‘A playwright of world stature’—Mario Relich, Wasafiri
On a Muggy Night in Mumbai is the first contemporary Indian play to openly tackle gay themes of love, partnership, trust and betrayal. Kamlesh—young, gay and clinically depressed—invites his friends home ostensibly for an evening of camaraderie. However, with the arrival of his sister and her fiancé, a series of dramatic confrontations is set into motion, leading to startling revelations and unexpected catharsis.
‘At last we have a playwright who gives sixty million English-speaking Indians an identity’—Alyque Padamsee
‘Powerful and disturbing’—The New York Times
Extraordinary stories about ordinary people’s lives
Over the years, Sudha Murty has come across some fascinating people whose lives make for interesting stories and have astonishing lessons to reveal. Take Vishnu, who achieves every material success but never knows happiness; or Venkat, who talks so much that he has no time to listen. In other stories, a young girl goes on a train journey that changes her life forever; an impoverished village woman provides bathing water to hundreds of people in a drought-stricken area; a do-gooder ghost decides to teach a disconsolate young man Sanskrit; and in the title story, a woman in a flooded village in Odisha teaches the author a life lesson she will never forget.
From the bestselling author of Wise and Otherwise and The Old Man and His God, this is another heart-warming collection of real-life stories that will delight readers of all ages.
‘A playwright of world stature’—Mario Relich, Wasafiri
Seven Steps Around the Fire is the first in a series of radio plays featuring the amateur sleuth Uma Rao, wife of Bangalore’s Superintendent of Police. When Kamla, a beautiful eunuch, is brutally murdered, Uma’s investigation takes her on an unexpected journey into the mysterious world of the hijra community, revealing hidden realities and shocking truths.
‘At last we have a playwright who gives sixty million English-speaking Indians an identity’—Alyque Padamsee
‘Powerful and disturbing’—The New York Times
Extraordinary stories about ordinary people’s lives
Over the years, Sudha Murty has come across some fascinating people whose lives make for interesting stories and have astonishing lessons to reveal. Take Vishnu, who achieves every material success but never knows happiness; or Venkat, who talks so much that he has no time to listen. In other stories, a young girl goes on a train journey that changes her life forever; an impoverished village woman provides bathing water to hundreds of people in a drought-stricken area; a do-gooder ghost decides to teach a disconsolate young man Sanskrit; and in the title story, a woman in a flooded village in Odisha teaches the author a life lesson she will never forget.
From the bestselling author of Wise and Otherwise and The Old Man and His God, this is another heart-warming collection of real-life stories that will delight readers of all ages.
Extraordinary stories about ordinary people’s lives
Over the years, Sudha Murty has come across some fascinating people whose lives make for interesting stories and have astonishing lessons to reveal. Take Vishnu, who achieves every material success but never knows happiness; or Venkat, who talks so much that he has no time to listen. In other stories, a young girl goes on a train journey that changes her life forever; an impoverished village woman provides bathing water to hundreds of people in a drought-stricken area; a do-gooder ghost decides to teach a disconsolate young man Sanskrit; and in the title story, a woman in a flooded village in Odisha teaches the author a life lesson she will never forget.
From the bestselling author of Wise and Otherwise and The Old Man and His God, this is another heart-warming collection of real-life stories that will delight readers of all ages.
When Bharat takes over his father’s shop, he doesn’t know that the factory sends over the ‘defect’ goods to a charity, as a gift. The system has been in place for years, but yet when he sees his goods leaving without his permission, he demands that Sudha Murty come to him in person and make a request anew. Sudha knows that he is acting out, a child having to fill his father’s shoes, desperate to be seen as important, to earn respect. What should she do? Emotionally compelling and subtly generous, Sudha Murty beautifully articulates the difference between fighting and forgiving.
Keshav has two sons. While one lives in New York, the other stays in their village, and both lead extremely different lives. Although both sons are successful, only one of them is happy,
When Keshav’s son in New York visits home, he knows everyone is going to be excited. He is already adored and praised by everyone in his village, especially by his parents. But he also regrets his decision of leaving India.
How can a man who has everything not be happy? Read on to find out.
Portado, a bright young boy, never put in any effort in his classes for some reason. He believed that networking is more important than getting an education and working hard.
He also spends his college years believing that having connections is the key to success, only to realize soon enough that this isn’t true.
What happens when you spend all your time living a certain way because you think it will take you where you want and then find out that it doesn’t? Read more as Sudha Murty highlights Portado’s struggles.
Shraddha is a ritual where once a year, three generations of elders who have passed away are venerated by their loved ones. When Sudha Murthy went to perform the shraddha for her father, she was turned away, because she was a woman. “No woman has ever performed this ritual,” the pandit said.
Sudha Murty questions the importance of meaningless ritual while still being devoted to tradition – what does it mean to be a religious woman in the 21st century? A searching and powerful piece on reaching a balance between old and the new as a woman.
Ever since Vishnu was in school, all he ever wanted was to make a lot of money and become successful. A few years later, he lands a job at a software company and gains what he desires—success!
However, he learns pretty soon that only success doesn’t make a man’s heart full. What he needs now is to figure out how to find the other pieces in the jigsaw puzzle of happiness. Read on to travel with Vishnu on this journey of discovery.
