Protagonists: Shagun, the initially bored & later
rather over-active wife; Raman, the hard-working corporate slave; Ashok, the
ambitious boss and Ishita, the divorcee.
Set in the 90’s in Delhi, the
story revolves around Raman & Shagun and their pursuit for seeking love and
companionship. Married for over a decade; Shagun comes to terms with her
suffocation and unexciting married life in the arms of her husband’s boss Ashok.
Raman, the hard-working and rather unobservant husband realizes his wife’s
infidelity when irreparable damage was done.
And then the quest of seeking
divorce begins. However, the twist in the tale occurs when the divorce is
granted and custody of minor children needs to be settled. The mother; filled
with new-found love and the want to marry the love of her life quickly agrees
for part-custody of the children. Shifted from one house to another like pieces
of furniture; their two children began their early life in turbulence. The
defiant son is soon sent to boarding soon while the much younger daughter tries
settles in with her father.
In parallel, unravels the life of
young Ishita born to typical middle-class East Delhi residing parents whose
sole aim in life is to get their only child settled in matrimony. Love soon
finds its way in Ishita’s life in the form of an arranged marriage making her
postpone her higher studies plans. As expected, the demands for a grandchild
mount upon the young couple. Endless doctor visits, medical tests and taunt
from relatives shatters Ishita’s confidence and shakes the foundation of her
marriage. An ‘amicable’ divorce brings Ishita back to her maternal home with a
suitcase full of her marriage transactions.
Two parallel lives of divorcees
are brought together with Raman’s younger daughter seeking a mother in Ishita.
Fight for maternal love and jealousy surges in Ishita who cannot bear to part
with her daughter and soon finds them fighting for full custody of the
children.
Manju Kapur’s ‘Custody’ is a sure-shot
page turner that will make you yearn to read more. Each character is weaved so
brilliantly that you will have empathy towards each of them. Dealing with
sensitive issues of infidelity and infertility, Manju Kapur artfully tackles
the matter with her skillful writing.
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