TERHI LAKEER by Ismat Chughtai

The Crooked Line by Ismat Chughtai is a powerful and provocative novel that stirred debates upon its publication. Some critics claimed it portrayed a girl with a diseased mind, but the author makes it clear that Shaman, the heroine, is neither mentally nor sexually ill—she is simply a spirited human being navigating a corrupted environment. The novel portrays Shaman as sensitive yet resilient, collapsing under life’s blows but always rising again. Her hunger for love, friendship, and affection takes her through painful struggles, yet her stubborn refusal to surrender defines her strength.

Ismat Chughtai often described The Crooked Line as her own autobiography, as she laughed, cried, and suffered with Shaman while writing. Beyond personal reflection, the book stands as a voice for thousands of girls suspended between restriction and freedom in a transforming society. The Crooked Line is not just Shaman’s story—it is the story of a generation, a mirror for women’s struggles, desires, and resilience, told with honesty and unmatched literary courage by Ismat Chughtai