Tentacles Numbing, taking place in present-day Seattle, centers around two Bengali brothers, Ravi and Vavi. The younger brother, Ravi, constantly daydreams about hanging himself, while Vavi lives on the streets in his own drunken world. While Ravi copes with his dreams, Vavi dreams of turning his screenplay, "Tentacles, Numbing" into a movie. Both brothers are struggling to manage their lives as they deal with the death of their parents, nostalgia, and alienation. They try to help each other, but at the same time, they are losing themselves. Ravi tries to get Vavi to live with him rather than on the streets. And Vavi tries to guide Ravi through life, though he, himself cannot face reality. Brandi, Ravi's love interest, helps Ravi to open up, but she also has her own issues to deal with-her ex-boyfriend and drugs. Eastern and Western cultures combine, and a triangle is formed, between Ravi, Vavi, and Brandi-they need each other for love and support, but by the end of the story, while Vavi and Brandi are progressing, Ravi finds himself confused as to what is real and what is just a dream.
