An X user has sparked a heated debate online by claiming that the “NRI dream” is often a trap, especially for dependent wives. The user, who goes by @deebayleaf on the social media platform, cited the example of her cousin who, she said, was expected to act like an “unpaid labourer” and take care of all household chores after marrying an NRI.
In her X post, the finance professional claimed that her cousin had to deal with extreme isolation after moving abroad with her husband. On top of that, she was expected to do “endless chores” — purportedly to “stay rooted” and in touch with her Indian side.
Frustrated with her situation and the toxic marriage, the woman chose to return to India.
‘Expected to be a 24/7 unpaid labourer’
“Reminder that the ‘NRI dream life’ is often a trap. My cousin just left her husband and came back to India. She said the reality of moving abroad was just extreme isolation, endless chores and toxic in-laws demanding extra labor to ‘stay rooted’,” said the X user.
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The user added that the appeal of living abroad faded quickly once her cousin realised she was expected to function like a “24/7 unpaid labourer” with “zero social life”.
“She mentioned the ‘clean roads and fresh air’ aesthetic faded real quick the second she realised she was expected to be a 24/7 unpaid labourer with zero social life,” the post read.
The X user further claimed that many young Indian women allegedly face similar situations after moving overseas post-marriage, but struggle to leave because of social and family pressure back home.
“So many young girls are stuck in this but can’t leave because of at home in India,” she added.
Post triggers debate
The post triggered a flood of reactions online, with several users calling it an indicator of a bad marriage and not a universal experience for NRIs.
“I hope she knows that abroad or home country issues remain the same – toxic in-laws, isolation (as her family would be a call away). She might or might not get a maid but she has to still do chores. So, it is not about NRI dream . It is about toxic marriage,” wrote Neha Sharma, an Indian professional who works for Amazon in the US.
“So this isn’t the ‘ dream life’, she married into a misogynistic family. She basically had a toxic family which she would have gotten in India too. The problem were not the NRI dreams, she just married the wrong Indian,” wrote X user Amit Kilhor.
“This is why you should never marry an NRI but become one by yourself, but don’t fall for propaganda that says life is worse in Europe or the West. The worst things in these countries are still better than the best in India,” a user opined.
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