Osama

The Taliban establish their regime in Afghanistan, enforcing strict laws that suppress women's rights. Women are banned from working, leaving many families in dire situations, especially those without male guardians.

In a desperate bid for survival, women in the village organize demonstrations demanding their right to work. These protests are met with brutality as the Taliban respond with violence, open fire, and use water cannons on the women.

Under the Taliban's repressive regime, women face numerous prohibitions, including restrictions on education and employment. They must wear burqas in public, and many lose their sources of income as hospitals and NGOs are shut down.

The story focuses on a family consisting of three generations of women, struggling to survive after the death of all male relatives. They face poverty and hunger, exacerbating their desperate situation.

The mother, who worked as a nurse, finds her hospital shut down due to Taliban funding cuts. The hospital becomes dysfunctional, lacking basic supplies and forcing patients to share limited resources, including oxygen.

During a Taliban raid on the hospital, one foreign nurse is arrested. The mother narrowly escapes capture by pretending that her patient is her husband, allowing her to continue working for extra income outside the hospital.

Following the closure of the hospital, the mother starts nursing outside the institution, relying on kind caretakers for help. However, the family's financial struggles continue as the mother faces more challenges in finding work.

In an effort to ensure the family’s survival, the grandmother devises a plan for the young girl, Marina, to disguise herself as a boy. They alter her father’s old clothes, and the girl is hesitant but ultimately agrees to the risky plan.

Marina adopts the name Osama and begins working for the local milk vendor. Despite her outward transformation, she lives in constant fear of being discovered by the Taliban while navigating her new life.

All local boys, including Osama, are drafted into a madrasa run by the Taliban, where they receive military training. Osama is terrified of being exposed and must master religious practices to avoid detection.

Osama's secret is nearly uncovered due to her feminine demeanor and menstruation. Despite Espandi's attempts to protect her, the truth is revealed, and she faces dire consequences for her disguise.

Osama is arrested alongside a Western journalist and a foreign nurse during a crackdown by the Taliban. The journalist and nurse face execution, while Osama's life is spared due to her vulnerable status.

As a punishment, Osama is forced to marry an older man who already has multiple wives. This new life brings her further sorrow as she navigates the challenges and hostility from her husband's existing family.

Osama learns the grim reality of her marriage as her husband enforces strict control over her and his other wives. The oppressive environment highlights her loss of freedom and autonomy as a young woman.