Dharma Pathni (1953)

When Neeru's community mocks her because she's been separated from her husband Manoharlal for over four years, her widowed mother Ganga goes to plead to Manoharlal to take back her daughter; when he refuses, she instructs Neeru to obey her husband at any and all costs--and passes away. Neeru moves in with her husband and his family, which includes his father Nataraj, mother who's a devotee of Sachidanand, sister Shanta who is married to Babulal but has moved back home after quarreling with him, and alcoholic brother Mohan. Manoharlal makes it clear to Neeru that he isn't interested in reuniting with her; he's seeing a woman named Purnima, whom he hopes to marry after the divorce. He gives her three months to pretend that they are married. Neeru accepts this condition and soon takes charge of the family, fires wasteful servants, organizes the household, befriends Mohan, cures Nataraj of his gambling, and gets rid of Sachidanand and his disciples. She then indirectly assists Manoharlal at work, much to his displeasure, and even meets with Purnima. But nothing will prepare her for the shock when bad luck visits the family at the stock exchange: her mother-in-law blames her for everything, paving the way for her exit and eventual divorce.