VOLUME-I, ISSUE-V

ISSN (Online): 2350-0476

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INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MULTIFACETED AND MULTILINGUAL STUDIES

Shobha Des Sisters: An Analytical Study

Talluri Mathew Bhaskar
Lecturer in English
ABSTRACT:
De has emerged as a major novelist on the Indian literary scene over the years; her name has become
synonymous with an enviable appeal and an undeniable charm. Her novels are different from the novels written
by other women writers. Her themes and her language are more contemporary than those of other women
writers. Sex is no more taboo in her novels and this has drawn a lot of readers. With her industrious nature, she
reaped name and fame as a free-lance writer and columnist for several upfront magazines and newspapers.
Des Sisters (1992) is her third novel. It reveals the picture of two corporate half-sisters: Mallika and Alisha,
who struggle to find place for themselves in the world of business after the death of their father, Hiralal. They
struggle for an identity. Mallika marries Binny, a businessman to consolidate her status in the society. Her halfsister, Alisha seeks the company of Amar and Dr. Kurien to satisfy herself. They develop rivalry to get solidarity
in the society. Sex for Des women is palpable, pulsating and compelling reality. Ironically, in the novel, Mikki
and Alisha are united only after the death of the latters mother. With her motherly affection, Mikki attempts to
soothe the wounded self of her sister. She helps her get over all the emotional hurdles in her life. The novel
comes to an end with Mikki and Alisha realising the need to live together. Des Sisters has all the spicy
ingredients that go into the cooking of the hot American bestseller. Des women are more assertive,
domineering and bold in comparison to their male counterparts. They are not submissive. They are not guilty
about their affairs and attitudes.
KEYWORDS: Identity, rivalry, love, hate, sex, guilty.

Shobha De is a modern novelist who

unbridled passion with his concubine,
recognises
the
displacement
and
Leelaben. Consequent upon the death of
marginalisation of women and attempts to
her parents in an air crash, Mikki Malhotra
turn this pattern upside down through her
finds herself handling her fathers
writings. De picks womens issues with a
industries which are on the brink of
lot of enthusiasm than expected in a bid to
collapse. Mikki returned home and oversaw
support the cause of womens liberation.
their funeral and took charge of her fathers
Social concern is the main thrust of all her
industries and business. The story begins in
novels. She explores the world of urban
the highly corrupt world of big business
women of India. The modern woman who
and the two lusty half-sistersMallika and
is at the centre of her fiction is bold, daring
Alisha who are in keen competition to
and ambitious. Des women do not find any
outdo each other. When the narrative
sense in being acquiescent. They are not
opens, Mallika, the protagonist leaves
ready to suffer and sacrifice as the
America for Bombay. She is unready for
traditional women do. They want to project
holding any responsibility that can deprive
their image as individuals, free from all
her of her personal freedom. She feels
kinds of conservative thinking which they
lonely after the sudden demise of her
seek to over throw. They are ready to fight
parents. Shobha Des heroines generally
their way against all odds coming in their
tend to free themselves from the clutches of
way in fulfilling their aspirations. Des
married life and all household duties.
novel Sisters is the story of an industrialist,
Alisha spits venom to her half-sister,
Seth Hiralal and his daughters, Mallika
Mikki. Alisha has no special sanction as the
(Mikki) and Alisha. Mikki is the
biological daughter of Seth Hiralal. She
protagonist in the novel. She is the daughter
finds the obituary column of her father. The
of a woman whom Seth Hiralal properly
column consists of the following lines:
weds while Alisha is the offshoot of this
Survived by his only child, a daughter, Mallika, studying at present in the U.S.
(p.4)
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Alisha was outraged by this obituary

