True Colours

Shivani always knew that the day would come where her parents would choose her husband for her. What she didnt expect was to fall in love with Marley; a young black West African single parent. This brought Shivani to a painful crossroad where both routes led to a deep loss and no going back. Where one route allowed her to please the community, keep the family honour, reputation and happiness, the other led to them feeling ashamed, dishonoured and disgusted. Shivani was forced to make a choice between her familys happiness and her own. True Colours is just one story of countless people worldwide at similar crossroads. What is so shameful about loving and marrying someone from a different country, culture, colour or caste? Where is the honour in pushing your child to marry someone? Where is the pride in disowning your child for a choice you dont like? How is this spiritually or morally acceptable? In 2016, why are these questions still being raised on the back of an autobiography of an educated, British Asian Indian woman living in London; one of the most diverse cities in the world?