: Through hilarious dialogue, Basheer ridicules the "cruel" heart of societal expectations and the financial transactions involved in marriage. Reading and Digital Access

Basheer wrote the novel while imprisoned for his political activism. He used his characteristic "Basheerian" style—simple, colloquial Malayalam filled with wit—to address heavy topics:

: When Saramma asks Keshavan for help finding work, he offers her a unique "job": to love him as much as he loves her. He even proposes a "salary" for this role, blending humor with a critique of gender and economic dynamics.