A young man born into a sweet-maker caste in the rural village of Laxmangarh, an area he refers to as the "Darkness." Ambitious and observant, he leaves school early to work but eventually secures a job as a driver for a wealthy family. He dictates his life story through letters addressed to the Chinese Premier, explaining his views on the contrasting realities of traditional and modern India.

A wealthy, American-educated man who returns to India with his wife. He frequently expresses frustration with the country's lack of modern infrastructure and rampant corruption, often romanticizing the supposedly simple lives of the rural poor. He treats his driver with a mix of familiarity and condescension, struggling to reconcile his Western ideals with his family's traditional expectations.

A Christian woman married to Mr. Ashok, belonging to a different caste and religion than his family. She dislikes living in India and frequently argues with her husband about his broken promise to return to America. She maintains a lifestyle of leisure, playing badminton in sunglasses and remaining isolated in her room, though she inadvertently creates a crisis that tests the loyalties of the family's staff.

The shrewd, traditional brother of Mr. Ashok. Described as possessing his father's calculating mind, he heavily involves himself in the family's business dealings and political bribery. He disapproves of his brother's Westernized lifestyle and marriage, demanding strict obedience and protocol from the family's servants.

The domineering matriarch of the Halwai family in Laxmangarh. She prioritizes the family's collective financial survival over individual ambitions, dictating letters demanding money and attempting to arrange marriages to secure dowries. She holds traditional views on caste and duty, actively opposing educational advancement in favor of immediate labor.

One of the four powerful landlords controlling the rural village of Laxmangarh. He charges predatory tolls on the local river and maintains vast wealth through exploitation and political bribery. A strict traditionalist, he despises other religions and demands subservience, including daily leg massages from his staff.

A powerful, corrupt politician who masquerades as a champion of the poor while extorting massive bribes from wealthy landlords. He commands intense loyalty from rural voters despite his open embezzlement, using public humiliation to maintain dominance over the local elites.

A fellow driver in New Delhi who serves as a mentor figure in the city's underbelly. Recognizable by the loss of pigmentation on his lips, he understands the illicit economies of the city, from smuggling foreign goods to procuring sex workers. He eagerly shares gossip and survival tactics with other drivers.

A hardworking man from the sweet-maker caste who pulls a rickshaw to support his family. His physically demanding labor breaks down his body, leading to a severe battle with tuberculosis. Despite his poverty, he fiercely advocates for his son's education and actively defies the family matriarch's wishes to pull the boy out of school.

A young relative sent from the village to live in the city as a helper. He represents the next generation of the family experiencing the shifting moral and economic realities of urban India.

The First Driver at the Dhanbad compound who drives the prestigious Honda City. He strictly guards his position and maintains an air of superiority over the newer staff, harboring secrets about his personal background to keep his job.

The Premier of China and the intended recipient of a series of late-night letters explaining the realities of Indian society, economics, and entrepreneurship.

A former bus driver from Laxmangarh who elevates his status by becoming a politician working under the region's dominant political faction.

A schoolteacher in Laxmangarh who assigns a formal name to his student who previously only went by a generic term for "boy."

A Nepali woman who reconnects with a wealthy former lover in New Delhi.