her true lover, who is Archi's cousin. She is also Archi's obsessive lover. After giving birth to Aasman, she dies due to cancer. (Deceased) (2011–2015)

• Santu Mukherjee as Hiranmoy Mukherjee aka Hiru – Umasashi's first son, Radharani's husband; Dhritiman, Nilanjana and Rupanjana's father (2011 – 2015)
• Saswati Guha Thakurta as Radharani Mukherjee aka Rani – Hiranmoy's wife; Dhritiman, Nilanjana and Rupanjana's mother (2011 – 2015)
• Gautam De as Pallab Mukherjee aka Polu – Umasashi's second son; Parnabai's husband; Archisman and Suranjana's father. (2011 – 2015)
• Tanuka Chatterjee as Parnabai Mukherjee aka Parna – Pallab's wife; Archisman and Suranjana's mother. (2011 – 2015)
• Arindam Sil as Debraj Mukherjee aka Debu – Umasashi's third son, Doyel's ex-husband; Chini and Sondesh's father (2011 – 2013)
• Manjusree Ganguly as Doyel Ghosh (formerly Mukherjee, née Pakhi) – Debu's ex-wife; Tamaljeet's wife; Chini and Sondesh's mother (2011 – 2015)
• Surojit Banerjee as Tamaljeet Ghosh – A scientist; Doyel's second husband; Chini and Sondesh's adoptive father (2013 – 2015)
• Badshah Moitra as Dhritiman Mukherjee aka Dhriti – Hiru and Rani's son; Nilu and Rupu's brother; Sanjhbati's husband (Deceased) (2012 – 2015)
• Bidipta Chakraborty as Sanjhbati Mukherjee – A singer; Dhriti's widow (2012 – 2015)
• Rupsha Guha as Nilanjana Banerjee (née Mukherjee) aka Nilu – Hiranmoy and Radharani's younger daughter; Rupanjana and Dhritiman's sister; Prabuddha's wife (2011 – 2015)
• Sandip Chakraborty as Prabuddha Banerjee – Nilanjana's husband (2011 – 2015)
• Sahana Sen as Rupanjana Chatterjee (née Mukherjee) aka Rupu – a singer, Hiranmoy and Radharani's elder daughter; Nilanjana and Dhritiman's sister; Arjo's wife. Initially she was in a trauma post her wedding and after some issues with her in-laws, she started staying back at her paternal home and was unable to cope up with them and also Arjo's affair with Mishti, his cousin. After Baha's arrival in the Mukherjee house, she gradually gets adjusted and again Arjo comes back in her life. (2011 – 2015)
• Suman Banerjee as Arjo Chatterjee – Rupanjana's husband (2013 – 2015)
• Aishi Bhattacharya / Abantika Biswas as Chinmoyee Ghosh aka Chini – Doyel and Debraj's daughter; Tamojit's adoptive daughter, Sondesh's sister (2011 – 2015)/(2015)
• Sonal Mishra as Suranjana Ghosh (formerly Hembram, née Mukherjee) aka Mithai – Pallab and Parnabai's daughter; Archisman's sister; Prakash's ex-wife; Dibakar's wife. She had a love towards Prakash and rejected Krishanu and without informing her family, secretly marries Prakash at Palashboni deviating her standard. (2011 – 2015)
• Unknown as Sourojit Mukherjee aka Sondesh – Debraj and Doel's son; Tamaljeet's foster son, Chini's brother (2011 – 2014)

• Madhabi Mukhopadhyay as Ashapurna Majumdar – Dibyojyoti and Jaya's mother; Kamalika and Baha's paternal grandmother; Dodul's maternal grandmother (2011 – 2015)
• Shankar Chakraborty as Dibyajyoti Majumdar aka Dibyo – An aspiring painter; Ashapurna's son; Jaya's brother; Anu's husband; Kamalika and Baha's father (2011 – 2015)
• Suchismita Chowdhury as Anushree Majumdar aka Anu – Dibyo's wife; Kamalika's mother and Baha's stepmother. She is materialistic from nature and judges people by their position. (2011 – 2015)
• Rajasree Bhowmick as Jaya – Ashapurna's daughter; Dibyo's sister, Sukanta's widow, Dodul's mother (2011 – 2015)

