Why Knot

Why do human beings marry across nearly every culture? Why do people cheat? Why is monogamy central to intimate relationships, and how does infidelity cause profound heartbreak? Acclaimed documentary filmmaker Dhruv Dhawan tackles these questions in his feature-length exploration of how marriages and monogamy evolved within cultures that are often rife with infidelity. As he attends a succession of lavish weddings within his own family, Dhruv is urged to follow suit yet haunted by a family history of infidelity—and by his own experiences. He embarks on a personal quest to uncover the origins of marriage, to understand why monogamy persists, and to grasp the pain of infidelity, even as he mediates an open relationship with the woman he loves. Dhruv’s journey takes viewers 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.