Dollar Bahu

Dollar Bahu – is a novel by acclaimed Indian author Sudha Murty that explores the themes of materialism, family dynamics, and the “American Dream” through the story of two daughters-in-law in a middle-class Indian family. The book was also adapted into a Hindi television series in 2001. The narrative centers on the lives of Vinuta and Gouramma, her mother-in-law, in Bangalore. Vinuta is a humble woman who marries Girish, a bank clerk, and adjusts well to her new family despite Gouramma’s constant criticism. Gouramma is a materialistic woman who is obsessed with the idea of wealth and social status, particularly after her elder son, Chandru, moves to the United States and marries a woman she calls the “Dollar Bahu” (dollar daughter-in-law).