Ashwath returns to Bangalore 25 years after he left the city for the United States of America for higher education. The city scares him to some extent, the transformation has been drastic and it was definitely not what he was expecting to see. He had not kept in touch with his family back home — except for the occasional greeting cards. Can you blame him for being disoriented?
Savitri, his sister, missed her brother so much. He was not there for her wedding, or when their parents died, or when her marriage was falling apart. She is a different person when he finally decides to come back home, to Neel Kamal, the house built by their ancestors in suburbs, which has now been swallowed by the burgeoning city — the IT hub of the world. She is no longer the playful sibling, who would tease him about his crush on Thippy, the beautiful daughter of the occupants of their outhouse. She is now the strong mother of two who has somehow held her own and kept the family house from rotting or worse, getting gobbled by hungry relatives.
As for Thippy, the shy daughter of the village priest, is now Sundari Amma, the godwoman who is worshipped by rich and poor alike. She has a vast empire and had helped Savitri when she was down, mentally and physically.
The Boys from Good Families dwells into Ashwath’s and Savitri’s lives in two separate continents. Ashwath had gone abroad more as an act of rebellion than to try his luck in the new land. His father’s stronghold on everything stifled him. Ashwath was never good enough for the dad, and his parents certainly did not approve of his feelings for Thippy.
In the USA, his struggles were real. The three Cs of success — a condo, a credit card, and a car, were Ashwath’s. He also landed the corporate job. He had it all and then lost it all during the economic crisis. He then had to work odd jobs and multiple shifts to be able to afford a decent breakfast.
In the book, one friend of Ashwath’s father says to him — ‘I hear you have come back. It’s so rare these days. We are all so scattered... so few coming back home...boys from good families.’ Do boys from good families hear this way too often when they return home from foreign land?
You will find someone like Ashwath with many families in our country, who have at least one child in America, the magical land where dreams come true and dollars pile up in your bank account. It doesn’t matter if it comes by working as a utensil cleaner in a restaurant, or as an art gallery manager.
Ashwath’s nephew and neice – Shweta and Aprameya — are grappling with the same issues that he faced. But they are well-equipped to branch out.
So who are these Boys from Good Families? Is it Ashwath? Is it Keshav Rao, Savitri's husband? Is it Aprameya? Or is it every boy who is expected to toe the family line, and any deviation is considered as departure from the ‘good family’ behaviour?
Usha KR’s novel with a zig zag chronological writing keeps the reader engaged. It’s only when you finish the book and take another look at the cover illustration by RC Prakash, that you feel a special connection with the family and Neel Kamal.