determined to say Hiralal Industries from
column. With the death of her father,
going bankrupt. She had to discuss business
Alishas dream of going abroad had been
matters with their solicitors, chartered
shattered. She feels envious of her halfaccountants and persons-in-charge of
sister, Mikki. Mikki feels obliged to make
various boards of Hiralal Companies. Very
Alisha a partner in the business. She gets
soon Mikki is exposed to the duplicity of
into her fathers shoes. She wants to
her father as she discovers that she has a
establish good relations with her half-sister.
half-sister, Alisha Mehta born of a
Mikki attends many parties and came in
concubine, four months after her. She feels
contact with many young persons. She is
betrayed. This passage deserves mention:
Mikkis eyes were beginning to flood. Shed never felt this betrayed before. Her
father, always distant, now seemed a total stranger. A stranger whod led a
sneaky double life.
(p.20)
Mikki takes the reins of her fathers
intimacy naturally. The society underrates
industries in her hands. She intends to run
and rejects step sisters in giving recognition
Hiralal Industries on her own terms. She
as true heirs to their parents property.
does not need any bodys advice; not even
Illegitimate relations lead to inhibition
of Ramankaka who was a close confidant
among the step-siblings in the society. As a
of her father who now offers his help in
result they develop hatred against the
running the industries efficiently. She feels
legitimate children of the same parents.
obliged to make Alisha a partner in the
That hatred is seen in the words of Alisha
business. Parents suffer a lot in order to
when she finds a line in a newspaper after
create an identity for step children
the death of her father, Hirlal Malhotra:
surrounded by the symbols of harmony and
Let me sleep. As it is, Im feeling awful. And now you are pushing newspapers in
my face. Alisha continued to read, her eyes narrowing at the references to Mikki.
Look at this! Ha, ha! Survived by his only child. Mummy, wake up. You must
see all this rubbish! Only child, she mocked. And what about me? What am I?
A puppy? A Kitten? A pet?
(p.5)
Mikki invites her sister to extend her
human values that prompts her to establish
support to her in running her industries as a
good relations with Alisha Mehta. A few
joint venture. The existence of Alisha,
miles away from Mallikas bungalow, in a
although they are strangers to each other,
small suburb of Bombay, Alisha and her
gives her a sense of solace and she is
mother stay together. Mikki at the
strengthened morally. Alisha has inherited
crematorium, Mikki for the first time sees
a lot of wealth from her father. She will
Alisha not being allowed to be there to pay
inherit it when she turns twenty. No one
her last rites to her father. At that time
has access to that money not even to her
Mikki did not know her. But she was very
mother. It is not her half-sisters riches that
much impressed by her physical
makes Mikki think of her but her faith in
appearance:
Suddenly there was some sort of disturbance and everyones attention was drawn
away from the two bodies. Mikki looked up to see what the noise was about. She
took in the slim, tall figure of a striking-looking young girl arguing with
Ramankaka and a couple of her other uncles in the portico leading into the hall.
My God! What an attractive female, thought Mikki before wondering who on
earth she . . . . why was Ramankaka stopping her? Mikki looked again more
closely. Mikki thought with amusementwe could be sisters! There was a
resemblance. . . . Except for the girls lovely long hair and the way she was

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dressed. . . . many similarities. . . . Mikki was mesmerised by her. But she knew
she couldnt just walk over and solve the mystery.
(pp.15-16)
On seeing her, Mikki feels that Alisha is
multiplying every day. Mikki may have to
her sister. She has many resemblances
dispose off her asserts as she has no
with her. She will inherit her mothers
capital. In an inevitable situation, Mikki
jewellery, asserts, property. At first Alisha
finally accepts Navins invitation to spend
rejects to meet Mikki. Shanay, Mikkis
an evening at The 1900sa night club
cousin advises her to borrow money from
favoured by young men of rich stock.
her rich fianc Navin, to save the
Navin is taken aback when he watches her
industries
from
going
bankrupt.
in a beautiful dress. Her beauty is
Ramankaka feels relaxed as he avoids
described in the following passage from
loans to be paid off but the interest is
the text:
A daring little dress with a beaded bodice, which was cut slyly to push her
breasts up and pinch her waist in. She liked what she saw in the mirror as she
dressed, lingering over her accessoriesblack silk stockings, black patent
leather heels and a Chanel bag to match. Her hair looked all wrong with such a
sophisticated ensemble. On an impulse, she squeezed some gel on to her palms
and sleeked it over her head. Hair taken entirely off her face. The new look went
perfectly with the dress and highlighted her delicate bone structure to advantage.
(p.36)
Shanay, Navin, Binny Malhotrathe
to win her sister Alisha and Alishas to be a
suitors of Mikki are the big sharks ready to
rich lady. While power or status differences
swallow her. Amy, Anjanaben, Leelaben
are involved in sisters relations in
Alishas mother, Dr. Kurien, Lucio and
adulthood, they rely on men for emotional
many other characters in the novel remain
support and companionship. In order to
in the backdrop and hardly emerge as
make this real, they start playing with
powerfully drawn characters. The central
boyfriends
and
husbands.
Sonia
theme of the novel is the quest of Mallika
Ningthoujam in her book comments:
Life according to these women is to be lived as they desire. They have money and
power and everything else hardly matters. They hate men towering over them.
They demand equally with them. 1
Navin, Mikkis fianc is putty in his
seamy side of the business life as on the
mothers hands and she is repelled by his
inner turmoil of the protagonist. Alisha
lack of self respect. In no time, Mikki
appears to be hostile and bitter to the entire
realises the truth. Irked by his attitude,
world, especially to her dead father and his
Mikki calls off her engagement with him. At
legitimate daughter, Mikki. She hates
this juncture she happens to meet a big
Mikki, her father and the society. She is
business tycoon named Binny Malhotra. He
cross at the injustice and the social
is a middle-aged man. His uncanny
hypocrisy. To avenge her humiliation, she
aggressive manner attracts Mikki. Human
beds with a former fianc of her sister Mikki
relations are purely built upon monetary
and believes to have tortured her by having
affairs in urban aristocrat families. Binny
sex with him. Women in the upper class
woos her with extravagant luxury and
society in India in recent years have
attention. Mallika Hiralal knows Binnys
outgrown Victorian taboos. They are no
character well. But she cannot avoid
more prudes in public. The concept of
overlooking his real character due to the
morality arising out of love for one and the
exigency of having to save her failing
same person is outdated. The idea of
business. The novel focuses as much on the
marriage and constancy in love has
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undergone a sea change. Shobha De

