Paulami DuttaGupta’s A Thousand Unspoken Words : A Book Review

 

Authored by Paulami DuttaGupta
Published by Readomania
ISBN: 978-81-929975-9-9
Genre: Fiction / Political Romance

Book Review

A few months ago, I was a part of literature conference in Pune’s Bharati Vidyapeeth University, where the main debate revolved around great literature and popular literature. The key note speaker concluded that popular literature gives you pleasure for few moments but great literature makes you a worried man i.e. it makes you think.Well, Paulami DuttaGupta’s fiction A Thousand Unspoken Words is one such bright example of contemporary classics. I must congratulate the author for taking up such a politically charged plot line and executing it in such a fine manner.

While most of the Indian English writer prefers to highlight the negative aspects of the Hindi Film industry , Paulami DuttaGupta actually borrows( read inspired) the pseudonym of a writer(in the book) from a Bhatiyali inspired tune of S.D Burman , which was featured in the  highly praised Bollywood  film , Guide (1965). Very few authors can create a mood, Dutta Gupta provides such everlasting moments throughout the novel. Chetan Anand’s Guide was based on R.K Narayan’s novel of the same name and like the novel this book provides an open ended climax, it is up to the readers to decide what to choose? Sequel ..ah Haan.

The novel is about one of the most miserable ideologies of the era, yep Communism. Bengal witnessed the advent of communism and its considerable decay over the time and across the decades. Dutta Gupta criticized the hypocrisy of Leftist bureaucracy of Bengal.  The book exposes the political crimes brainwashing in Bengal. However, they are never loud but yes as a sensitive reader it hits you really hard.

I have always loved resilient characterization in novels. This one has Tilottoma and Riddhiman. You will enjoy the conversation between the characters, their dormant traits and the duality. Musafir appears as a robust political writer with a considerable amount of fiery fans. Tillotomma is the bravest and the brightest among them all. I have never revealed the plot line, but yes I can give you a hint-this one is a romance but not a coochie cool one. This book traces the emotional journey of the characters, their struggle with ideologies and of course the constant struggle ( read battling inner demons). This one is psychic and yet simple. Paulami DuttaGupta didn’t fall prey to the pseudo-intellectual mode and bombard the readers with out of the context sequences and GRE’s vocabulary. The book makes you reflect upon the ideologies of the society and it raises questions like the pen which propagate such ideologies, do they follow it by themselves? One who looks like an idealist turns out to be something else in the end and as a reader, it might crush you. The story is not about two persons falling in love but it is about surviving through it and discovering new aspects throughout the journey. The author did a decent job in providing the readers with realistic characters and in reality, people are selfish as hell. I must say, the author has chosen most of the rasas to deal with the art of characterization. The protagonists fall in love only to depart and the story is all about the pent of emotions which are yet to be exchanged i.e. those thousand unspoken words.

This book has got a heart at its right place and the read was indeed soulful. Ah, classic after a very long time. I’m going to read all other works by the author and I dare you to miss this one. Go get a copy of A Thousand Unspoken Words.Mani Ratnam might enjoy adapting this classic on the silver screen.

Pros

Kick ass Plot line( Bashes up the Commies, hits the Inqilab Zindabad mouthing Jack ass  idealists of Jadavpur University and Presidency University who are communist until they get rich ..take that.)

Hard Hitting Characters who are like us and still exclusive in their own accord.

No mushy romance and steamy (unwanted) love making episodes

The last phrase “She smiled sadly”, is engrossing.

Good cover design.

Cons

Ah, none.

Ratings – 10/10

Buying Link

 

The Author

Paulami DuttaGupta is a novelist and screenwriter. She shuttles between Kolkata and Shillong. She has worked as a radio artist, copywriter, journalist and a television analyst at various stages of her life, having been associated with AIR Shillong, The Times of India— Guwahati, Shillong Plus, ETV Bangla, The Shillong Times, Akash Bangla and Sony Aath.As an author, her short stories have appeared in various anthologies and literary magazines. A Thousand Unspoken Words is her fourth book. Paulami also writes on politics, social issues and cinema. Her articles have appeared in Swarajya, The Forthright and NElive.

Paulami is associated with cinema and her first film, Ri-Homeland of Uncertainty received the National Award for the Best Khasi Film. Her second film Onaatah—Of the Earth is at post production stage and will release in 2016. She is currently working on her third screenplay. A short film tentatively titled ‘Patjhar’ is also in the pipeline.

Paulami is a complete foodie and is almost obsessed with watching one film every day. She also loves reading—political and social commentaries are her favourite genre. Literature classics and books on cricket are also a part of her library, apart from a huge collection of romances. Jane Austen’s fictional character Mr. Darcy is her lifelong companion. She is an ardent fan of Rahul Dravid and has been following all news about him for almost twenty years now.

 

 

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When God Bribed A Sailor : A Book Review

Blurb

 

Corruption is a crime, and criminals deserve punishment. But what happens when Godhimself bribes a Sailor? Why does he do this, and for what?Kishaant is an aspiring cadet in Merchant Navy, but his life is ruined on-board his ship by a person whom he trusted the most. He loses his father, his girl-friend, his pride and even his sleep owing to this one single incident.But would this bribe change his life once again and bring it on track? Or is this bribe a gate away made by God to make the beautiful Tasha enter his life? Un-decipher the mysteries as you flow through the pages and unveil a true story of a Sailor, now sailing somewhere in a deep ocean.

