Lajja/Characters

Vaidehi

Baby Factory: Is seen and treated like this by her wealthy husband and father-in-law.
Bathroom Break Out: Escapes through a bathroom window when she finds out Raghu wants to kill her after the baby is born.
Domestic Abuse: Suffers this at the hand of Raghu
Hot Mom
Its the Journey That Counts
Morning Sickness: Since she is two months' pregnant
Naive Everygirl: Has some shades of this, mostly because she hasn't experienced the full extent of Honor Related Abuse that women in her native country have. She learns quickly, though!
The Protagonist
- Pinball Protagonist
World of Cardboard Speech
You Can't Go Home Again: Is told this by her father when she tries to escape Raghu's abuse and philandering.

Maithili

Christmas Cake: Because of the scandal at the wedding, and her rejection of her fiance's wealthy family, she almost became one, and would have had to commit suicide to save face.
Daddys Girl
Honor Related Abuse: She is questioned and called bad names because Raju hid out in her room (nothing actually happened, though.)
Mistaken for Cheating
Naive Everygirl
Pair the Spares: Marries Raju at the end
Second Love: Was about to marry her wealthy (but wimpy) college sweetheart, but after she rejects him, Raju steps in.
Spoiled Sweet
The Reason You Suck Speech: Calls her fiance's family out for greed, and for milking her father for dowry money.

Janki

Bottle Fairy: Drinks to ease her stage fright, despite being 2 months pregnant
Character Filibuster: All the main characters get one, but Janki is the most vociferous
Cloudcuckoolander
Curb Stomp Battle: during which she loses her unborn child
Does Not Like Men: After being treated so badly by them.
Honor Related Abuse
Hot Mom
Hysterical Woman: Is written off as this...and worse.
Large Ham: Well, she does work in theatre.
Love Triangle: Is in a relationship with her costar Manish, but her theatre instructor/director Puroshottham wants her to be his mistress instead.
Pregnant Badass
Madhuri Dixit
Mistaken for Cheating
My Girl Is Not a Slut: Why Manish wants to leave her; he believes Puroshottham's lies.
Rebellious Spirit
Rich Suitor Poor Suitor: See Love Triangle
Stepford Smiler
Shotgun Wedding: Is supposed to have one of these with Manish, her boyfriend, and her baby's father.
Take a Third Option: Her stunt does not go over well with the public, mainly because it was done during a religious play. She is given the option of going to Prison or a Bedlam House...and Puroshottham offers his protection in exchange for being his mistress. she ends up going to the asylum instead, mostly because she refused that offer.
What the Hell Hero: Gives one to Manish for his cowardice and naivety, and to men in general during a play about Sita. Overlaps with a combination of The Reason You Suck Speech and a World of Cardboard Speech

Ramdulaari

Badass
Bollywood Nerd: Is learning from her son how to use a computer, and is teaching the people of her village computer literacy as well.
Character Filibuster: Not quite as many as Janki has, but close.
Determined Widow
Gratuitous English
Honor Related Abuse: Is raped and murdered because her son Prakash is in love with Sushma, Gajendra's daughter.
Hot Mom
I Have a Family: Pleads with the men who turned against her. A new twist: These men are her family, or at least True Companions.
The Medic: Works as a midwife
Rape As Drama
The Smart Guy: Is self-taught in many skills, and educates the women in the belief that one day things will be better for them if they have education.
What the Hell Hero: Calls out the father of a newborn baby girl after he tried to drown her in a vat of milk.
World of Cardboard Speech: Against female infanticide, and maltreatment of women/girls in general.

Raju

Raghu

Angrish: Tends to grumble and spout off in a mix of both English and Hindi
Domestic Abuse: Beats and berates Vaidehi
Drives Like Crazy
Face Heel Turn: Eventually sees what a Jerkass he's been and mends his ways.
Gratuitous English
Happily Married: By the end, he has improved his behavior and his marriage, and has (presumably) broken off his illicit relationship.
The Loins Sleep Tonight: Is rendered impotent after a car accident
Rich Bastard
Screw the Rules I Have Connections
Your Cheating Heart: Is sleeping with Anita, the wife of a business associate, and sees nothing wrong with this
What the Hell Hero: Called out for cheating by Vaidehi

Bulwa

Badass: Sort of a Robin Hood figure
Berserk Button: Don't you dare hurt or abuse women or girls around him!
Expy: A Darker and Edgier version of Raju
Good Samaritan
Its Personal: The reason for the aforementioned Berserk Button is that Gajendra tried to rape Bulwa's mother when she asked him for a small container of water during a drought. Thus he sees all attacks on females as an attack on his now-deceased mother.
Just Like Robin Hood: he's a dacoit (bandit) who fights for the poor and oppressed in general and women in particular.
Nice Guy
Rape and Revenge: Avenges Ramdulaari
The Reason You Suck Speech
Whip Sword: his weapon of choice

Gajendra

Puroshottam

All Women Are Lustful: Believes this
Casting Couch: Is implied to put at least some of his female theatre-company-members (possibly including Janki) through this, or at least try.
Cloudcuckoolander
Crazy Jealous Guy: Keeps Lata confined to the house for fear that she'll be unfaithful (or people will think she is).
Dirty Old Man
Domestic Abuse
Double Standard: He can go out to his heart's content, but if his wife so much as looks out the window there will be hell to pay.
May December Romance: Lata is much younger than he is.
Rich Suitor Poor Suitor: Tries to win Janki's affection with money.
Screw the Rules I Have Money
Take a Third Option: Offers Janki protection if she agrees to become his mistress.
Wife Husbandry: Seems to think that because he took Janki in and raised her, that he is entitled to sex with her. Janki does not agree.
Wounded Gazelle Gambit: Tells Manish that Janki's child belongs to him (Puroshottam), that she has been cheating on him.

Lata

Domestic Abuse: Is kept confined to the house by her jealous husband.
Hikikomori: Though not of her own choice; see above.
Mama Bear
May December Romance: Is married to Puroshottam, who is probably in his 50's or 60's (maybe even older). She doesn't look to be a day over 30, if even that.
Shrinking Violet
Took a Level In Badass: Finally stands up to Puroshottam after Vaidehi calls him out for what he allowed to happen to Janki.

Sushma

Daddys Girl
Defiled Forever: Regarded as such for running off with Prakash, to the point where her family mourns as though she has died.
My Girl Is Not a Slut
Nice Guy: Warns Ramdulaari that her son is in danger
Spoiled Sweet
Type Caste: Why Gajendra doesn't approve of her Love Interest.

Prakash

Bollywood Nerd: Studies in the city, and is bringing computers to the village to improve life there.
Groin Attack: Averted; Gajendra wanted him castrated for being involved with Sushma
Nice Guy
Type Caste: Gajendra dislikes him because he's from a poor family, a lower caste.

Virendra: