URBAN DECAY, MORAL AMBIGUITY, AND THE ANTIHERO: A SOCIO-POLITICAL READING OF ARAVIND ADIGA’S FICTION IN CONTEMPORARY INDIA

Abstract
Urban decay, moral ambiguity, and the emergence of the antihero figure are interlinked phenomena that have become defining features of contemporary Indian English fiction. Aravind Adiga’s novels examine the contradictions of modern urban life, where the promise of development often hides deep-rooted corruption, exploitation, and inequality. His protagonists are not traditional heroes but morally complex individuals navigating a fractured socio-political reality. This paper offers a socio-political reading of Adiga’s fiction, analysing how urban decay facilitates moral compromise and shapes the rise of the antihero. Through an exploration of The White Tiger, Last Man in Tower,
and Selection Day, the study situates Adiga’s works within the discourse of contemporary Indian literature, revealing their critical engagement with Neoliberalism, class conflict, and the collapse of moral certainties.
Keywords: Urban Decay, Moral Ambiguity, Antihero, Aravind Adiga, Contemporary Indian Fiction