Ishu (Ishita Dey) Character Analysis in Hani and Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating

Overview of Ishu (Ishita Dey) in Hani and Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating

Ishu (Ishita Dey) is one of the two protagonists of Adiba Jaigirdar's 2021 novel. She is a Bengali-Irish student who is academically at the top of her class but socially isolated. Her defining trait is her intense ambition: she wants to become Head Girl to win her parents' approval and finally step out of the shadow of her older sister, Nikhita. To achieve this, she agrees to a fake relationship with Hani, a popular girl who needs to prove her bisexuality to her friends. Over the course of the story, Ishu's calculated plan unravels as she develops genuine feelings for Hani and begins to question the very goals she was chasing. Her arc moves from a rigid, performance-driven pursuit of external validation to a more authentic, emotionally open version of herself.

Ishu is a complex character: she is blunt, sometimes abrasive, and fiercely independent, yet she is also deeply insecure about her social standing and her place within her family. Her journey in the novel is not just about winning an election, but about learning to value her own desires and relationships over the expectations of others.

Plot Role

Ishu is the engine of the novel's central premise. Her desire to become Head Girl leads her to accept Hani's proposal for a fake relationship. This arrangement drives the plot forward: the two create a “guide” to keep their lies consistent, go on fake dates, and navigate the social complexities of school. Ishu's ambition also creates conflict. When Aisling accuses her of cheating, Ishu's campaign is jeopardized, and she must decide whether to trust Hani or retreat into her defensive shell. Her eventual reconciliation with Hani and her decision to support her sister Nik's wedding are pivotal moments that resolve the novel's emotional arcs.

Ishu's role is also to challenge Hani's assumptions about herself and her friends. Through Ishu, Hani begins to see the toxicity of her friendship with Aisling and Dee, and Ishu's own growth mirrors Hani's.

Motivations and Traits Shown Through Actions

Ishu's primary motivation is to gain her parents' approval. She explicitly tells Hani that she wants to be Head Girl because her sister was “perfect” in their parents' eyes, and now that Nik has “fucked up,” it's Ishu's turn to step out of the shadows. This desire drives her to agree to the fake dating scheme, even though she initially finds the idea distasteful.

Her academic discipline is shown through her early morning study sessions—she wakes at six to study, as she tells Hani in chapter 11. She is also shown to be confident in her abilities, as when she performs well on a surprise biology test in chapter 1.

Ishu's abrasiveness is a key trait. She curses, rolls her eyes, and dismisses others. In chapter 8, she insists on calling Hani “Humaira” because she finds “Hani” a bastardization of her name. She is also socially awkward, admitting in chapter 9 that she has never dated anyone and worrying she will “do something wrong.” This vulnerability is hidden beneath her sharp exterior.

As the story progresses, Ishu shows growth. She learns to be more compassionate, as when she helps Hani plan Nik's holud (wedding ceremony) in chapter 51. She also becomes more expressive, noting in chapter 50 that she has become more emotional since befriending Hani.

Chronological Arc

Ishu's arc can be traced through key moments:

Chapter 1: Ishu is studying at home when her sister Nik calls, asking to be let into the house. Ishu agrees, though she finds it unusual. She performs well on a surprise test and observes Humaira (Hani) helping a classmate, reflecting on how different they are.
Chapter 3: Ishu lets Nik into the house. Nik announces she is taking a year off from university to marry someone, and the family dinner falls silent. This sets up Ishu's desire to be the “good” daughter.
Chapter 8-9: Hani approaches Ishu with the fake dating proposal. Ishu initially resists but agrees, and they create the “Guide to Fake Dating” with rules and boundaries. Ishu admits she has never dated.
Chapter 11: Ishu initiates a fake date, showing her commitment to the plan. She also reveals her motivation to Hani: she wants to be Head Girl to escape her sister's shadow.
Chapter 14: Nik confronts Ishu about her relationship with Hani. Ishu denies it, but Nik offers support, saying she can come to her if things go wrong. This is a turning point in their relationship.
Chapter 29: Ishu and Hani nearly kiss, but are interrupted by Ishu's mother. This moment signals Ishu's growing genuine feelings.
Chapter 34: Aisling accuses Ishu of cheating. Ishu breaks down, blaming Hani for her situation, and they break up. Ishu says she wishes she had never agreed to the fake dating.
Chapter 41: Ishu tries to move on, focusing on the Head Girl election. She calls Nik for help, and they work on a presentation.
Chapter 45: Hani tries to reconcile, but Ishu rejects her, telling her to leave her alone.
Chapter 49: At a barbecue, Ishu and Hani are together again. Ishu explains they began fake dating but became a real couple three weeks ago. This is the public confirmation of their genuine relationship.
Chapter 50: Ishu confronts her mother about Nik's wedding, insisting they should attend. Her mother relents, and Ishu feels emotional about becoming more expressive.
Chapter 51: Ishu and Hani attend Nik's wedding, planning a holud for her. Ishu wishes her parents could be there but feels grateful to share the day with Hani.