Review

 

There are good books, there are great books and then there are some which makes you believe in Life and love. Shalabh Bansal’s  When God Bribed a Sailor is one such book which restores your faith upon humanity. Some books should not be judged on parameters but should be enjoyed and most importantly it should be fondled from depth of your heart.

The cover design is unique where a God (in blue) is seen handling over a coin to sailor. It intrigues the reader to explore the narrative. Blue God is either Shiva , Krishna or is it something else? You have to find it out by yourself.

I have never revealed the plot elements in my review and it will be continued with this one also. However I can offer you an outline, this novel speaks about Kishaant – a sailor and this is not his sail diary but his story of his life and his final triumph in the end. Sea is full of terror and obstacles , so is Kishaant’s life. You will be amazed how the author in his first person narrative has lived the life of Kishaant in When God bribed a Sailor. It is the story of spiritual healing and finding the way to live your life again.The readers will feel the adrenaline rush when the God arrives and hand over a suitcase to the protagonist. What is there inside the suitcase? Is Kishaant going to use it ? Well you have to read it and be ready to enjoy the twists and rapid turns in the plot.

The characterization is one of the strong points of the novel, especially the main protagonist and Tasha. I am very thankful to the author for bringing up such a layered woman character. Kishaant is a hardworking young man who dreams big but fate played a game and the narrative is about how Kishaant fights back and rises like a Phoenix from the dark abyss of Shipping industry. Look out for Sister Catherine and Sanchi.

The first person narrative is simple and easily relatable to most of the readers. However there are some portions where thoughts and feelings of the characters have flown like a raging stream. One might find it bit obscure to decipher it and label it as a fault in the narration. Well , this technique is known as stream of consciousness technique and it is one of the most challenging way to describe the psychology of the characters.Saurabh Bansal have succeeded in delivering stream of consciousness in a gripping manner.

Full marks to Mr. Bansal for such a brilliant conception and execution. The book scores high on characterization, writing technique, cover design and flawless plot presenation. Extra brownie points for out if the way nomenclature of the chapters. It would be wonderful to witness this book on 70mm.

You want to experience romance, go for it. Do you need some thrilling moments and suspense? You have this one. Lastly , do you need some spiritual awakening?  Well, you know the answer. This is a must buy and it will remain with you for long.

Pros

Unique concept.

Gripping plot and Bansal is a master story-teller.

Engaging Cover Design.

Simple approach to a complex story.

Characterisation  in the narrative , look out for Tasha and Kishaant.

 

Cons

The editing could have been better.

Nothing more

 

Ratings-9/10.

Buying Link 

goo.gl/2keXTi

Author’s Info

Shalabh Bansal”, a successful 1st Engineering Officer in Merchant Navy, was born inMeerut on 30th May 1986. After sailing round the world, he finally decided to pen down his thoughts and experiences in the black and white format. He is already an author of two novels, namely “The Dreams Book” and “A Pluperfect Gift”. The latter one, i.e. “A Pluperfect Gift” got a massive response from the readers and was a good hit in the market.Some famous celebrities like “LUCKY ALI” and “ABHIJEET BHATTACHARYA” also liked the book and promoted it on their social pages. Even the great producer/director“Mr.MAHESH BHATT” also picked up the book for a read and praised it in front of a mass.The facebook page scored over 25000 likes gradually. Subsequently he was invited by the“DainikJagran” newspaper for guest articles and also by the “MERI” magazine for seafares for a column in their magazine.The author was termed as the “BEST UPCOMING AUTHOR” at a ceremony by the very famous “SAILORS TODAY” magazine. The magazine is circulated in India as well as many European companies with a tie up with Video-Tel( in Europe).Apart from this, he is also a photographer and many of his photographs have received critical acclamation.( like the erupting volcano, the midway rain, sharks and dolphins, etc)

Shalabh Bansal is still sailing and enjoys seeing the sunrise and the sunset over the bluewaters every single day. He also received an invitation lately to become one of the social moderator and co-ordinator of the “AAM AADMI PARTY” team, but he declined theinvitation due to his job pressure, which demands quiet a lot of time out of India.While doing his schooling from the very famous “ST. MARYS ACADEMY” Meerut, hiswriting skills were recognised by the teachers and they mentored them to dexterity. He graduated as a Marine Engineer from BITS PILANI, under the elite “TOLANI MARITIME INSTITUTE”, Pune in 2008.

 

The Mahabharata Code : The Book Review

 

The Book Review

Yada yada hi dharmasya glanirbhavati bharata

Abhythanamadharmasya tadatmanam srijamyaham

 

Paritranaya sadhunang vinashay cha dushkritam

Dharmasangsthapanarthay sambhabami yuge yuge

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 4 ,Verse 7-8.

(The English Translation)

Whenever there is a decay in righteousness,

And there is exaltation of unrighteousness, then I , Myself come forth ;

 

For the defense of the good, for the demolition of evil-doers,

For the sake of firmly establishing righteousness, I am born from age to age.

 

This sloka has been my cult favourite since the days of  B R Chopra’s Mahabharat. Books based on Mahabharat have always intrigued me .But most of them nowadays are about the spinning of that same wheel, except Devdutt Pattanaik’s Jaya and Shashi Tharoor’s The Great Indian Novel.

