Dil Mil by Kalam Babu , Lavanya Nukavarapu

Dil Mil  by Kalam Babu ,  Lavanya Nukavarapu

"Dil Mil" is a thought-provoking story of a duo who are irresistibly bound by each other. This duo is a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law combination who never stood together but were bound to look back at their differences and how their differences led their most special person to commit suicide.

The story begins with the death of Ramkumar, which is initially treated as a suicide. After his death, Sushmitha was startled at the thought in the first place that her son married Pranithi. They don't have anything matching, but still both were together to feel the loss they had endured. Soon the story starts plotting uncomfortable vibes that something is off. 

Ram’s widow, Pranithi, is left trying to make sense of his death, his silences, and the strange traces he seems to have left behind. She starts investigating about the rope and how he seemed to get that in the first place. She figures out a phone, hidden records, suspicious digital transactions, and even a one-word note: "SORRY." This seems to start to feel less like closure and more like the beginning of a much bigger question.

The emotional core of the story is just as strong as the investigative side. Pranithi and Sushmitha (Ram’s mother) are such compelling characters because they are not written to be easy. They’re grieving for the same man, but in completely different ways. They’re carrying years of resentment, judgement, class tension, caste tension, and emotional distance. Their relationship feels raw and believable in a way that made every scene between them feel charged.

I liked the section where Sushmitha switched on the lights and walked into the drawing room. One corner wall was lined with books—Malladi, Sri Sri, Chalam, and Yendamuri—a private, mini library.  She picked up a book at random and flipped through its pages. Ram loved Telugu literature. He would grow animated talking about stories, about narrative styles, about the meaning in between the lines. How could her son, so deeply attuned to language, leave behind only sorrow? How could that have been his last word? She remembered one of Ram’s favorite poems, penned by Sri Sri. She searched for the book and read the poem. Then she read it again.

I also liked that the book slowly opens into something bigger than a family tragedy. As more clues come out, the story starts connecting Ramkumar’s death to hidden financial activity, suspicious records, and a much larger system operating in the background. The crypto and money angle could have felt dry, but here it actually adds a really modern kind of tension, because it makes the story feel disturbingly believable.

The author has well penned the tension of couples who chose to be together despite societal pressure. He has vividly depicted the emotional loss and trauma of losing a loved one and the conspiracy behind his death. The language is simple and evocative.

Overall, it is an intriguing read.

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