qualities, amalgamating pleasure, career and
presents a complex picture of a new woman
marriage. Dr. E. Satyanarayana in his article
who has physical freedom and feminine
comments:
Unlike its predecessors, Sisters for the first time deals with the psychic conflict in
its liberated woman-protagonist who is caught between a personal self and a
societal self. The novel thus focuses as much on the seamy side of the business
life as on the inner turmoil of the protagonist. 2
De delves deep into the hearts of liberated
has to affirm sensuality. Marriage in the
upper class women in the contemporary
sight of Des new woman, a means of
society and depicts the characters as they
manipulating business interests, not of
are not as they should have been. She
promoting welfare of the family. Amy, an
seems to say that sex and sensuality are a
old friend of Mikki, advises her to marry
part of life and in order to accept to life one
Binny Malhotra. Amy says:
The quickest way to shoot to the top is to tie up with Malhotra. And I am being
very practical when I tell you thiswhats the worst thing that could happen in
that alliance? A disastrous marriage can always be put behind you, darling.
These days divorce isnt what it used to be. You are young and attractive. There
will be dozens of Malhotras later. You need a night, even one in tarnished
armour, right now. So be a good girl, get home, have a long hot bath, wear your
sexiest negligee and call the man.
(p.135)
Mikki marries Binny Malhotra against the
gets into wedlock. She enjoys pre-marital
wishes of all her well wishers. Generally
sexual experience with Binny. The narrator
Des women tend to free themselves from
describes that scene:
the snare of married life but here Mikki
....he took Mikki into his harms and kissed her gently at first, and then with
increasing passion. She felt her heart thudding against his chest. Slowly, he
unbuttoned her shirt and cupped her breast. Mikki caught her breath as Binny
hauled her on to the bed and nearly tore off her clothes. He kept repeating,
beautiful, beautiful, beautiful while she lay back and closed her eyes. At that
moment the only thing that mattered was the feel of him over her slim body, the
touch of his fingers inside her, and the slow, deliberate movement of his tongue
as it explored her mouth and kept up a steady rhythm, while his legs parted hers
and he began his final assault on the woman he had already claimed as his own.
(pp.141-142)
She does not like the inhuman
joy knows no bounds. She enjoys
subordination of the woman and confining
unbridled sex with him. She is proud of
her to four walls of the kitchen. Mikkis
being Binnys wife. The author says:
Mikki didnt have time to do anything....as she surrendered to this man who was
now her husband....And she was happy....She felt liberated, uninhibited and
aroused to the point of primitive abandon....she would give it to him. She would
give him every bit of herself, her body, her mind, her soul. She was in love with
him. And he was finally hers.
(p.175)
Binny and Mikki enjoy their marital life in
gets the pulp and turns into a rich heiress
a hectic way. He does not ask her about any
while she holds on to her fathers
of her previous boyfriends like Navin.
crumbling empire. Binny took advantage of
Alishas mother is very much worried
the situation and lured away Mikki by
about Alishas marriage. But Alisha does
giving costly presents and promising
not want to marry and wants to remain a
financial help. Binny, being a master in the
spinster. Mikki finds that it is Alisha who
art of love-making lured Mikki to his bed
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VOLUME-I, ISSUE-V

