Ravie Kathuria

SOLOMON CASE THE CLAIM OF THE WOMB ACT ONE: THE AGREEMENT & CONFLICTING DESIRES    Inciting Incident: Simi, a wealthy, sophisticated woman in a troubled marriage, agrees to have a child through surrogacy to satisfy her husband’s family’s demand for an heir. Unable to carry the child herself, she convinces Rukmini, an illiterate tribal woman who has worked for her family for years, to be the surrogate. Rukmini, seeing this as an opportunity for financial security, agrees without fully explaining it to her husband. Rising Tension: After undergoing IVF, Rukmini becomes pregnant with Simi’s fertilized egg. However, the emotional dynamics start shifting—Simi begins experiencing deep empathy, feeling as though she too is pregnant, while Rukmini develops a maternal bond with the unborn child. First Turning Point: When the baby is born, both women feel a profound connection to it. Simi asserts her biological rights, but Rukmini, having  carried and birthed the child, refuses to let go. The tension escalates as Simi’s husband and Rukmini’s tribal husband enter the conflict— both staking their own claims. ACT TWO: THE BATTLE FOR MATERNITY       Escalating Conflict: The situation spirals into a legal and emotional battle. Simi’s husband files a criminal case against Rukmini, accusing her of kidnapping. Simi, though initially aligned with her husband, starts questioning whether she wants to raise a child in a toxic marriage. Meanwhile, Rukmini’s husband, ignorant of IVF science, believes the baby is biologically his and refuses to let go. Emotional Turmoil: As the case proceeds, Rukmini and Simi experience a paradoxical bond and rivalry— they share a deep understanding of motherhood but cannot agree on who should rightfully raise the child. Simi, disillusioned with her marriage, wonders if she should fight for custody at all, while Rukmini refuses to surrender the baby to a family she despises. Midpoint Twist: The courtroom becomes an arena for moral and legal debates: Who owns a child—its    biological mother, the one who carries it, or the family that commissioned its birth? The media sensationalizes the case, turning it into a philosophical dilemma about surrogacy, class, and women’s autonomy over their wombs. The Breaking Point: Simi’s husband pressures her to win the case, citing business interests and family honor. But Simi, now emotionally entangled with Rukmini, starts seeing the situation differently. She begins questioning the oppressive notion of an "heir" and whether the child should be raised in such an environment. ACT THREE: THE VERDICT & UNCONVENTIONAL RESOLUTION  Climax: The judge must decide: o If the child belongs to Simi and her husband because they are the biological parents. o If Rukmini, having carried and birthed the child, has a maternal claim. o If the tribal husband has any legal standing. As arguments rage in court, Simi makes a bold revelation—she does not want the child to be raised in her husband’s family, fearing the oppressive system that treats women as mere vessels for producing heirs. This turns the case upside down.  Resolution: The JUDGE suggests an alternative: Simi and Rukmini—two women bound by an extraordinary connection—raise the child together, outside of the patriarchal structures that dictated their lives. o o o  Simi divorces her husband, rejecting the idea that her womb and child exist for male lineage. Rukmini, empowered, refuses to return to her tribe with her husband, choosing instead to co-parent with Simi. The court, seeing the unusual but deeply bonded maternal unit, grants joint custody. Final Scene: The film/book ends with Simi and Rukmini walking out together, holding the child, leaving behind the courtroom where the law failed to define the complexity of motherhood—but where they defined it for themselves. Themes Explored:  Motherhood vs. Ownership: Who truly owns a child?  Surrogacy & Women’s Autonomy: Is surrogacy empowerment or exploitation?  Patriarchy & Legacy: Should women be forced to bear heirs for a family name?  Empathy & Bonds Beyond Blood: How does shared pain create unexpected unity?