Author: Sudha Murthy
My Take
Dollar Bahu, with its simple plot and language promises to charm its readers despite the serious story line. Ms Murthy has originally written Dollar Bahu in kannada with the title Dollar Sose in the year 2001. The plot brings in the ever green 'saas' that gives a preference to the daughter-in-law who lives in the US and with sending them the dollars only becomes the favorite of hers. That poses problems for the other daughter-in-law who lives with her, helps her with the house work but still lacks because she does not have the dollar tag attached to her. Thus follows the battle of the dollar!
The mother-in-law, Gowri reminded me of several such greedy women that I have come across so its easy to empathize and sympathize with the situation. Of course in real life some people never learn their lesson but here Gowramma learns the importance of a good heart that comes before money. Of course being from India, it takes time for her to adjust to the values of the Americans. Her daughter-in-law living in the US is sharp and mean, not wanting to waste her money on her relatives living in India. She has no feelings for her husband's side of the family. So, she mechanically uses her mother-in-law to take care of her house and her new born baby. She always openly discusses how 'stupid' Gowramma was. That is when the mother-in-law realizes how foolish she had been in her treatment of her other submissive and hard working daughter-in-law in India.
Dollar Bahu resembles a good ol' soap opera but with taste and with a simplicity that is bound to make you read a few more of Ms Murthy's books.
Rating: 4.5/5
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