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and forced her to marry him. She marries

to him. Though she thinks that he is joking
him against the wishes of all. Binny
at first, she comes to know that he is
Malhotra shows his true colour after
serious about the woman working in the
marriage. He tells Mikki not to join the
office. D.Murali Manohar comments on it
office but only to become a very good wife
in one of his articles:
Although she claims, she would look after her fathers business; she hands over
all her business deals to Binny whom she loves and marries. In fact, he pretends
that he is interested in her but his main aim is to seize all her property and make
her dependent on him and does whatever he asks her to do. 3
Binny does not pay any attention to his
respect the sanctity of holy matrimony. He
wife. He is a big womanizer. He does not
disregards it. Binnys words make it clear:
This is no longer your fathers home and you are no longer the pampered child.
You are Binny Malhotras wife. And youd better start behaving like her. In our
family women are trained to obey their husbands. Thank your stars you dont
have a mother-in-law to please. You will never, I repeat, never question me...or
complain. You have nothing to complain aboutgot that? Your life is perfect.
You have everything...everything. Where I go, what I do, when and with whom, is
my business.
(p.187)
Mikkis marriage turns out for all the
hope that it would facilitate better business
wrong reasons. He had already got a
transactions. But nothing of that kind
mistress Urmi and her two children. Mikki
happens. Binny continued to sleep with
is shattered and confounded. His mind is
women of his choice. She was beaten and
with Urmi and their children. She realises
forced to leave the house of Binny. Amy
the fact that she has been cheated by her
tries to console her and offer her good bit
husband but still she loves Binny madly.
of advice. Mikki narrates her bitter
She transfers all her property to him in the
experiences to Amy:
I was so stunned...I started crying and hitting out at him. He caught my hands
and flung me across the room. I kept pleading with him and asking why he was so
upset. Didnt he want our child? And he bellowed, No! No! No! I caught
his feet and begged, What about me? I want to become a mother. I want
someone to call my own. Binny looked at me with so much hate in his eyes I
thought he would kill me and said, Then you should have married that pansy
who ditched you...but I doubt that he would have filled your belly. I kept crying.
And as usual, Binny walked out of the house and disappeared. (pp.191-192)
Now, Mikki decides to take the help of
better drop her case, as she herself has
Alisha. But she is in no mood to oblige
signed in all the documents of her property
her. Alisha, like Mikki, is a free bird.
transfer to Binny. The lawyer advises
Mikki seems to be facing problems on all
Mikki to take police protection in her
fronts. Mikki shares every bit with Amy
house. All her efforts to live with Binny
and tells her to arrange for an abortion.
fail. Mikki is determined to retain her
Binny does not want children as he already
industries with which she identifies
gets a baby and a girl through Urmi whom
herself. However, long before she does
he never married. They have only
anything, she again finds herself in the
cohabitation. Mikki becomes very meek in
saddle, when Binny along with his
the name of marriage. With the help of
illegitimate family meets his death. Mikki
Shanay, Amy and Bhawna, a lawyer she
faints on hearing the news of Binnys
decides to apply for divorce and she is
death in an accident. Two men from
ready to give the statement in the court.
Binnys office inform her:
Her lawyer suggests that Mikki should
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The two men from Binnys office were waiting silently for her to compose herself.
What happened? she asked at last. Car accident, one man explained. While
driving from Bangalore to Ooty, Mr Malhotra, Miss Urmilla and...and...the
children...they were all killed. Head-on collision with a truck. Instantaneous.
Driver also dead. Very bad. Very bad.
(p.274)
Mikki is a changed woman now. She is
First, she wants oversee all arrangements
transformed from an ordinary young
for the funeral. She extends the same to
woman to a mature woman. She turns her
Ms Urmi and her two children who also
attention towards her estranged sister.
die with Binny. Ramankaka says:
You were still in love with that husband of yours. You may have been divorced
but your heart was not free. And it would never have been free so long as Mr
Malhotra was alive. Thats why Shanay had to kill him.
(p.277)
When she hears that Binny and his
plans behind the mysterious deaths of her
concubine have been killed in an accident
parents and her husband. The phone call
by Shanay, her head reels and she feels
threatens to harm her. It says that her life is
flabbergasted. In a hotel, after the funeral
in danger. As far as her sister Alisha is
ceremony is over, she receives a
concerned, Alisha has illicit relations with
threatening call which reveals the secret
Dr. Kurien. It is described in great detail:
She looked wanton and beautiful in the afternoon light. The doctor ignored her
and continued peeling his clothes off. Alisha leapt off the bed and reached him in
two strides. She went for him like a wild cat, tearing into his skin with her long
nails, spitting and hissing curses while her legs flew at his shins. He caught her
wrists and stopped her from scratching his face...he pinioned her arms with his
hands and pushed her backwards towards the roomy bed. With one leg he tripped
her as she approached the edge. Alisha fell back over the heaped up pillows and
he fell on top of her. He grabbed her hair and jerked her face back, What more
do you want from me? he asked roughly....his thighs pinned down her legs as he
entered her in a manner that was so brutal....you want more all the time. Nothing
satisfies you. Here, take it all...it is free.
(pp.299-300)
Many passages could be sited from the
for her husband Binny, who ditched her,
novel to show how the description of
shows the magnanimity of her character.
consummation of love and sex almost
Her final triumph comes when she wins
borders on obscenity and pornography. To
the love and affection of her half-sister
De sex in not something one need be
Alisha. She contacts Ramankaka and Mrs.
ashamed of. In her novels, she is engaged
D.Souza
to
join
her
industries
in unravelling the dark and sinister sides of
immediately. She declares that Alisha
power, money and fame. Alisha gets
becomes the co-chairperson to her fathers
involved with Dr. Kurien knowing full
industries. Mikki inherits all of Binnys
well that he was a married man with
assets which include her fathers old
children. She becomes a drug addict. It is
companies. The new woman in her is
Mikki who has rescued her from death by
confident and affirmative in discharging
donating her blood. She helps Alisha after
her duties. Ramankaka had planned all the
the death of her mother Leelaben. De tries
crooked things to kill her parents, husband
to redeem her protagonist Mikki by
and even Mikki and Alisha. Mikki comes
making her deeply human. Mikkis
to know that the mysterious man is none
concern for Alisha, determination to make
other than Ramanbhai. At last the police
amends for her fathers vices and misdeeds
take him into their custody. In corporate
by rehabilitating Alisha in her, speaks
families these conspiracies, plots are
volumes of her kind nature. Even her love
common. It is Alisha who sends the driver,
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Shanay, police and all to save her sister

