The Joshi family - Mr. Joshi, his wife, his mother, and their three children, Kavita (25), Kumar (19), and Kartik (17) - is a typical middle-class household in the 1980s. Their daily lives revolve around the familiar struggles of that class: rushing to the office on time, coping with a rejected promotion, and fretting over Kavita being a Manglik. Not a single day passes without Mrs. Joshi and her mother-in-law arguing over something trivial. The boys are trying to be men, and what's hidden behind their poker faces remains a mystery to the rest of the family.
In a household like this, a major challenge struck: cancer. The grandmother was diagnosed with stage-four abdominal cancer, with only a few months left to live. In those days, such a disease was terrifying, especially for a middle-class family already burdened by financial constraints. The cost of treatment loomed large, casting a shadow over every other concern. All their previous problems were forgotten as the family's focus shifted entirely to the grandmother. Every evening at the dinner table, conversations revolved around her - either discussing her condition or speaking to her directly. Everyone, that is, except Kumar.
One evening, after dinner, Kumar approached Mrs. Joshi to talk. He hesitated for a moment before finally confessing, "I was in a relationship with a girl named Sapna, but we broke up."
Mrs. Joshi stared at him in disbelief. "What's wrong with you? Is this the time to bring up something like this?" she snapped, her tone sharp and disapproving, before walking away.
didn't stop there. The urge to talk drove him to Kavita, who was reading in her room. He told her everything.
"Are you crazy, bro? Look at what's happening around us, and don't be so selfish!" Those were her exact words.
Men, who are always considered the providers of the family, not the comforters, Kumar looked at his father but didn't even consider talking to him.
Kumar looked at Kartik, knowing he wasn't someone who would understand a problem like a breakup. Kartik had multiple girlfriends at once, and someone who keeps a girlfriend wouldn't understand the true pain of a breakup.
He felt disheartened and went to his room. Sensing that something was wrong, the grandmother waited until everyone had gone to their rooms before she could talk to Kumar.
After everyone had fallen asleep, the grandmother slowly walked to Kumar's room and knocked. "Kumar, I know you're upset about something. Talk to me," she called softly. He didn't open the door.
The next day, when he still hadn't opened the door, everyone grew concerned and knocked again. When there was no response, they had to break the door down, only to find that Kumar had hanged himself.
In a household like this, a major challenge struck: cancer. The grandmother was diagnosed with stage-four abdominal cancer, with only a few months left to live. In those days, such a disease was terrifying, especially for a middle-class family already burdened by financial constraints. The cost of treatment loomed large, casting a shadow over every other concern. All their previous problems were forgotten as the family's focus shifted entirely to the grandmother. Every evening at the dinner table, conversations revolved around her - either discussing her condition or speaking to her directly. Everyone, that is, except Kumar.
One evening, after dinner, Kumar approached Mrs. Joshi to talk. He hesitated for a moment before finally confessing, "I was in a relationship with a girl named Sapna, but we broke up."
Mrs. Joshi stared at him in disbelief. "What's wrong with you? Is this the time to bring up something like this?" she snapped, her tone sharp and disapproving, before walking away.
didn't stop there. The urge to talk drove him to Kavita, who was reading in her room. He told her everything.
"Are you crazy, bro? Look at what's happening around us, and don't be so selfish!" Those were her exact words.
Men, who are always considered the providers of the family, not the comforters, Kumar looked at his father but didn't even consider talking to him.
Kumar looked at Kartik, knowing he wasn't someone who would understand a problem like a breakup. Kartik had multiple girlfriends at once, and someone who keeps a girlfriend wouldn't understand the true pain of a breakup.
He felt disheartened and went to his room. Sensing that something was wrong, the grandmother waited until everyone had gone to their rooms before she could talk to Kumar.
After everyone had fallen asleep, the grandmother slowly walked to Kumar's room and knocked. "Kumar, I know you're upset about something. Talk to me," she called softly. He didn't open the door.
The next day, when he still hadn't opened the door, everyone grew concerned and knocked again. When there was no response, they had to break the door down, only to find that Kumar had hanged himself.
Support A.K.Arpana
