Mahashweta
Mahashweta is a Kannada novel by Indian Sudha Murthy which concerns a female protagonist named "Anupama". The novel deals with the issue of leukoderma.
A Marathi novel by Sumati Kshetramade deals with the same topic (leukoderma), and concerns a female protagonist named "Anupama". It was also adapted into a Television soap with Aishwarya Narkar playing the protagonist. Murthy says she came to know about the Marathi novel only after finishing writing her Kannada novel.[citation needed]
Plot summary
The female protagonist Anupama who has met her match a handsome Dr. Anand, just like the story of Cinderella and gets a life dream come true. This all is shattered when she discovers that she has Leukoderma which is still treated in India as a curse. She faces objections from her mother in law as well as from her father's house. She even thinks of suicide but gathers courage and decides to live the life that God has given her. Later she moves to Mumbai with the help of her friend and works as a lecturer. Meanwhile, she meets with an accident and meets Dr Vasanth who also loves Literature and Arts like her. Dr Vasanth proposes her but Anupama rejects it and says that they can be good friends. The name Mahashweta is taken from the female protagonist 'Mahashweta' in Banabhatta's play Kadambari.
Characters
- Anupama - fetagonist / protagonist
- Dr. Anand - Anupama's husband
- Sumithra - Anupama's friend
- Radhakka - Anupama's Mother-in-law
- Girija - Anupama's sister-in-law
- Shamanna - Anupama's father
- Dr. Vasanth - Anupama's friend
- Dr. Satya - Dr. Vasant's colleague (also Anupama's friend)
- Dolly - Anupama's friend and colleague
- Sabakka- Anupama's step mother
- Nanda- Anupama's step sister
- Hari- Sumithra's husband