Anjum is a Muslim intersex woman who spent decades living in the Khwabgah (House of Dreams) as a highly celebrated Hijra. Longing for ordinary motherhood, she adopts a young girl, but a traumatic encounter with communal violence in Gujarat prompts her to retreat from mainstream society. She takes up residence in an old city graveyard, slowly transforming it into a sanctuary for outcasts called Jannat Guest House.

S. Tilottama is an aloof, fiercely independent former architectural student who works as a graphic designer. Haunted by a complicated relationship with her aristocratic mother and the trauma of her experiences in the conflict-ridden region of Kashmir, she moves through the world with a sense of reckless aloneness. She unexpectedly takes in an abandoned child, seeking a fresh start at Jannat Guest House.

Biplab Dasgupta is a pragmatic intelligence officer working for the Indian government. As an upper-caste, upper-class man, he views himself as shielded from the systemic tragedies that plague marginalized communities. He harbors a decades-long, unrequited love for S. Tilottama, which continually intersects with his professional duties in volatile regions.

Musa Yeswi is a Kashmiri architect whose life is irrevocably altered by the ongoing violence in his homeland. Initially reluctant to join the separatist movement, he is driven into the insurgency following a devastating personal tragedy involving his immediate family. Despite his involvement in the conflict, he strives to retain his humanity and advocates for compassion within the militant resistance.

Nagaraj Hariharan is the charming, self-confident son of upper-crust diplomats. He begins his career as a radical leftist journalist before slowly aligning himself with the government establishment as a security analyst. Possessing a chameleon-like ability to adapt to changing political climates, he remains constantly infatuated with S. Tilottama.

Major Amrik Singh is an intensely brutal officer in the Indian Army, feared by both the local Kashmiri population and his own colleagues. He uses his unchecked authority to terrorize civilians and manipulate militants under the guise of maintaining order. His extreme methods eventually make him a liability to his superiors.

Saddam Hussain is an optimistic and inventive young man who takes up residence at Jannat Guest House. Born a Dalit, he converted to Islam and changed his name after witnessing a profound injustice against his family. Despite suffering permanent damage to his eyesight from a previous job, he remains cheerful and entrepreneurial, helping to run the cemetery's unconventional funeral services.

Gulrez is a developmentally disabled young man who finds sanctuary working on a remote houseboat. Because the militarized world outside is too dangerous and overstimulating for him, he focuses on cooking for guests and caring for his beloved animals. He possesses a sweet, gentle disposition that highlights the cruelty of the surrounding conflict.

Miss Jebeen The First is the young daughter of Musa Yeswi and his wife Arifa. Insisting on being called "Miss," she is an innocent child whose life is cut tragically short during a military crackdown in Kashmir, fundamentally altering her father's path forever.

Miss Udaya Jebeen is an unusually quiet, dark-skinned infant abandoned in the middle of a massive political demonstration. Picked up by S. Tilottama and brought to Jannat Guest House, she quickly becomes a central symbol of hope and redemption for the marginalized community living in the cemetery.

Revathy is a dedicated Maoist militant fighting against government forces and the displacement of indigenous people in the Dandakaranya forest. Raised by her communist grandfather after escaping an abusive home, she endures severe physical trauma and persecution while working as a tireless activist and courier for the Party.

Dr. Azad Bhartiya is an eccentric, highly educated activist who has spent over a decade fasting in protest of global capitalism, corruption, and state terrorism. Surrounded by extensive reading materials and a continuously pending PhD, he endures police beatings and harsh weather to maintain his vigil, serving as a knowledgeable hub for the city's radical movements.

Kulsoom Bi is an elderly Hijra who serves as the firm, practical mentor and strict manager of the House of Dreams. She takes her responsibilities to the younger women seriously, striving to instill a deep sense of historical pride and dignity in her charges by reminding them of the royal ancestry of eunuchs in Indian history.

Imam Ziauddin is a blind, somewhat conservative Muslim cleric who finds himself increasingly isolated in modern Delhi. Initially clashing with Anjum over theological and social differences, their shared loneliness soon blossoms into a steadfast friendship, and he becomes the very first tenant to officially move into her cemetery sanctuary.

