Not Good Enough for Diwali

On Diwali night, Ananya’s mother shames her for scoring just half a mark below perfection, turning a festival of lights into a public trial. Every small happiness—from a sleepover to her own birthday—is snatched away, unless she proves herself again and again. But with Mausi’s secret support, Ananya dares to dream of freedom, even as her mother’s impossible standards threaten to crush her spirit.