Published Paper Details:

This research aims to study the emotional and psychological complexities of a modern Indian family navigating the tensions of custody battle in Manju Kapur's novel Custody. Set against the backdrop of India's post-liberalization era, the novel examines how societal changes impact relationships within a middle-class family. Shagun, mother of Roohi and Arjun seeking independence and freedom, engages in an extra-marital affair that disrupts her marriage to Raman, while Ishita, the second wife, epitomizes the self-sacrificing ideal of motherhood and wifehood that defines traditional values. Their emotional and legal struggles, particularly in the context of the custody battle over their children, reveal the gendered biases in India's legal system and the psychological toll of marital breakdowns on children. Custody critiques the evolving societal expectations of women, questioning the conflict between personal desires and familial obligations in a rapidly transforming India.