I have been conducting my Mphil thesis on Indian Science Fiction ,thus I am bit acquainted with most of the writings on this genre.Rao’s The Mahabharata Code has been running out of supply owing to its high demand. I wanted to go through it.

The book begins with lots ambiguity and like a master storyteller Karthik Rao unravel the complex mesh of the plot..well it gets much more interesting onwards.

The cover design has been an elegant masterpiece.I have an weakness for such brilliant piece of art.The narration has been reasonably fast paced and Rao manages to keep his readers to the edge.The anecdotes are top notch and the philosophy are never too loud to digest.You will relish the book with a witty smile on your lips. Rao provides the setting of science fiction and transport all the readers to the world of a Nasa Scientist Narayan Rao . The plot thickens with the encounter of  Narayan with a mysterious Gandalf styled person who wants to recreate the Mahabaharat.

The characters have been skillfully carved out of the ancient discourse of the great Indian epic and moulded  into a futuristic  setting  of  space science fiction. Special mention about the schemer and the scripter of the epic Ved Vyasa. I have always thought that Ved Vyasa remained only a partial character in the epic ,but here he is in full authority of the novel.

You cannot ignore his brilliance as a master conniver. You will feel allied to characters like Shrishti and Holy Hades. Krishna in Tharoor’s narration was a Keralian youth and one of the most weakest in the novel .I was bit skeptical about Rao’s characterization of Krishna ,well you have to go through the book to find out whether he is as mighty as the Gudakesh of the original Mahabharat ,who promises to appear again and again where there will be the domination of evil upon earth or he is just a mere wager in the great plan of Vyasa ?(refer to the sloka at the top)

Watch out for the brilliant scientific conceptualization about the impotency of Arjun and well you cannot ignore the game of dice..(sssh the dice can operate only through the voice command of our favourite Shakuni Mama ).You have read the epics and come across many uncomfortable questions..well the authors provide some witty explanation.

I am waiting for somewhat different piece of Science Fiction from the talented author  Karthik Rao.Keep it up Mr Rao.Well after Samit Basu , I can see a master story teller of Science Fiction in Indian English Literature.

Pros

1.Perfect Cover design

2.Awesome characterization.

3.Excellent plot execution.

4.Nirbhaya Shot and Electronic Dice.

5.The modern setting.

6.Krishna and Ved Vyasa were top notch creations.

7.Simple and hilarious.

Cons

1.Those boring conversation between Narayan and Shrishti.

2.Time to delve into something more innovative.

Rating – 4.5 out of 5

 

 

 

 

THE MAHABHARATA CODE

by

KARTHIK K.B.RAO

 

Blurb

 

“The Mahabharata Code is a personal account of the main protagonist Narayan Rao (NR), who claims to be an astronomer with NASA. NR and a few other crew members agree to take part in the NASA mission to visit this mystery planet from which they had received mysterious signals. Here, they meet a man with a long flowing white beard, and he introduces himself as Vyasa. He reveals that he has a crazy plan in mind and seeks NR and his members’ help in implementing this plan. He intends to recreate the entire Mahabharata on this planet to restore the faith of the primitive simpletons here.

 

As the Mahabharata incidents start unfolding, NR realizes that Vyasa intends to recreate them page by page here, if not paragraph by paragraph. Also NR begins to realize that his son, Krishna, who is being groomed by Vyasa as Vishnu’s avatar, is nothing more than a pawn in Vyasa’s scheme of things. Other incidents of Mahabharata also unfold according to the original epic. Pandavas and Kauravas grow up hating each other and finally the restaging plan culminates with both the warring sets of cousins facing each other in the battlefield of Kurukshetra.

 

Inexplicably, like the original epic, Arjuna develops cold feet seeing his own cousins, teachers and relatives on the opposite side. He seeks Krishna’s divine intervention. Is the brainwashed “alien” Krishna prepared for this intervention?”

 

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About the author

 

 

Karthik K.B. Rao

 

Karthik Rao is a 32-year-old software professional based in Bangalore. He lives with his wife Sushma, parents and two little sons Kaustubh Krishna and Raghav Krishna aged 4 and 1, respectively. He says, he gets to meditate close to 3 hours every day on his bike thanks to the notorious Bangalore traffic. His hobbies include following cricket, Indian politics on the social media and Indian mythology. He also plays plastic ball cricket with his sons.

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No Safe Zone by Adite Banerjie : A Book Review

Paperback : 200 pages

Publisher: Harlequin

Genre – Romantic Thriller

Blurb

Qiara Rana will do anything to save her mentor and their non-government organization from ruin. Even if it means visiting the city she had vowed never to return to. But within a few hours of landing in New Delhi, she is being chased by a gunman and is a potential suspect in the murder of a high-profile businessman. The only person she can turn to for help is Kabir Shorey, the man who stood her up ten years ago. Past and present collide in a deadly plot of crime and greed that moves from the cosmopolitan streets of Delhi to the bazaars and villages of Rajasthan

Adite Banerjie

The Book Review

Adite Banerjie’s work  is all about engaging plot and smart execution of the same.She doesn’t let you get bored even for the slightest moment.I was bit sad ,after having a look at the cover picture of the book.I thought  “Oh No ..another Chick Flick”..but it is said never ever judge a book by its cover.

