Aftertaste

Diwali 1984. Mummyji, the matriarch of a prosperous mithai business family, liescomatose in a Bombay hospital. Manipulative, determined, and seemingly invincible, mummyji hasheld together her family through bribes of money, endless food, and adoration. Surrounding her are her four children: the weak and ineffectual rajan papa who is desperately inneed of cash; sunny, the dynamic head of the business with an ugly marriage and a demanding mistress; suman, the spoilt beauty of the family who is determined to get her hands on mummyji’s best jewels; and saroj, suman’s unlucky sister, who has always lived in her shadow. Each one ofthem wants mummyji to die. After taste tells the story of one business family and its bitter dynamics: of resentful bahus,emasculated sons, controlling mothers - in - law, and rapacious siblings. For at the heart of family liesmoney, not love. Full of rare period details and insights into the world of baniya families, aftertasteis worldly, astute, and utterly riveting.