Hameed Khan is a gentle, dedicated music teacher who recognizes Anjum's early vocal talent. Even after puberty irreparably alters Anjum's voice and she stops singing entirely, he remains a steadfast source of comfort, regularly visiting her with his music when she retreats to the isolation of the graveyard.

Nimmo Gorakhpuri is a short, chubby Hijra with a profound obsession for Western women's fashion magazines. Despite struggling with fast-growing facial hair, she maintains a cheerful disposition, eventually leaving the Khwabgah to become a highly successful businesswoman who frequently visits Jannat Guest House to check on her friends.

Zainab is a lively young woman raised within the eccentric environment of the Khwabgah. As a child, she exhibits rowdy tendencies and a deep passion for animals. Despite enduring periods of intense maternal smothering, she grows into an independent fashion design student who remains closely tied to the cemetery community.

Saeeda is a younger, cosmopolitan Hijra whose arrival at the Khwabgah threatens Anjum's status as the resident celebrity. Despite initially drawing Anjum's fierce jealousy, Saeeda proves to be a considerate and reliable guardian, ensuring Zainab is well cared for and actively working to mend fractured relationships.

Jahanara Begum is Anjum's mother, a woman initially terrified and overwhelmed by her child's intersex identity. Despite keeping the physical secret for years and desperately hoping for a miraculous healing at various shrines, she remains a deeply devoted mother who continually cooks for and supports Anjum long after she joins the Hijra community.

Mulaqat Ali is Anjum's father, an aristocratic-minded herbal doctor and lover of Urdu poetry who proudly traces his lineage back to Mongol emperors. When he finally learns of his child's physical realities, he stubbornly attempts to impose strict masculine norms, ultimately leading to a painful estrangement.

Mr. D. D. Gupta is a building contractor whose lucrative business ventures take him into perilous war zones like Iraq to construct blast walls. Traumatized by the extreme violence he witnesses abroad, he returns to India disillusioned with modern capitalism and finds unexpected solace in Anjum's thriving, unconventional cemetery haven.

Ishrat, often referred to as "Ishrat-the-Beautiful," is a striking Hijra who frequently spends time at Jannat Guest House. She accompanies her friends on various excursions, including navigating the chaotic political protests at Jantar Mantar and participating in the pursuit of a mysterious kidnapping.

Jalib Qadri is a renowned human rights lawyer and civil rights activist working in Kashmir. His high-profile legal advocacy makes him a direct target for the Indian military, setting off a chain of brutal events that ultimately sidelines the rogue soldiers responsible for his persecution.

ACP Pinky is a vicious police interrogator stationed in a converted movie theater. She uses extreme physical brutality to extract information from detainees, motivated both by her institutional power and by personal insecurities regarding the military officers operating around her.

Mr. Aggarwal is a rigid former bureaucrat attempting to orchestrate large political protests for his own career advancement. Possessing "unsingular looks" and a profound obsession with rules, he represents the rigid, bureaucratic side of India's aggressive modernization efforts.

Gujarat ka Lalla is an immensely powerful, right-wing politician whose enthusiastic supporters swiftly hijack the anti-corruption protests at Jantar Mantar. Riding a massive wave of sectarian fervor and corporate backing, he represents the looming, unified threat of nationalism spreading rapidly across the country.

The Old Man-Baby is a protester who initially captures the nation's attention with a dramatic anti-corruption hunger strike. With his gummy smile and ailing body, he briefly unites desperate citizens before his carefully managed image is swiftly co-opted by wealthy industrialists and hardline nationalists.

Hazrat Sarmad Shaheed is a historical holy man and martyr whose shrine draws marginalized citizens seeking miracles and solace. Originally an Armenian Jew who converted to Islam for love, his lingering spirit of insubordination and ecstatic love provides comfort to those who feel rejected by orthodox society.

Arifa is a Kashmiri woman who marries Musa Yeswi after he completes his architectural degree in Delhi and returns home. She raises their young daughter, Miss Jebeen The First, until a sudden burst of military violence during a public funeral tragically cuts both of their lives short.