Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway
The film is based on Sagarika's autobiography, “The Journey of a Mother” which was published in 2022. Sagarika moved to Norway with her husband Anurup Bhattacharya in 2007 as the latter got a job there as a geophysicist.Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway follows the story of an Indian immigrant couple whose world came crashing down in 2011 when their two children were removed from their care by the Norwegian foster system due to differences in culture.
The story begins with "Mrs Chatterjee" moving to Norway with her husband after marriage and settling down there.
The film is based on the struggles of a real-life mother, Sagarika Chakraborty, whose life took a dramatic turn in 2011 when Norway's child protection services (CPS), known as Barnevernet, took custody of her three-year old son and infant daughter accusing the couple of “improper parenting”.
Chatterjee Vs. Norway were abusing their children, and after they were taken and placed in foster care, Chakraborty's fight to regain custody became a diplomatic row and international incident because her children were Indian citizens.
The ending of the film more or less reflects real events. Just as Sagarika Chakraborty regained custody of her children in January 2013, the fictional Debkia Chatterjee is deemed to be emotionally able to be a mother and is reunited with her children at the end of the film.
After watching the screening of the movie "Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway"
i am shocked...
how can this be?
Comments (14)
Sagarika had moved to Norway to join her husband who was employed in that North European country but returned to India in April 2012 after Norwegian authorities handed over the children to their uncle under strict conditions after a long and agonizing legal battle by the family and a full-blown diplomatic hustle ..
Interesting to say the least...
Interesting to say the least...
comment... hope
you will comment
again after watching
the movie....
comment... hope
you will comment
again after watching
the movie....
No surprise that the Norwegian government disagreed with some aspects of the movie...
Mainly the idea that child welfare would deem hand feeding or sleeping in the same bed with children as child abuse...and then remove children from their parent's custody...
They are aware of different cultural practices that exist in Norway and that would not be reason enough to remove children from their home...
The portrayal of the agency regarding the removal of children to "make money" does not make sense...as it costs more to intervene and removal of children from parent's home is not common practice...(according to reports)
According to what I gathered...the older child is autistic and there were reports of hitting the child not to mention reports of spousal abuse...reason the authorities were called and got involved...
However...that is one side of the account...some have reported that the Norwegian agency does discriminate or fail to understand some cultural practices and in turn acts without understanding...causing undue harm...
Perhaps the truth lies somewhere in the middle...but interesting to read about...I will now watch the movie...
Problem with issues like this is that even if the authorities
have the best intentions they often fail to smoothen the newcommers in,
and instead confront too sternly and conflicts evolve.
When actual learning could have pursued instead with a happy outcome.
This is similar to what police often seem to do if they lack in the people handeling skills
and diplomacy.
My2cents
No surprise that the Norwegian government disagreed with some aspects of the movie...
Mainly the idea that child welfare would deem hand feeding or sleeping in the same bed with children as child abuse...and then remove children from their parent's custody...
They are aware of different cultural practices that exist in Norway and that would not be reason enough to remove children from their home...
The portrayal of the agency regarding the removal of children to "make money" does not make sense...as it costs more to intervene and removal of children from parent's home is not common practice...(according to reports)
According to what I gathered...the older child is autistic and there were reports of hitting the child not to mention reports of spousal abuse...reason the authorities were called and got involved...
However...that is one side of the account...some have reported that the Norwegian agency does discriminate or fail to understand some cultural practices and in turn acts without understanding...causing undue harm...
Perhaps the truth lies somewhere in the middle...but interesting to read about...I will now watch the movie...
.............................
i hope so.
the removal of children to "make money" does not make sense...as it costs more to intervene and removal of children from parent's home is not common practice...(according to reports)
.......................
i believe so.
fail to understand some cultural practices and in turn acts without understanding...causing undue harm...
...........................
(you mean the agency velferd
right?)
possible??
. Perhaps the truth lies somewhere in the middle...
..........................
.i agree??
thats generous of you
to comment in detail
thanking you miss loulou.
doing
injustice to biological parents. Also
the most inhuman action.
first thing....
baby would be traumatized without the mother....
Anywho..... feel mother is incapable to take care of
her kids....
give her assistance,
help her with volunteers to make her life easy..
Child welfare organisation
needs understanding of mother’s psychological state...is. also. very important.
Approaching with compassion and kindness
is required.
foster care.. and the
environment... needs to
be open.(open to public) should be online video
24/7.. (open camera)
from my understanding
the child welfare agency
has...
the system very flawed
and they need to rethink their structure....
unethical procedures should be checked before it harms more of the future generation.
jmo.
for one of the most progressive countries
of our world !!
.. just saying
for one of the most progressive countries
of our world !!
.. just saying
doing
injustice to biological parents. Also
the most inhuman action.
first thing....
baby would be traumatized without the mother....
Anywho..... feel mother is incapable to take care of
her kids....
give her assistance,
help her with volunteers to make her life easy..
Child welfare organisation
needs understanding of mother’s psychological state...is. also. very important.
Approaching with compassion and kindness
is required.
foster care.. and the
environment... needs to
be open.(open to public) should be online video
24/7.. (open camera)
from my understanding
the child welfare agency
has...
the system very flawed
and they need to rethink their structure....
unethical procedures should be checked before it harms more of the future generation.
jmo.
I agree that providing help not being judgmental is vital...the lack of knowledge regarding assistance/resources available can also add to the situation...
Being overwhelmed and lacking knowledge (parents) to accommodate children with special needs is difficult for many...but perhaps more so for new residents who also have different cultural practices...as it can lead to misunderstanding...
Hopefully, with this situation exposed...it will be used as a learning tool for people involved in the assessment in matters of child abuse claims or concerns...as well as establishing a rapport and guidance for those who seek help...empathy...
It would have been ideal if (assuming they did not) the parents had knowledge of the different kinds of help provided through the government agencies...before a complaint or concern was raised...ending in a better result for all concerned...