I am not against Romance but given a choice it will always be my second option.The word thriller in itself can arouse lots of apprehension and Banerjie makes it a point to keep you at the edge . While I was reading her  Trouble Has  A New Name  ..I was having expressions like AWW.. How Sweet.But this time it was Oh No .Run Qiara..Whoa what a thrill ..cumm on Kabir ..Yeah.

The plot is fast paced with a proper beginning , middle and a climax . The romantic involvement is served like a dessert and an apetizer with a nail biting thriller as the main course.The author provides numerous twists and turns at regular intervals and it  adds up to a fine reading experience.

The episodes in the state  Rajasthan  provides a royal touch and an exotic experience at the same time.Kabir as the romantic partner of Qiara is very matched and their chemistry is to die for. Aditie Banerjie provides a hot sizzler on the plate with Qiara and Kabir.

However the story is not that simple … Madam Banerjie serves a complex mesh of events and misunderstandings to the readers and when she decides to unravel the knots in the complex mesh ,the result is very pleasing.

The romantic duo exposes the scam and the criminal syndicate and thus provides a perfect conclusion to a romantic thriller.

No Safe Zone is an attarctive read and beileve me..you are going to enjoy every bit of it.

Verdict- 8/10

Pros

Plot is enaging

Storytelling is highly matured.

Vocabulary is just wow.

Great Characterization.

Thriller element is really good.

Sexy , smart Heroine and a dashing Hero

Setting  in the bylanes of Delhi to the royal Palace of Rajasthan has been  well blended to the plot.

Cons 

I was looking for a great negative character.

 

 

Never Again : A Book Review

 

 

Never Again by Shreyan Laha

Blurb : One terrorist organisation, seven lives, two nations… Everything revolves around a charcoal smeared diary titled “The Stranded Legend” in which Nazi soldier Kasper Hartmann claimed that he once visited India during the World War 2. But… in the current times of corrupt and anti-national politics, a common man possessing such a controversial diary is no less than a danger. There has to be someone who would seek to eliminate the truth… Never Again reveals about the legend of a Nazi soldier and a labyrinth of current-day shocking conspiracies which opens up one after another. Never Again reveals about the legend of a Nazi soldier and a labyrinth of current-day shocking conspiracies which opens up one after another.

Book Review

Hey people have you ever seen a Spidey web ? What about a mesh of such things ? It will be highly complex situation..and there lies the fun to decipher it.Shreyan Laha’s second novel is an intricate historical thriller.

The plot is about a missing (read fictional) Nazi officer  wiped out from the pages of history. In one word the plot is good..but the most important thing in this novel is the mode of narration.It constantly shifts between first person narrative to third person narrative.Laha have managed to grip the readers to the core. Occasionally the narrator provides the reader with doses of World war history..but it never crosses it’s limit.The novel boasts some interesting characterization like Aarav,Saira,the talented Historian and the Legend Kasper itself.However what make this novel a dear piece of historical fiction is the ability of the author to teleport you into the war torn Europe of 1940s.

Now as a critic I would say the episode of Kasper’s love life,his psychological war and spiritual angle deserve a separate story of its own. Two of the most important historical characters who could and always challenged the mighty(it was crumbling) Union Jack appears in the novel.Laha tackled one of the most controversial issue (the disappearance of His Majesty’s Opponent) with effortless narrative style.There have been great deal of research about the story and it is visible everywhere.However these subplots never envelope the major one.

The constant shift between the past and present is highly commendable,so is the translation of the German Diary.Keep it up Mr Laha with your study of language and culture.

The book comes up with few moments of philosophy and I would like to quote one of them

“People do not change. The changed self is always within us, unknown to us.”

In English Literature, we have a genre known as Bildungsroman ,which traces the formation of character from childhood till the end.Never Again very aptly portrays the genre and in the process make you feel the character.

The character sketch of Kasper is highly noteworthy,so his childhood,his love life ,his gore filled Nazi career and that terrifying end….ah man loved it.The scenes in the German concentration camp and the death of a near one is heartbreaking and full of thrills.

The ongoing terrorist problem and the illegal immigration is a threat to our nation and it is visible throughout the plot,at last some fiction dealt with the issue of illegal immigration.

This work is a pure evil…. which means kickass.Go for it..This one is highly enjoyable pacy thriller without any kind of ornamental English word.Hey People…get up and order your copy from Amazon or go to nearby Bookshop.Enjoy

Pros

1.Gripping Plot.

2.Lively Characterization.

3.Smart special appearences of Historical Characters.

4.Thorough research.

5.Subtle romantic escapades.

6.Horror and Terror never overlapped each other.

7.Cool Philosophical Gyan.

8.It raises many questions.

9.The starting paragraph in itself is a sure winner.

Cons

1.Horrible Editing.

1. Petra died too quickly.

3.You could have stretched the climax a bit further.

4.Fuhrer deserves more lines 😛

5.Cover Picture could have been much more detailed.

