Film Review: Dum Laga Ke Haisha: A Feministic Tour de Force

Reviews, Vol. I, Issue III

George Sand, a nineteenth century French novelist asserted way back in 1872: “Art for art’s sake is an empty phrase. Art for the sake of truth, art for the sake of the good and the beautiful, that is the faith I am searching for.” Chinua Achebe, a postcolonial African writer in a trenchant way, goes to the extent of hailing ‘art for art’s sake’ as “just another piece of deodorised dog shit.”

Art demands a lot of ingenuity whilst being assertively alert to socio-cultural maladies. Truly it is an artiste’s prerogative to conceive cutting-edge expressions to voice it to as many souls as possible- a multitude of emotions that abode a human heart; and the prejudices of the degenerate society. A gargantuan task indeed- which engages the artists’ in commingling a variety of techniques : concocting newer crafts to laundry the system’s rot and affiliating it with aesthetically tailored recital of events, aimed at enchanting the senses of the viewers in sync.

The winning dialogue of The Dirty Picture (2011) – “Filmein sirf teen cheezo ke wajah se chalti hain... entertainment, entertainment ...” garnered a lot of applause in the contextual framework of the movie but falls deflated and dispirited when assessed scholastically beyond the precincts of the movie. Not only it puts at risk  the wisdom of the cine-goers, who are no more infatuated with Bollywood masala movies but instead prefer to judiciously spend their time and money on issue based cinema. It also confines the critical acclaim and commercial success of a movie to its ‘entertainment quotient’ only brushing aside the thematic concerns and social relevance of ‘substance cinema.’

The Dirty Picture triumphed in ‘stirring the souls’ of its audiences by inviting them to view in all nakedness; and live outrightly through the oculus of cinema – an assortment of splendour and pathos in the lives of the so called ‘sex-symbols’ of the film industry, be it Silk Smitha of Kollywood – the Tamil language film industry or Marilyn Monroe of Hollywood. The fictionalised biopic initiated newer debates pivoted around many a feministic discourses. Borrowing words of Rajat Aroraa- the dialogue writer of the movie, the film dared to raise questions on how in a patriarchal society: “women are held up to judgement more easily in roles men have gotten away for ages.”

In the recent past Bollywood is engaged in churning out with élan and finesse, a banquet of issue based cinema. The list is long but a few references like Chak de India, Taare Zameen Par, 3 Idiots, Fashion, Queen, Mary Kom, Mardani, Haider and PK are suffice to define the canon. Dum Laga Ke Haisha (2015) is the latest entrant to the bandwagon. The romantic comedy under the production aegis of Yash Raj Films and adroit and foxy direction of sophomore director, Sharat Kataria; zip codes a number of termini in one go, to name a few: the Indian obsession with English language, the topsyturviness of youth under overreaching patriarchal authority, and the issue of envisioning female bodies as erotic objects only.

The plot of the movie introduces us to Prem Prakash Tiwari (Ayushmann Khurrana) - as a 25 years old, school dropout, courtesy his disabling lack of talent to qualify his tenth-standard English exam. Viewed as a loser by his family especially his father, Prem is invariably exposed to his father’s ridicule and bullying. Marooned in his father’s audio cassette-repair shop, hearing to Kumar Sanu’s timeless melodies comes as a refreshing breather for Prem. A dialogue from the movie pertinently describes his state of mind and his status quo too:

“Teen Cheez hai koi kuch karle meri aankhon se assu tapakne se na rok sake. Ek to angrezi ka prashn patra, dusri Kumar Sanu ki awaaj, teesri papaji ki chappal.”

Undeterred by his dilapidated realities; Prem -doused and sodden in the film world, would not happily settle down with a bride, having even a speck less than the sculpted look of a cinestar- lithe, taut, and svelte. Film critic Laura Mulvey’s treatise of ‘cinematic spectatorship’ is quite plausible in stating ‘the standard operative procedures’ adopted by conventional film makers. Conventional cinema pitches men as ‘emissaries of voyeuristic gaze’ in both the story and the audience while the female characters hold an “appearance coded for strong visual and erotic impact.”

Waylaid and entrapped in this psyche, Prem’s inflated male ego is shattered to smithereens when his family takes a utilitarian decision of marrying him off to the twenty -two years old, amply qualified, (aspiring teacher) plus- size but fun-loving and confident Sandhya Verma (Bhumi Penderkar).

After an inaugural pandemonium Prem and Sandhya’s ‘marriage of unequals’ mutates into a mushy, lovey-dovey affair. ‘Love comes in all sizes’ as the tagline of the movie comes alive when Prem gazes at the true worth of Sandhya. He starts taking pride in consorting- the educated and intelligent Sandhya. Not only the ‘couple compatible’ dares to participate in “Dum Laga Ke Haisha” contest which entails the male partner of the duo to shoulder his female chum and run a race. The joie de vivre of Sandhya goads Prem to backpack his 85 kilos damsel like a trophy. Celebrating his newly-found love, Prem stretches the race way beyond the winning post by blithely and buoyantly taking Sandhya around the entire town in the same posture.

