The phenomenon of migration in postcolonial discourse, particularly in the thought of Homi Bhabha, is linked to the concept of ‘hybrid identity.’ In Bhabha’s view, the migrant develops a hybrid identity which dismantles the binary oppositions of self/other and other fundamental dichotomies of colonial discourse. Yet numerous critics contend his theories do not align with the actual realities of migration. The novel Sarzamin-e Noutch offers a realistic narrative of a young couple, Arash and Sanam, migrating to the US for economic advancement. Yet Arash’s inability to adapt to American culture leads to his insistence on returning to Iran. Sanam, by contrast, prefers life in America, and her unwillingness to accompany him ends in their separation. This research seeks to address the following questions: Does Sanam’s lifelong residency indicate success in forging a hybrid identity? And does Arash’s return to Iran signify his failure to develop such an identity? Findings reveal that the novel’s characters, rather than achieving hybridity, either succumb to one-sided assimilation into American culture or perceive resistance to American cultural hegemony in returning to their national identity— a phenomenon that lays bare the profound gap between Bhabha’s abstract theorizing and the concrete realities of migration.