Swati Kumar

The Great Indian Dilemma Swati Kumar

The idea to spend your life with a practical stranger chosen by your parents is deemed regressive. Often termed as a marriage of convenience, criticism against this form of marriage is not hard to find.
However, these relationships always represent a different kind of love, one that is far removed from the kind fed by novels, movies and now social media. I feel that love in an arranged marriage creeps in slowly, without making any noise and I think that it perhaps is something closest to companionship.
Life spent under the protective, watchful eye of her family, something that she realized has ruled her decisions till now, Aara Kazmi, a 27 year old ambitious doctor, is uncomfortable with the fact that the groom is chosen by her parents.
Samir Ahmed, 30, an investment banker won't take no for an answer and pursues her till she settles for few months' time to get to know him better before taking a final decision. But for how long will he have to wait when Aara is convinced that Samir is not her choice and tries to find a loophole in this arranged marriage setup.
Set in 2006-07 North India, this novel tries to explore the array of emotions that an educated, career oriented Indian girl feels when her parents choose a life partner for her.