Maneck is a 17-year-old college student from a wealthy family in the mountains. He moves to the city to complete a certificate program in refrigeration and air-conditioning. Disgusted by the filth and vermin at his student hostel, he relocates to a rented room in Dina Dalal's apartment. He holds onto the nostalgia of his happy childhood and actively resists the harsh realities of big-city life.

Ishvar is a 46-year-old tailor who grew up in the lower-caste tanning trade before his father apprenticed him to a Muslim tailor. He bears a facial scar from a childhood accident with a buffalo horn. He travels to the city hoping for a fresh start after a violent tragedy in his home village, finding work sewing dresses for Dina Dalal.

Omprakash, known as Om, is a gaunt 17-year-old tailor who works alongside his uncle. He resents their difficult living conditions in the city slums and constantly questions why they must work through Dina rather than contracting directly with clothing companies. His thin frame contrasts with his sharp, often cynical perspective on their struggles.

Dina is a 42-year-old widow fighting to keep her rent-controlled apartment and her financial independence. She sews dresses from patterns supplied by Au Revoir Exports, secretly running the business from her home to avoid moving back in with her domineering brother. She hires Ishvar and Om to do the physical sewing work when her eyesight begins to fail.

Thakur is a wealthy, powerful landholder in Ishvar and Om's home village. He ruthlessly enforces the traditional caste system, punishing any individuals who attempt to rise above their station. He also runs the local Family Planning Centre, advancing his own political career by filling government sterilization quotas through coercion.

Nusswan is Dina's greedy older brother. He forces Dina to do household chores to save money on servants and continuously pressures her to remarry wealthy friends. He views Dina's independent life in her own apartment as an inconvenience and wants her back under his roof where she can work for his family.

Rajaram makes his living collecting hair to sell to wigmakers. He lives in the same shantytown as Ishvar and Om and teaches them the local rules of survival, showing them how to find food and use the nearby railroad tracks as a latrine. He frequently changes careers to stay ahead of his financial problems.

Shankar is a severely disabled beggar who navigates the city streets on a wooden platform fitted with wheels, as he lacks both legs and fingers. He works directly for the Beggarmaster. Despite his harsh living conditions, he maintains a generous spirit and shares his resources with the tailors when they are forced into manual labor.

Beggarmaster oversees a large network of street beggars in the city, managing their territories and collecting a portion of their daily earnings. He possesses significant political influence and uses bribes to protect his business interests. He agrees to free Ishvar and Om from forced labor in exchange for a percentage of their tailoring wages.

Vasantrao is a middle-aged proofreader with a philosophical perspective on life. He offers advice to Maneck about the necessity of balancing hope against despair to survive difficult circumstances. He frequently changes occupations in response to the volatile political environment.

Ashraf is a Muslim tailor who lives in a town near Ishvar's home village. He agrees to teach the tailoring trade to Ishvar and Narayan, allowing them to escape the miserable conditions of their caste's leatherworking duties.

Ibrahim works as a rent-collector for Dina's landlord. His primary job is to investigate rent-controlled apartments and find excuses to evict the current occupants so the landlord can charge higher rates to new tenants. He repeatedly harasses Dina about her sewing machines.

Avinash is a student at the city college who befriends Maneck at their filthy student hostel. He is highly active in student politics and leads protests against the government, putting himself at odds with local authorities.

Narayan is Ishvar's brother and Omprakash's father. After learning the tailoring trade from Ashraf, he returns to his home village and achieves financial prosperity. His demand to fill out his own voting ballot rather than using a fingerprint enrages the local upper-caste landowners.

Ruby is Nusswan's wife. While her husband treats Dina harshly, Ruby is generally more agreeable and teaches Dina how to sew, a skill that later forms the foundation of Dina's independence.

Rustom is the man Dina chooses to marry, allowing her to escape her brother's controlling household. They share three happy years together in his apartment before he is killed in a traffic accident.

Dukhi is the father of Ishvar and Narayan. Assigned to the untouchable caste in a small village, he works tanning hides and cobbling shoes. He secures a better future for his sons by sending them away to learn tailoring.

Farokh is Maneck's father. He runs a general store in the mountains, watching his family's wealth dwindle as new roads bring competition to their previously isolated village. He sends Maneck away to the city for education.