Rating – 4.5/5

 

 

Book Review : AN AUTOGRAPH FOR ANJALI

Book Review
An Autograph For Anjali comes with a gory murder narrative wrapped up by a bold love story. Venkatraman provides great characters and a smart plot for her latest venture.
First of all the novel boasts some well built characters like Parth Bharadwaj,Anjali,Jayant and Arjun.Even minor characters like Nalini and Seema stands out. Venkatraman’s character build up has been very strong in An Autograph For Anjali.To create an impact over the readers with the action of the fictitious character is not an easy job,but the author passes with flying colours.
The author has been very tactful to keep a simple plotline.Few months ago I was having a gala time at Meluha in Hiranandani Powai…when I recieved three sample chapters of An Autograph For Anjali from the author itself,since she has been a very encouraging blogger(she always takes the trouble to visit my blog)and a smart storyteller..I read the three chapters at a go.I thought this was going to be another lovestory only to discover that it dealt with a high society murder in Hiranandani itself.
Now the novel presents a plotline dealing with marital dicord and extramarital affairs in an affluent Mumbai society.
The murder mystery fades after few pages and a love lorn housewife takes over the narrative.It narrates the story of those (not everyone) married couples in India,where the husband takes the wife for granted and consider them to be just a serving hand in the domestic affairs of the house.While some of the wives consider this phenomenon to be quite natural,some of them try to break out of the cage called Sansaar and establish them in different world.The story of Anjali is about those Great Indian Women who can create a niche for themselves and who deserves to be loved.
You have to check out this novel to find out whether she is successful is setting her spirit free from the claustrophic paws of her husband.
Nonetheless we have a saying that behind successful man there is an woman,here you come across such a situation where the man brings out the best from the woman(brownie point for that).
The concept of legal separation and divorce have been handled with utmost care by the author.While you will enjoy the extramarital affair on one hand ,you will also hate another illicit affair to the core.
The relationship between son and mother is one of the highlight of the book but the highlight of this text is the platonic friendship between Parth and Anjali and how this friendship slowly turns into a reverential darling affair sways over everything in the book.So there is a highly demanding husband (businessman)who is more sensitive towards business policy than the feelings of his wife,and lovelorn but dutiful wife,a cheerful son , a highly efficacious author(a gentleman in every sense) and yes a murder mystery.Do you need more ?
Pros
1.Cover Design.(apt)
2.Characterization and Story Line(well planned)
3.Usage of Tennysonian allegory(The Lotos Eater)
4.Lovemaking Episodes..(very exciting)
Cons
1.Seema’s episode wraps up very quickly.

Verdict- 8/10
Grab a copy.

 

AN AUTOGRAPH FOR ANJALI

by

Sundari Venkatraman

Published by Flaming Sun

 

 

Blurb

Jayant Mathur is found murdered in his bed, shot at point-blank range with his own revolver. Though she’s extremely disturbed by his death, Jayant’s wife Anjali is way more upset about something else. Who stands to gain by killing the multi-millionaire businessman?

Parth Bhardwaj is a friend and neighbour of the Mathurs. Parth is an author who goes by a pseudonym. He appears more than a friend to Anjali; while he’s also on good terms with her son Arjun who lives and studies in the UK. What role does he play in Anjali’s life? Jayant’s relatives are curious to know.

Jayant’s brother-in-law Rana is convinced that Parth and Anjali are the murderers. But Inspector Phadke has his own doubts about this theory. In comes Samrat, the private detective who appears as quiet as a mouse. Will he be able to find the murderer?

Will Anjali find happiness and peace?

 

 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

 

In 2014, Sundari self-published The Malhotra Bride (2nd Edition); Meghna; The Runaway Bridegroom; Flaming Sun Collection 1: Happily Ever Afters From India (Box Set) and Matches Made In Heaven (a collection of romantic short stories).

2015 brought yet another opportunity. Readomania came forward to traditionally publish this book – The Madras Affair – a mature romance set in Madras.

An Autograph for Anjali, a romance with a touch of suspense, is also a self-published novel. Going a step further, the author has published the paperback version through Notion Press.

 

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BOOK REVIEW : COlOR ME RICH

 

BOOK REVIEW

Color Me Rich very authentically portrays the aggravation of an artist who is unable to come up with good quality art. It also showcased the cons of getting into a hasty matrimonial alliance .Deep provides us with some authentic episodes of marital discord with tinges of sensual romance.

Deep’s Color Me Rich comes with a neat plot and some forgettable characters. Yes among the characters like Zenobia,Suma,Pran and others only two characters  named Bollywood Aunty and Akash shines. Somehow the art of characterization falls flat.

However the psychological array of Akash provides a good read.His presence simply envelops everything. Deep deals with various issues like the theme of isolation, the class clash and of course the notion of creative block.

 

The storyline travels from Mumbai’s western suburbs to the posh Cafe Parade and finally to Harbor’s Panvel Farmhouse. Now Deep very genuinely deals with the life of Akash Saigal,his struggling days and of course troubled marriage life.Zenobia seemed to be an eye candy and yes a hot beauty no doubt. The concept of muse has been finely dealt through the hellenic bond between Suma and Akash.Deep enlightened me with the in-depth knowledge about the history of portraits in India,his knowledge in the field of painting surely deserves an ovation. The struggle which most of the wannabe artists have to go through gets a factual representation in the narrative.

But what makes this book immensely likeable is the narrative technique and off course a gripping plot.  Mohan shuttles between the present and the past like a seasoned filmmaker juggling with the flashback and contemporary scenes.His usage of  “Yesterday’s” and “Today’s” are  laudable.

It will be interesting to watch a Bollywood adaptation of this sensational narrative.Now the plot resembles the tragic story of the artist Hema Upadhay…there has been a recent suicide in the B-Town…which can also be a part of another shocking plot.Let us wait and watch.

