Madras on Rainy Days

Layla is torn between clashing identities - dutiful Muslim daughter and free, independent American woman. When she is nineteen, her parents inform her that a marriage has been arranged for her to an Indian man she doesn't know. A stunned Layla submits reluctantly, but in the heat and noise of Hyderabad, as her wedding looms, her behaviour becomes more and more erratic. Her mother, fearing demonic possession, takes Layla to a Muslim faith healer, an alim, hoping to exorcise all traces of rebellion. To Layla's surprise, the ancient and elaborate wedding rituals, her groom's beauty, and the warm welcome of her new family fill her with a sense of belonging she has never known before. But her honeymoon in Madras soon reveals the uncomfortable truth behind the bargain she has struck.