sister. The novel comes to an end with
Mikki. Mikki has regained her good health
both the sisters realising the need to live
by coming out of that dreadful disease,
together. At the end of the novel, at the
tuberculosis. Both women finally reconcile
airport, Alisha is attracted by two good
with each other and decide to face the
looking men, resemble to be Indians.
world together as friends and sisters. They
Alisha exchanges a quick glance with
see happiness in each others company.
Mikki. They talk about Shanay. Alisha
With her motherly affection, Mikki
says softly to herself looking at those
attempts to soothe the wounded self of her
young men:
One of you guys had better watch out. Your bachelor days are numbered. Its all
over for you now. Alluring Alisha is on the prowl. Next to her, Mikki smiled and
looked out of the window at the twilit sky outside. She spotted the lone evening
star. Mikki quickly made a wish. A wish she knew was going to come true.
Finally.
(p.360)
The novelist brings these two sisters
love and affection passing the bounds of
together, who blundered their way for a
social restrictions. Neena Arora says in
while and turned their mutual distrust to
one of her articles:
The plot sounds good, rather perfect for a super-hit Hindi film with well measured
doses of suspense, romance, imported locations, sex, drugs, accidents, rape and
love-hate relationship finally ending on a happy note. 4
The novel is appropriately titled Sisters.
Des flowery language adds to the charm
of the narrative.

Works Cited
1. Ningthoujam, L. Sonia. Image of the New Women in the Novels of Shobha De. New Delhi:
Prestige, 2006. p.36.
2. Satyanarayana, E. The Dialectics of Self-Assertion: The Liberated Woman in Sisters, in
Jaydip Sinh Dodiya. p.211.
3. Manohar, D. Murali. Rejecting the Hegemony: The 1900s. Indian English Womens
Fiction: A Study of Marriage, Career and Divorce. New Delhi: Atlantic, 2007. pp.146-147.
4. Arora, Neena. An Analytical Study of Sisters, in Jayadip Sinh Dodiya. New Delhi:
Prestige 2000 p.218.

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