Now let me provide with the Positive Sides.

1.Engaging Plot

2.Psychological aspect has been finely dealt with.

3.Excellent research on Paintings,J J School of Arts.

4.Good study of Parsi Community.

5.Special mention about  the knowledge(of Mohan Deep) regarding Portraits .

6.A good juxtaposition of the Prolepsis and Flashback.

7.Excellent Climax build up.

Cons

1.Characterization of the minor characters.

2.Suma …a bit more was needed.

3.Small end notes would have been great,since there has been usage of Marathi,Parsi and Hindi Words (exclusively for the Occidental Readers)

Verdict- 7.5/10

Now grab a copy of  Mohan Deep’s Color Me Rich.

Color Me Rich 

by 

Mohan Deep 

Blurb 

A sensitive love story of a handsome and talented struggling painter Akash Saigal. What happens when he marries an extremely rich and beautiful artist and art investor Zenobia Taraporevala?

Prologue

 

J J School of Art, Mumbai.

 

Taking a charcoal pencil, Akash Saigal started drawing the wood-and-stone structure, popularly known as ‘Kipling Bungalow’. He was sketching sitting on a bench on which, in another era, K K Hebbar, M F Husain, Syed Haider Raza, Sadanand Bakre, V S Gaitonde, even Dadasaheb Phalke had sat with their sketchbooks, sketching the house where the author of The Jungle Book was born.

 

Ganpat Gupte appeared along with two of his gang. Gupte was the nephew of a minister, or so he claimed, and had the arrogance that comes with power.

 

“Ae Akash, kae karto?”

 

Akash looked up at the trio and said, “Nothing much. Just a drawing.”

 

“Okay. What is the day today?”

 

“Monday.”

 

“I should have known.Tere ko blue shirt hai na?”

 

Akash didn’t get the connection, but Gupte’s chamchas laughed knowingly.

 

“Didn’t you get it?”

 

“What?”

 

The three boys sang in unison, “Monday, blue shirt. Tuesday, black shirt. Wednesday, blue shirt. Thursday black shirt. Friday, blue shirt. Saturday, black shirt. Sunday…laundry!”

 

If Akash was hurt, he didn’t show it. He laughed sheepishly and continued sketching the bungalow.

 

But he would never forget this.

 

Today 

 

The elevator zoomed up, taking Akash directly to the penthouse on the 60th floor of Apollo Towers, and stopped with stomach-curdling smoothness. The door slid open to reveal his luxuriously done-up lounge.

 

He came out of the lift, turned down the passage, and walked over the deep-pile rug to the lounge.

 

He had returned from the salon.

 

He felt cleaner and fresher after his bimonthly facial – only Tanveer could give him a satisfactory shave – and pedicure. He liked to have his moustaches- like John Lennon’s – done like in the Sixties, and he liked sideburns.

 

His head was still heavy from drinking until the late hours, but he looked much better than he felt. His studio was to the right, almost hidden behind the lavish bar facing him as he entered.

 

Perched 550 feet above the city of Mumbai, he could see the Queen’s Necklace and the World Trade Centre. From Zenobia’s bedroom, the Gateway of India and the high dome of the Taj Mahal Hotel.

 

Pran smiled at him.

 

Akash returned the smile, picked up the bottle of Blue Label and poured himself a stiff drink.

 

“Isn’t it a little early for a drink?”

 

Without saying anything, Akash smiled, and switched on the TV.

 

The TV screen flashed a story over a video shot of Zenobia with him in happier times, followed by a shot of the Mumbai Police Commissioner’s heritage Gothic-style building and a subtitle: ‘Mumbai Police give clean chit to Akash Saigal.’

 

The newsreader said:

 

“Based on the findings of the forensic department and investigation, the Mumbai Police has declared the death of noted artist and socialite Zenobia Taraporevala suicide. It may be recalled that a year ago, Zenobia died from a fall from her 60th-floor penthouse. There were questions about her death. Was it a suicide, or an accident, or was she pushed to her death? Her husband, the famous artist Akash Saigal, was under a cloud all these months. It has now been established that tired of being confined to a wheel chair after a car accident, a depressed Zenobia committed suicide.”

 

Pran jumped out of his seat, still listening to the newsreader with open-mouthed amazement. He shouted: “Wow!”

 

Both the men hugged.

 

A shot of Prime Minister Narendra Modi now flashed on the screen, as the newsreader continued, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Singapore….”

 

Akash smiled tiredly at Pran.

 

“You already knew about it?”

 

Akash nodded and absent-mindedly picked up an envelope. He took out the card, glanced at it, and pushed it back. It was an invitation to his own function.

 

“Boss, when do we leave?” Pran asked.

“We have lots of time. The inauguration is after three hours, and the ministers never come on time. Agar aa bhi gaya toh hamari woh Fareeda baithi hai. Sambhal legi. Dad will take care of it. Chal baith, tu bhi le.”

 

“No, not me. I’m driving,” Pran said solemnly.

 

Akash knew that this was not the time to drink. He shouldn’t appear sloshed in front of the entire world and the prying media. He took another sip, and changed the news channel. 

 

And found himself staring at a picture of Zenobia on the screen. The still picture changed to a video shot of Zenobia and he at a party.

