Chapter 170: checkmate – Summary and Analysis
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
At the INN studio, the family meets the bombastic executive Varun Mukherjee and new co-producer Ajay. Kiran enters the recording booth while Sahaara, Taara, and Kunal watch from the greenroom. During the live interview, Mom delivers a powerful statement confronting her abuser, Hari Ahluwalia. He retaliates by displaying old photos that suggest Kiran had been unfaithful to his brother—images that Sahaara recognizes as misleading. Realizing Ahluwalia is in the building, Kunal confronts Varun, allowing Sahaara to slip away barefoot and track down the politician. She confronts him in an east-wing hallway, but before the situation escalates, Kiran arrives, and Kunal drags Sahaara away. The group flees the studio, drives to the hotel, packs hurriedly, and heads to the airport, where Kunal reveals that Sahaara’s features mirror Ahluwalia’s. Kiran receives a cold refusal from her own mother, Hardeep, to flee to Canada.
Key Events
- The family meets Varun Mukherjee and Ajay at INN; Varun’s flamboyant demeanor contrasts with Ajay’s nervousness.
- Kiran enters the recording booth; Sahaara, Taara, and Kunal watch from the greenroom.
- On live TV, Kiran delivers a defiant opening statement, refusing to be silenced by her abuser.
- Ahluwalia responds by showing photographs that imply Kiran had been unfaithful to his brother before the assault.
- Sahaara overhears that Ahluwalia is in the building; Kunal violently demands the truth from Varun.
- Sahaara slips away, runs barefoot through the corridors, and confronts Ahluwalia in the east wing.
- Ahluwalia insults Kiran and threatens Sahaara; she nearly uses the folding knife Jeevan gave her.
- Kiran, Vidya, Kunal, and Raveena arrive; Kunal pulls Sahaara away and the family escapes.
- They drive to the hotel, pack frantically, and head to the airport, with Kiran’s mother Hardeep refusing to leave India.
- At the airport, Kunal reveals that he saw Ahluwalia’s face in Sahaara’s, implying a biological connection.
Character Development
Sahaara acts on impulse and courage, directly confronting the man who assaulted her mother. Her willingness to risk her safety shows growth from passive fear to active resistance, though Kunal later calls her actions irresponsible.
Kiran (Mom) demonstrates immense strength during the interview, articulating her trauma publicly. After the confrontation, her vulnerability returns as she pleads with Sahaara to believe she was not unfaithful, revealing the deep emotional scars the assault left.
Kunal shifts from calm professionalism to protective fury. His physical restraint of Varun and his tearful recognition of Ahluwalia’s features in Sahaara add emotional depth, showing his investment in the family’s safety.
Ahluwalia remains smug and manipulative, weaponizing half-truths and old photographs. His threat to Sahaara and his insult to Kiran underline his predatory nature.
Hardeep (Kiran’s mother) appears only via phone, but her refusal to leave India and her blaming tone suggest a strained relationship marked by shame and denial.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Truth vs. Lies – The chapter’s title, “checkmate,” evokes a chess game. Ahluwalia tries to trap Kiran with distorted images, but Sahaara’s confrontation and the family’s escape show that truth, while under attack, is not defeated.
Courage and Recklessness – Sahaara’s barefoot pursuit of Ahluwalia is both brave and dangerous. The folding knife she carries symbolizes her readiness to defend against further harm, yet she never uses it—a restraint that keeps the line between self-defense and violence intact.
Institutional Betrayal – The police station where Kiran was assaulted, the media network that hosts Ahluwalia, and the broader system that protects abusers are all implicated. Kunal’s outrage and the hasty escape illustrate how even supposedly safe spaces can become traps.
Mother-Daughter Bond – Kiran’s immediate terror when she sees Sahaara with Ahluwalia, and Sahaara’s unwavering belief in her mother’s account, reinforce their mutual protection.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 170 is the story’s climactic turning point. The televised debate forces Kiran to publicly speak her truth, while Ahluwalia’s counterattack risks destroying her credibility. Sahaara’s impulsive confrontation directly places her physical safety on the line, and Kunal’s discovery about her parentage opens a devastating new line of inquiry. The chapter establishes that the family can no longer remain in India; flight to Canada becomes the only path forward. It also deepens the mystery of Sahaara’s origins, setting up revelations to come.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Ahluwalia claim that the photographs are evidence of Kiran’s infidelity, and how does Kiran reframe the accusation?
Ahluwalia presents black-and-white images showing Kiran with another man, her hand on his, alleging that she cheated on his brother. Kiran later clarifies to Sahaara that the man was a boy from secondary school, and that she met him once—implying that Ahluwalia distorted a harmless meeting into evidence of betrayal. Kiran asserts that nothing she did could justify the assault.
2. What forces Sahaara to leave the greenroom and confront Ahluwalia directly?
Sahaara overhears Raveena and another employee mention that Ahluwalia is in the east wing. Realizing that Varun deliberately kept his presence secret, Sahaara feels compelled to act. The anger and adrenaline from watching Ahluwalia slander her mother override her caution, leading her to run barefoot through the hallways.
3. How does Kunal’s comment at the airport change the reader’s understanding of Sahaara’s identity?
Kunal tells Sahaara that when he saw Ahluwalia’s face next to hers, he noticed the same chin, jaw, and cheekbones—suggesting that Ahluwalia may be Sahaara’s biological father. This implies a deeper personal connection to the assault, making Sahaara’s confrontation even more layered and painful.