Seven-year-old Arjie is a boy growing up in a wealthy Tamil family in Colombo, Sri Lanka. He dislikes stereotypically masculine sports like cricket and prefers traditionally feminine activities, earning him the coded label of a "funny boy" from his relatives. As he experiences childhood and adolescence, he begins recognizing his attraction to men while managing the expectations of his conservative environment and the escalating ethnic tensions around him.

Arjie's mother is a Tamil woman who initially supports the government and disapproves of the Tamil Tigers' rebellion. She is somewhat liberal in her personal style, occasionally wearing Western pants, but enforces societal gender rules on Arjie when pressured by her husband. As the political situation in Sri Lanka worsens, she encounters the violent realities occurring outside her wealthy bubble.

Arjie's father is a successful Tamil businessman who owns a beach resort. He holds traditional views on masculinity and actively attempts to suppress Arjie's feminine traits by forcing him into sports and enrolling him in a strict academy. Politically, he prefers to assimilate into the Sinhalese majority culture and avoid drawing attention to their Tamil heritage, believing wealth and compliance will keep his family safe.

Arjie's grandmother is a formidable, intimidating woman who commands fear and respect from her grandchildren. She carries deep-seated trauma and prejudice due to the murder of her father by Sinhalese men years prior. She is fiercely protective of her Tamil identity and vehemently opposes any association between her family members and the Sinhalese majority.

Shehan is a Sinhalese student at the Victoria Academy who exhibits a quiet confidence despite being a frequent target of the school's harsh disciplinary system. Raised in a wealthy, somewhat neglected household by a servant after his parents' divorce, Shehan openly flouts the school's strict rules. He becomes a vital source of comfort and self-discovery for Arjie in a highly restrictive environment.

A younger relative of Arjie's family, Radha is a cheerful, Westernized woman who treats Arjie with warmth and acceptance. She embraces his interests, encouraging him and engaging with his creative ideas instead of mocking him. Her participation in a local play introduces her to new social circles, bringing her personal desires into direct conflict with her family's strict ethnic boundaries.

Daryl is a Sri Lankan Burgher (of Dutch descent) working as a journalist in Australia. He returns to Sri Lanka to investigate allegations of government torture against Tamils. Possessing a warm and approachable demeanor, he bonds with Arjie over shared literary interests and challenges Amma's conservative political assumptions with his commitment to uncovering human rights abuses.

Jegan is a young Tamil man and the son of Appa's late childhood friend. He joins Appa's hotel business, bringing with him a history of political activism aiding Tamil refugees. He is physically fit, socially conscious, and keenly aware of the growing discrimination in the country. He serves as a role model to Arjie while enduring the hostility of the Sinhalese staff at the hotel.

Black Tie is the strict, authoritarian principal of the Victoria Academy. He enforces rigid discipline and delivers harsh physical punishments for minor infractions, maintaining a list of students he deems "ills and burdens." Despite his brutality, he opposes the vice-principal's efforts to segregate the school, believing students of all backgrounds should be enrolled, provided they conform perfectly to his standards.

Diggy is Arjie's older brother. He completely subscribes to the masculine norms expected by his father and the broader society. He frequently mocks Arjie's effeminate behavior and advises him on how to survive the brutal hierarchy of Victoria Academy by projecting toughness and hiding any vulnerability.

Lokubandara is the vice-principal of the Victoria Academy. He quietly pushes a Sinhalese-nationalist agenda, turning a blind eye to bullies who target Tamil students. His quiet, insidious methods present a different kind of threat to the students than the principal's overt physical violence.

Anil is a Sinhalese actor performing in the same play as Radha Aunty. He is kind-hearted and open-minded, showing genuine affection for Radha despite his father's vocal disdain for Tamils. He occasionally gives Arjie rides home and represents the possibility of connection across deep ethnic divides.

Aunty Doris is a fair-skinned Sri Lankan Burgher who directs the local theatrical production. Having experienced the social consequences of an interracial marriage herself, she brings a practical but sympathetic perspective to the romantic entanglements of her cast members.

Tanuja is Arjie's cousin, newly returned to Sri Lanka. Bullied by the other children for her weight, she leverages her mother's influence to disrupt Arjie's control over the girls' games. She aggressively enforces traditional gender roles, using homophobic slurs against Arjie when he refuses to surrender the role of the bride.

Kanthi is a relative who recently returned from working abroad as a servant. She is highly protective of her daughter Tanuja and quick to report Arjie's cross-dressing to the rest of the adult family, setting off the initial conflict over his behavior.

Neliya is Amma's older sister who lives with the family. She is highly conservative and traditional, frequently expressing disapproval of Amma's social choices and any deviations from strict societal propriety.

Sonali is Arjie's younger sister. She participates in the imaginative games at the back of the house and often acts as an intermediary when tensions arise between Arjie and the other children.

Sena Uncle is a Sinhalese friend and business partner of Appa. He co-owns the beach resort with Appa and represents the family's ties to the Sinhalese community, demonstrating loyalty across ethnic lines during times of crisis.