 

The newsreader was ranting:

 

“In India, the law mandates that the husband be questioned for cases involving the death of a woman within seven years of marriage. Akash and Zenobia had been married for barely two-and-a-half years. And Zenobia had died under mysterious circumstances, falling from the French window of her penthouse! The police always look for ‘the other woman’ in a case like this.”

 

The TV showed a shot of Suma, followed by a video shot of Suma and Akash emerging from the JW Marriott in Juhu. The newsreader went on: “And they found her in Suma. Suma Malkani, the beautiful ghazal singer.”

 

The State Minister for Cultural Affairs, Nanasaheb Palekar, was to launch the art school, named after Zenobia Taraporevala-Saigal, that evening at Powai. There had been several protests because of the controversy over her death, but the minister ignored them all.

 

A protest was planned for the same day by Kapila Khandelval’s NGO. It was unclear whether the NGO would go ahead with the protest or cancel it in view of the clean chit given to Akash by the police.

 

This project had been his baby and Zenobia’s dream. The government had given the land and the Taraporevalas had put in the money. Fareeda had inserted a business angle even in this dream project of Zenobia’s. The Zenobia-Akash Saigal School of Art had become the Zenobia-Akash Saigal School of Art and Business Management. She also had plans for a Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in an annex. The minister had given the nod for that, too.

 

Akash’s mobile rang.

 

He looked at the screen and let it ring.

 

Taking a sip of his drink, he moved towards his den. He stepped into his room, and before he could shut the door, the phone near the bar table rang.

 

“Boss?” Pran said. “Fareeda is on the line.”

 

Fareeda would be having kittens without him. Akash’s association with the project had given it respectability and even a cultural cause, and got the plot at one-eighth its market value, and all the permissions.

 

“Fuck her!” Akash said, but he answered the phone anyway. 

 

Fareeda seemed frantic.

 

“The media will be here in three hours. And the minister, too.”

 

Akash said, “Fuck the media!” and hung up.

 

The TV newsreader went on:

 

“Before Akash Saigal hit the big time, he lived in a small apartment in Adarsh Nagar, in the western suburbs. His paintings didn’t earn him enough to buy a decent vehicle. He travelled by buses and cabs. While Zenobia almost took a sabbatical, Akash shot to fame with his mixed media and three-dimensional installations after marrying her.”

 

Leaning against the soft, cool leather of a luxurious sofa, Akash said, “Cigarettes?”

 

Pran was already sliding open the glass door of a cabinet. A carton of Marlboros had just one packet left. He gave the packet to Akash, grinned, and threw the carton in the trash box.

 

They might have been sharing the same flashback, the same past.

 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Mohan Deep, is an Indian author, painter and Feng Shui Master. Mohan Deep is the author of ‘The Mystery and Mystique of Madhubala’ (1996), ‘It’s My Life’ (Novel) (1997), ‘Simply Scandalous: Meena Kumari’ (1998), ‘Eurekha!’ – an unauthorized biography of Rekha. (1999), ‘Four Options’ (2000), ‘Feng Shui for the Bold & Beautiful, the Rich and Famous’ (2001) and ‘Nehru and the Tantrik Woman’ (2002). After a sabbatical of a decade, during which he touched upon the lives of people as a Feng Shui Master, he was back with The Five Foolish Virgins( 2013). Mohan Deep is arguably the only Indian author to write what is often described as controversial, unauthorized star biographies in India. Columnist-journalist and former editor of ‘Illustrated Weekly of India’, Khushwant Singh called him ‘a truly gifted gossip writer’. “The maverick writer”, like columnist-reviewer-poetess.

Tara Patel described him has also been called William Goldman of Bollywood’s stars (By Behram Contractor, the Editor of Afternoon Despatch & Courier) (Source) Kitty Kelly of India (By R K Bajaj, the Editor of ‘The Daily’). Interestingly, almost every book he has wrote/penned has invited controversies for its bold content.

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Book Review : The Lowland

Lahiri has always been an earthy (read earthly also) writer.If you
go through her works like The Namesake,the Interpreter of Maladies(few
of them) you can notice a hangover for the Indian soil.The diasporic
element is somewhat very strong in her discourse.
The latest one(I am yet to go through Unaccustomed Earth)The Lowland
however appears to be the strongest among all.It connects several dots
of family bonding,forbidden love and the spirit of revolution across
nations.
On the surface level it is a story of two brothers Subhas and
Udayan,torn apart by the failed movement of communism(yes it has been
a great failure).
On the other hand it deals with one’s responsibility towards family
and the nation.
It highlights the issue that one man’s revolutionary is terrorist for
the other one.Lahiri in a very simplistic manner focuses on the brief
life of Udayan..how he gets attracted towards the ideology of Mao and
Che and how does he meet his dreadful conclusion.
If you have gone through the works in Bengali Literature which dealt
with the Naxalbari Uprising of 70’s in Bengal,you will notice a
singular point of view,where it is narrated from the perspective of a
communist.But Lahiri managed to showcase the otherside through the
remorseful episode of Gauri,where she dives into herpast and remembers
how she helped the communist party to annihilate a vulnerable Police
officer.I mean numerous films like Bhooter Bhobisyot(the latest)
portrays the Cops as the hunter and the comrades as the hunted.This
novel also showcased such incidents but yes thumbs up to Lahiri for
describing another instance where the Police became the prey.Read out
the following.
“But in the world of the party it had also been expected for him to
help kill a policeman.They were symbols of brutality,trained by
foreigners.They are not Indians,they do not belong to India”

