M
Manu Joseph
Serious men
Synopsis
Ayyan Mani, a low-caste man in Mumbai, works as an assistant at a prestigious research institute and harbors deep resentment towards his privileged superiors. He orchestrates a scheme that leads to his ordinary, half-deaf son being hailed as a child prodigy in the local news. Meanwhile, his boss, Arvind Acharya, is consumed by his theory of extraterrestrial microbes, but an affair with an astrobiologist threatens his career, with Ayyan inevitably involved in the unfolding drama.
Genres
Characters
Ayyan ManiProtagonist
Arvind AcharyaSupporting
Ayyan's sonSupporting
Frequently asked questions
Does Serious Men have a film adaptation?
Yes, a Hindi-language film adaptation of Serious Men was released in 2020, directed by Sudhir Mishra and starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui.
How does Serious Men compare to Manu Joseph's other novels?
Serious Men shares Manu Joseph's characteristic satirical tone and often explores themes of class, ambition, and intellectual pretense within Indian society, similar to his later works like The Illicit Happiness of Other People.
Does Serious Men end with a clear resolution?
The novel provides a conclusive ending for its main characters and their intertwined schemes, offering a sense of closure rather than a cliffhanger.
