What does it mean to carry the weight of a family on your shoulders? 

Shefali Tripathi Mehta’s People on Our Roof delves into this question with piercing clarity, telling the story of Naina—a woman caught between love, duty, and the demands of caregiving. Naina’s mother lives with schizophrenia, haunted by the “green people on the roof,” while her sister has autism. With her father long gone, Naina is left to hold the family together as its sole breadwinner. Her life is a daily grind of balancing work with the endless needs of a family dependent on her, a reality made even harder by the conservative milieu of her society, which casts judgment rather than offering support.

Set in the Delhi of the 1990s and early 2000s, this is a narrative that intertwines personal struggles with the larger societal stigma surrounding mental health. Mehta’s portrayal of Naina is both tender and unsparing. She is emotionally turbulent—her patience often frayed, her spirit exhausted—but she is never reduced to a victim. Instead, we see a woman grappling with the complexities of love and duty, with moments of despair punctuated by flashes of joy and self-discovery. When she meets Michael, she feels the stirrings of something beyond her burdens, but fate remains a fickle companion. 

This is not a story of grand resolutions or miraculous redemptions but one of quiet, hard-won strength. Naina’s journey is deeply human—one of stumbling, falling, and finding the resolve to rise again. Her unwavering love for her family fuels her determination to unravel the mystery of her father’s disappearance, a quest that becomes as much about understanding her own identity as it is about confronting the past. 

Although the novel is about Naina’s resilience in the face of overwhelming odds, at its heart, the story offers a poignant exploration of caregiving—a role often underrepresented or oversimplified. Caregiving is both an act of love and an immense burden, and Mehta captures this dichotomy with grace. Naina’s life is consumed by her mother’s unpredictable mood swings and violent episodes, as well as the constant care required by her sister, Tara. The emotional and physical toll of caregiving leaves little room for Naina’s personal desires or ambitions. Her identity as an individual often feels subsumed by her role as a caretaker. And yet, within this challenging reality, Mehta finds moments of light. Through Naina’s eyes, we see how even the most mundane acts—like sharing tea or exchanging a joke—become small but meaningful victories.

This emotional complexity extends to the supporting cast. Each character in the novel serves a purpose, adding texture to Naina’s world. There is a tenderness in her relationship with Tara, whose vulnerability draws out Naina’s fiercest protective instincts. While Michael represents a potential escape, and other male figures lend her moments of support, none of them are cast as saviors. 

Mehta’s prose is clear, conversational, and deeply empathetic, allowing readers to feel intimately connected to Naina’s struggles and triumphs. The narrative shifts between past and present are seamless, providing rich context for the characters’ lives without disrupting the story’s flow. The descriptions of late-1990s Delhi lend a nostalgic charm to the setting, with small details like crossword puzzles, the fragrant Madhukamini bush, and tea-soaked conversations grounding the story in a relatable reality.

But beyond its evocative storytelling, People on Our Roof is a powerful commentary on the stigma surrounding mental health. The novel refuses to shy away from the societal biases and institutional failures that compound the struggles of those living with mental illness. Naina’s mother is ostracized, her home dismissed with whispers of “pagalkhana.” Amidst this, the family’s refusal to turn to superstitious remedies or faith healers, choosing instead to seek psychiatric care, is a quiet but important statement. Mehta subtly underscores the dignity of modern medical treatment and the importance of addressing mental illness with compassion and understanding.

Despite its heavy themes, the novel is not without hope. Mehta strikes a delicate balance, avoiding the pitfalls of melodrama while still delivering moments of optimism and resilience. Naina’s struggles may be uniquely hers, but her strength, doubts, and humanity are universal. 

As conversations around mental health continue to evolve, People on Our Roof serves as a mirror to society and also encourages us to confront stigma.