(Lahiri,Jhumpa “The Lowland”)

If you have grown up in the communist Bengal,you are bound to strike a
chord with the communist side of the novel,if not then also you will
find it alluring.
Thousands of youth like Udayan lost their brilliant career and faded
into stone tablets.Literally you will weep after you witness the
tragic plight of Kanu Sanyal and Charu Majumder.
Now let me speak about the novel setting. It deals with two locale,one
with that of Rhode Island and the other in Tollygunge.
My knowledge about about American landscape and their way of living
has never been firsthand.But my experience about Tollygunge is
absolutely first hand.I have been there for almost 18 years of my life
in that area,yes the area between the Tollygunge Tram Depot and the
Christian Burial ground and also beyond the grand walls of Tolly Golf
Club.
I really relived those parts where Lahiri describes about the nooks
and corners of Tollygunge.We always tend to look for the national
history and overlook the regional history,I am highly impressed with
the eloquent details of Tolly history.
It is a beautiful novel of brotherly bonding,clashes between the
orthodoxy and modernity and of course some messy decision by the lead
characters.In the end you will feel for Udayan,you will love Subhas
and Bela but the character which will leave you intrigued is
Gauri-watch out for the sheer transformation.
Regarding the ending.. ah its up to you to discover.
Someone please translate this novel in Bengali.
N B : Cherish the exchange of letters between Subhash and Udayan.

A Review of Sundari Venkatraman’s An Autograph for Anjali

First thing first,I never expected suspense from Sundari Venkataraman,because her work means..some grand romantic adventure.I was having tough time dealing with my research work at the University of Mumbai and suddenly I came across Venkatraman’s work dealing with a crime scene.

Venkatraman has come out of her comfort zone..she presents a gripping tale of murder and fidelity. She sets her story around a cold blooded murder in one of the most posh housing locality of Mumbai.We have some layered character like Parth and the wife of the deceased…and lastly our Mumbai Cop Mr Phadke,so we have a spine chilling murder..some deceitful motive, a finely balanced family friend and the not so shocked wife..

As usual she keeps her language very user friendly and content gripping….I enjoyed the book(3 chapters)..what about you all ?Try it out…

An Autograph for Anjali is going to pump more blood into your cognitive cells.Enjoy Macha.Even I am waiting for it…

NB: I am writing this short review from Meluha,a star hotel at Hiranandani Powai,I can feel the chill. 😛

Scion of Ikshvaku- A Book Review.

Scion of Ikshvaku- A Book Review.

Long ago…I watched a Brad Pitt’s movie named Troy, where Eric Bana(read Hector) mouthed a legendary dialogue.

Hector: All my life I’ve lived by a code and the code is simple: honor the gods, love your woman and defend your country. Troy is mother to us all. Fight for her!

Well, Amish Tripathy’s newbie “Scion Of Ikshvaku” booms such impression just like the above quoted interchange.

Just like his previous series on Mahadev,here he takes on the archetypes, fuse them with colloquial language and genuine narrative technique style.

So the hero over here is Prince Ram..his lady love Sita and sidekick Laxman..(ah dear brother of Ram Bhaiya).

One of the most intersesting thing about Amish is that he never allows any magical or supernatural elements to cast a shadow over his mythogical stories ,instead he thrives upon the glory of rational thinking and grand usage of scientific technique.Amish Tripathy balances the role between a faithful & spiritual devotee and a modern critic who tries to analyze the epic as any piece of literary work or an actual events of the past,resulting in the logical explanation of the supernatural elements over there.

If you have the basic idea about the Saptkhand Ramayan..then you are going to relish this novel..and if not..then it’s a Déjà vu for you all.

You should be well aware of the term “NAGAS”..a race born with deformities..so the uncanny body parts of the hindu mythical figures are part of this race ..for example..we have Jatayu(the saviour bird) and offcourse Hanuman(the Legendary one).

During the Shiva Trilogy, all readers came across the term “Ram Rajya”..here in the prequel,he is going to tell you ;how Lord Ram gave birth to Meluha?.The story is set during the era when Sapt Sindhu was under the patronage of SamratDasharath of the Raghuclan..(read King Ikshvaku).The story traces his fall at the hand of Ravaan and the subsequent rise of the distorted kingdom under the ostracised Prince Ram..(unlikeRamayan,Ram is not loved by all..he is blamed for the fall of his father)…The grand narrative follows how he becomes a great fella.The story gratifies across time and space.Amish very beautifully crafts the characters of Kaikeyi and Manthara(she is not a dasi over here) and the rebellious Bharat.

Ram,true to his legend is a man of words and a law abider..eventually he becomes a law enforcer.Laxman is probably the greatest supporting character ever..he is just true to the epic.

Like the previous instalment Amish portrays a very strong female protagonist..so Sati is SITA over here..and like her ,she is a skilled warrior.

Now for the plot , buy the book..I am never going to reveal it. I am eagerly waiting for the sequel and a bit more of Hanuman and Ravaan.Enjoy the trailer..enjoy the book.

References

1.Dialogue Source: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0332452/quotes

2.The Shiva Trilogy.

3.Valmiki Ramayan.