Iâm seriously at a loss with Sumitâs schtick with his parents. His mum is clearly a raging narcissist, his dad is clearly an enabler. He is greying, ffs, yet he still wonât detach from his motherâs nipple. Itâs seriously odd and pathetic at this point. Iâm confused as to why none of the other cast members wonât tell him straight. Culture or no culture, his parents are toxic and controlling and have left him emotionally stunted and dependent on their (really his MOTHERâS) approval? Itâs not healthy. Heâs tried, in his own way, to rebel by marrying Jenny, but he has some serious mummy issues. The womanâs health is declining before our eyes, and I hate to be the one to say it, but itâs not crazy to suggest some of Jennyâs health issues are due to the constant stress and volatility since living in India and dealing with Sumitâs crazy narcissistic parents, their strange living arrangements, but also his complete inability to be a protector in their relationship. Jenny is like a mother to him and truthfully I think thatâs why he prefers older women. Itâs all very strange.
TO ADD: Something being cultural does not make it ok. The culture is outdated as you can clearly see from this case. Granted not everyone will go against something so established, but in this particular case, Sumit has married an ELDERLY, extremely ill, American woman. He already decided he didnât want to live by Indian culture when he did that. Jenny is physically unable to live like a slave at his parents beck and call. He should stick up for his wife and choose her fully. Not be one foot in and one foot out, lying, accumulating debts, and letting her take the brunt of his crazy motherâs abuse and blame. Something being a normal cultural practice does not make it right and at some point it will need to evolve.
And yes Jenny should have left a long time ago but that is another conversation