CHARACTERS AND CHARACTERIZATION
RISHI SALVI - Naved Aslam
28-year old Rishi is a bit of a hustler. He is a lower middle class Indian taxi driver with dreams. He is immature and unable to see beyond the immediate gains. Intrinsically, he is honest, but easily tempted by the strong consumer society he lives in. Not the typical Indian male of this strata, he struggles to offer his wife an equal platform, while still needing to assert his leadership in the house. Though he quietly admires his wife, he will not be caught dead admitting it. He has a good heart, but is still to grow into a man!
NAINA - Sakshi Shroff
25 year-old NAINA is a bit of a rebel. A true product of the Indian society she has grown up in, she has learned to ‘listen to’ her husband though she disagrees with some of his ways. She is a deeply religious woman with the highest of values ingrained in her. When turned to in the time of crises, she raises her head like a Goddess and walks hand in hand with her husband. She is the quiet, hidden strength behind Rishi, though neither of them know it. She has chosen to stay at home, not working, to support Gudiya.
GUDIYA - Manya Jha
7 year old Gudiya is the apple of her father’s eye. She is a confident young girl with dreams, basking in her parent’s attention. She worships her father and adores her mother. She studies in Kendriya Vidyalaya but has few friends because she is from a lower income group than most of her classmates and is unable to participate in many of their activities.. Academically, she is among the top 5 students in her class. She spends a lot of time at home with her mother.
ALOK - Vivek Punjabi
ALOK, 30 is Rishi’s friend. Quite conservative, he is God-fearing and tradition bound. He has been friends with Rishi since they were 5 years old. By nature, he is kind, honest, sometimes to the point of bluntness. He is known to be the voice Rishi doesn't want to hear.
DR. DURANTE - James North
DR. DURANTE, an English missionary doctor who loves India. He has learned to look at the positive side of life and is ever willing to look at the better side of humanity. His path becomes enmeshed with Rishi's when he rides in his taxi one rainy night.
DR. SUNIL - Mayuresh A. Nirhali
Is Dr. Durante's right hand man. Their relationship goes back all the years Dr. Durante has been in the country. He is a senior doctor in a city hospital.
MRS. SHARMA - Yasmin Sait
A 56 year old Indian, she is kind, generous spirited, fair and wise. She believes that we draw our own destiny by the decisions we make. She spends a lot of her time doing social work. When she needs reliable transport, she calls Rishi. She has great respect for all humans, despite class or caste or other societal differences.
GANESH - Chandrashekar
Ganesh is the Value Repossessions representative, who Rishi hates. This, because he threatens to take away Rishi’s livelihood, his trusty steed, his taxi, if his payments are not made on time.
HOTEL RECEPTIONIST - Krithika Kumar
The Hotel receptionist is unable to help Rishi in his search for Dr. Durante.
NURSE - Shruti Ghanate
Nurse in ICU