Coolie is based on a 14 year old orphan, Munoo. The story revolves around him and develops accordingly on humanitarian values unlike the previous works of Milk Raj An and, the famous novelist. The author beautifully portrays in the story the clever methods and wits which are taken up by the hill boy to earn his livelihood out of his village. The depressing realities of the world soon engulf’s him once he is exposed to them while trying to earn his livelihood. In his ordeal of identity and some means for sustenance, he takes resort to the ways along with some equally socially and economically downtrodden beaten people of towns and cities in India. His struggle and journey from Shimla to Bombay gives him no solace. Everywhere he is exploited and making his survival was difficult for him as he has to fight to fend for himself.
The author has been prudent in describing the sad plight of the underprivileged people in colonial India.Coolie highlights the humanitarian aspects as the author had been done in his other novels, like’untouchable’. British Raj oppression and the evils of caste system are silently lamented in this book by the author. Munoo who is just another innocent indian orphan is able to play the character well where he undergoes so much that he dies a miserable, unwanted death well before his time.