Why Knot
Why Knot
| 30 December 2014 (USA)
Why Knot Trailers

Why do human beings get married in almost every society in the world? Why do we cheat? Why is monogamy so important to a relationship and why does infidelity cause so much grief? These are some of the questions acclaimed documentary filmmaker Dhruv Dhawan confronts in his next feature length documentary which explores why human beings evolved cultures of marriage and monogamy that are rife with infidelity. As he attends various lavish weddings occurring within his family, Dhruv is pestered to follow suit but is haunted by his family’s history of infidelity, as well as his own and embarks on a personal quest to discover the origins of marriage, the reasons for monogamy and the pain of infidelity as he tries to mediate an open relationship with the woman he loves. Dhruv’s search takes us on a journey into the biology of sex, the history of patriarchy and the politics of monogamy told through the lives of scientists, swingers, adulterers and Dhruv’s own family.

Reviews
Angel Youles

This documentary follows its filmmaker Dhruv Dhawan who explores the concept of whether monogamy is sustainable in relationships and marriage. The documentary takes on an intimate look at his own relationship. His relationship becomes open after the filmmaker expresses that it is something he wants to explore. We see the rise in conflict and discomfort in the filmmaker's relationship by doing him so. You can tell his girlfriend does not like the idea, but stays in a relationship with him as she loves him. The film is very emotionally driven by the filmmaker. It's very personal to him. IIt shows that he is conflict whether his open relationships and not keeping his sexually fidelity is correct and sustainable. It shows the negative effects this type of relationship can have on two people and the decline it has on his personal relationship.Although personal, it also explores bigger questions. He interviews couples in polyamorous relationships who appear to be happy and comfortable with this lifestyle. This is followed by what various experts think on the matter. Some say that monogamy is unnatural for our species, others say that polygamy causes too many problems and heartache within them and it all makes for an interesting discussion on the topic. He shares his desires for an open relationships with his family members and interviews them on their perspectives. Their perspectives often disagree with Dhruv's and express concern for the type of relationship he is pursuing. It further explores a history of monogamy and marriage in the past and how historically the meaning of marriage and commitment has changed.The documentary is great because it gives us a first hand look into the effects of a poly relationship. It raises questions about the age old question of fidelity. Can one stay happy with just one person forever? I think this question is still very much unanswered and possibly a subjective one. It inspires thought about human nature. I highly recommend it. It's an interesting topic!

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