• Anushree Das as Konkamoni Hembram (née Soren) – Satyakam's wife; Baha's mother; Kamalika's stepmother; Prakash's adoptive mother (2011 – 2015)
• Chandan Sen as Satyakam Hembram – A tribal activist; Konkamoni's husband; Prakash's father; Baha's adoptive father (2011 – 2015)
• Sudip Sengupta as Prakash Hembram – Satyakam's son; Baha's former love interest; Mithai's ex-husband (2011 – 2015)
• Unknown as Baha's step-grandmother, Konkamoni's step-mother and Satyakam's aunt (2011 – 2015)

• Bhaswar Chatterjee as Dhrubo Sen aka Piklu – A lawyer; Rusha's husband; Kamalika's ex-husband; Aasman's father (2012 – 2015)
• Koushik Roy as Bikramjit Mukherjee aka Bikram – Archisman and Suranjana's cousin; Kamalika's husband and true lover (2014 – 2015)
• Dipankar De as Babiya – Sanjhbati's uncle (2012)
• Anuradha Roy as Sanjhbati's mother (2012)
• Dola Chakraborty as Arjyo's mother (2013 – 2015)
• Kunal Padhi as Arjyo's father (2013) (Deceased)
• Dwaipayan Das as Dibakar Ghosh – Baha's office boss; Mithai's second husband (2015)
• Diganta Bagchi as Arghya; A lawyer; Dhrubo's senior and Dibyajyoti friend (2012 – 2013)
• Kousani Roy Sarkar as Rusha Sen aka (fake Angelina, Roseline, & Juni) – Dhrubo's first wife, a smuggler (2014–2015)
• Dr. Basudeb Mukherjee as Jyotishmaan Sen – Dhrubo's father
• Chaitali Dasgupta as Dhrubo's mother
• Kalyani Mondal as Dhrubo's aunt
• Sagarika Roy as Sokhimoni aka Sokhi – Baha's friend in Palashboni. (2011 – 2015)
• Sujata Daw as Mishti – Arjo's cousin and Rupanjana's rival and she had a intimate bond with Arjo (2014 – 2015)
• Arup Roy as Monglu – Baha's friend (2012 – 2015)
• Prriyam Chakraborty as Monojaba / Dodul – Sukanta and Jaya's estranged daughter (2015)
• Rita Koiral as Kumudini aka Kumu (2014 – 2015)
• Pushpendu Roy as Krishanu – Archi's colleague and rival; Mithai's ex-lover (2011 – 2015)
• Surjya Kar as Anjan – head of Prothom Khabar (2011 – 2012)
• Satyam Majumder as a milkman (2012)
• Sourav Chatterjee as Arjun
• Sanchita Bhattacharya as Sreemoyee
• Sourav Chakraborty as Kallol aka (fake Pat), a smuggler, Rusha's boss
• Arghya Mukherjee as an Inspector
• Kamalika Banerjee as Sharmila – Dhritiman's ex-wife (2015)
• Suparna Patra as Baha's friend (2012 – 2015)
• Pritha Roy as Phoolmoni - Manglu's wife and Baha's friend (2012 – 2015)
• Sairity Banerjee as Archi's colleague (2011 – 2012)
• Smritika Majumder/Ruchira as Ishmita – Kamalika's colleague (2011)
• Debolina Mukherjee as Debolina (in Archi and Kamalika's honeymoon) (2012)
• Honey Bafna as Arjo's colleague (2014)

• Prosenjit Chatterjee for promotion of Mishawr Rawhoshyo (2013)
• Aryann Bhowmik for promotion of Mishawr Rawhoshyo (2013)
• Lovely Maitra as Kaju from Jol Nupur for Poila Baisakh celebration (2013)
• Moushumi Chatterjee for promotion of Goynar Baksho at Poila Baisakh celebration (2013)
• Konkona Sen Sharma for promotion of Goynar Baksho at Poila Baisakh celebration (2013)

Audience reception is very poor.This show has been controversial because of its poor and misleading content. The show also promoted adultery, extramarital affair through its storyline as most Leena Gangopadhyay serials always do . This has also enraged the tribal community of West Bengal for hurting their sentiments and portraying tribal characters poorly. A lawsuit was filed by the tribal community in July 2014 in Kolkata High Court against the channel for portraying tribal women's characters in poor light as well as ridiculing their language and culture. Though the channel denied all charges, there was an uproar from the audience regarding the themes of cheating women, and domestic violence, provocation of suicide etc. by the lead characters of Archi and Baha. Viewers especially disliked the language of the show and characterized it as overall offensive.^[4]

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