Relationships

With Hani: Ishu's relationship with Hani evolves from a transactional arrangement to a genuine romance. Initially, Ishu is dismissive and treats the fake dating as a means to an end. Over time, she becomes more invested, as shown in chapter 29 when they nearly kiss. After the cheating accusation, Ishu breaks up with Hani, but they reconcile and become a real couple by chapter 49. Ishu's growth is tied to her ability to trust Hani and be vulnerable.

With Nik: Ishu's relationship with her sister is initially competitive. She resents Nik's perfection and is frustrated by her choices. However, Nik's support in chapter 14—offering to help if Ishu's parents find out about Hani—begins to soften Ishu. By the end, Ishu stands up for Nik's wedding and helps plan the holud, showing a shift from rivalry to solidarity.

With her parents: Ishu seeks their approval throughout the novel. She wants to be Head Girl to please them. However, in chapter 50, she confronts her mother about Nik's wedding, arguing that she should not punish Nik for her choices. This is a moment of asserting her own values over her parents' expectations.

With Aisling and Dee: Ishu is adversarial with them, especially after Aisling accuses her of cheating. She sees them as toxic influences on Hani and warns Hani that she deserves better friends.

Key Decisions and Consequences

Agreeing to fake date Hani: This decision sets the plot in motion. It leads to Ishu gaining social visibility but also to the cheating accusation and the breakdown of her relationship with Hani.
Keeping the fake dating a secret: Ishu and Hani agree not to tell anyone. This secrecy causes complications, especially when Nik finds out and when Aisling uses it against Ishu.
Breaking up with Hani: After the cheating accusation, Ishu ends the relationship, believing Hani will side with Aisling. This decision isolates her but also forces her to confront her own feelings.
Confronting her mother about Nik's wedding: Ishu insists that they should attend Nik's wedding, even if her mother disapproves. This shows her growth in prioritizing family bonds over parental approval.
Attending Nik's wedding: Ishu helps plan the holud and celebrates with Nik, choosing to support her sister despite their parents' absence. This decision solidifies her emotional maturity.

Theme and Symbol Connections

Ishu's character is deeply connected to the theme of performance vs. authenticity. Her fake relationship is a performance, and she initially treats her entire life as a performance for her parents. Her arc is about shedding that performance and embracing her true self.

She also embodies immigrant parental expectations and conditional approval. Her drive to be Head Girl is rooted in her parents' conditional love, which she learns to challenge.

Ishu's experience at the mosque in chapter 49, where she feels out of place as a non-Muslim, connects to cultural identity and belonging between worlds. She is Bengali-Irish, navigating multiple cultural spaces.

Finally, her relationship with Hani touches on bisexual erasure and the need for proof, though this is more central to Hani. Ishu's own identity as a Bengali-Irish girl is also a form of erasure, as she struggles to fit into either culture fully.

Questions and Answers

1. Why does Ishu agree to fake date Hani?

Ishu agrees because she wants to become Head Girl to win her parents' approval and step out of her sister Nik's shadow. She sees the fake relationship as a way to gain popularity and secure the election.

2. How does Ishu's relationship with her sister Nik change over the course of the novel?

Initially, Ishu resents Nik for being the “perfect” daughter and is frustrated by her choices. However, Nik offers support when she learns about Ishu's relationship with Hani, and by the end, Ishu stands up for Nik's wedding and helps plan her holud, showing a shift from rivalry to solidarity.

3. What is the significance of Ishu's decision to confront her mother about Nik's wedding?

This decision marks Ishu's growth from seeking parental approval to asserting her own values. She argues that her mother should not punish Nik for her choices, and she insists on attending the wedding, even if her mother refuses to go.

4. How does Ishu's personality change from the beginning to the end of the book?

At the start, Ishu is abrasive, socially isolated, and focused solely on academic success. By the end, she is more emotionally open, expressive, and willing to prioritize relationships over ambition. She becomes more compassionate, as seen in her efforts to plan Nik's holud.

5. What role does the “Guide to Fake Dating” play in Ishu's character development?

The guide is a symbol of the performance Ishu initially embraces. It contains rules and boundaries that keep the relationship fake. As Ishu develops genuine feelings, the guide becomes obsolete, and she and Hani abandon it when they become a real couple. This reflects Ishu's move from performance to authenticity.

For a deeper look at how Ishu's story resolves, see the ending explained page, or explore common questions about the novel.