The film manages to denounce and deconstruct unrealistic images of women’s beauty assuaging both men and women out of its constrictive tutelage to live wholesome lives. The movie echoes- bereft of all sermonising and in all subtlety, the eternal feminine tiding- “Look at us beyond our bodies.” 

Who said- Art is not functional.

Reviewed by Manjinder Kaur Wratch
The writer is an academician-turned- research scholar who is having a gala time pursuing her literary interests; her recent stopover being reviewing literary works and penning homilies on the arty-crafty realm of ‘substance cinema.’

In Conversation with Olivier Lafont

Reviews, Vol I, Issue III

Interviewed by Himanshu Shekhar Choudhary, Editor-in-Chief, Reviews

Olivier Lafont who garnered lots of attention for his role in 3 Idiots as Suhas Tandon is showing more of his talent with the publication of his novel 'Warrior' by Penguin. We are glad to feature an interesting conversation with him in our magazine.

Lafont is a multitalented and versatile personality who writes fiction, feature film screenplays, and editorial pieces, but also acts in feature films, endorses some of India’s most popular brands on television, and lends his voice to many media in many languages. A French polyglot, Lafont pursues his eclectic interests at the highest standards having worked with some of India’s most acclaimed directors on films like 3 IDIOTS, Guzaarish and two Hollywood films, and continuing in the same vein with his new novel coming out with Penguin India. He is a familiar face due to his work in over 70 adverts on television.

HS: Actor, model, screenplay writer, voice over artist, director, producer and now an author. How did you recognize all of them in you? 

Olivier: For me the common thread in all these is being a storyteller. I started writing at a very young age, although I think my passion for stories preceded even that. I developed a passion for acting a little later. In university I did my BAs in English Literature and in Acting, and from there I moved back to Mumbai, where I was able to cultivate this large variety of interests professionally.

HS: Living a hectic life, playing so many roles; writing was not something new to you, but how did you think of writing a novel? How did the idea come to your mind?  

Olivier: I’ve been writing for quite some time, and writing a novel was a very natural part of my creative life. ‘Warrior’ was originally a feature film script I wrote when I came back to India from university, more than a dozen years ago. I wanted to write an Indian film that would be on the same scale as the special effects blockbusters that were coming out of Hollywood then. So with that canvas in mind, I created a story that delved in Indian mythology but that would be new, modern, and authentic.

HS: You have been in India since the age of 7. How Indian is your recently released book Warrior? 

Olivier: It’s completely Indian in its setting, culturally and geographically, but universal in theme and structure.

HS: Why didn't Warrior happen in French, your mother tongue? Are you planning any translation/s of this novel? 

Olivier: I learned French and English at the same time in my home, so both are my native tongues. My family moved from France to Delhi and I attended the American Embassy School there, so the majority of my education was in English, both as a young writer and actor. I just continued in that vein, since I’ve lived mainly in English-speaking countries.

I’d love for ‘Warrior’ to be translated into French and other languages. As of now the focus is on ‘Warrior’ in English in India.

HS: Which of your roles relaxes you the most, although, all the roles you live in, are of your choice?

Olivier: Writing is the most relaxing, since I do it privately, in an environment of my choice, and as and when I like.

HS: It would be intriguing to know the meaning of life from such a multidimensional being alike you.

Olivier: The meaning of life for me is passion. That means, for example, being with people I love, doing the things I love. I systematically avoid anything that doesn’t have passion in it, whether it’s my work life or my personal life.

HS: What is the first next treat for your fans and followers coming from your side just after your novel?

Olivier: I’m still deciding what’s next, but I’ve just written a feature film script, the first one with myself as the main character. It’s a really fun comedy, and I’m looking for a producer to partner with on it. It could be an Indian film or an international one, so the producer could also be Indian or international.

HS: Multiculturalism is not a new term to you; it has touched your life very closely. Did this made you a better human or was it disturbing?

Olivier: I think my multicultural background and experiences have been mostly constructive. The move from France to India when I was seven years old was difficult to deal with, naturally, but that’s circumstantial - the positive effect of moving to this amazing country that is India cannot be overemphasized. Multiculturalism, when embraced, can only make you grow.

HS: Do you agree, we write with a purpose? What has been your purpose of writing; entertainment or something more? 

Olivier: I don’t think there’s such a thing as purposeless writing. All writing has some purpose because it’s expression, and all expression comes from a need to say something.

My purpose in writing is varied. I have a great desire to entertain, of course, which is why ‘Warrior’ has adventure and drama and heroism. That’s my external purpose. Internally, however, I write to live the stories, to learn through my writing, to grow intellectually and spiritually.

HS: Your novel Warrior was recently shortlisted for the Tibor Jones South Asia Prize. It would have been thrilling, of course. But what thrills you the most?

Olivier: Success and winning in all its forms. Knowing your readers got exactly what you intended, or watching your audience laugh or react at the precise place you want them to, that’s thrilling.

HS: At last, we would like to have few words from you for the budding and struggling talents around us. 

Olivier: Perseverance without purpose is useless and frustrating - know exactly what you’re aiming to do, and why you’re doing it.

HS: Thank you very much for being with us. We wish you tremendous success in all your journeys. 

Lafont at his book launch

Connect with Olivier Lafont on Facebook | Twitter | 

Buy Warrior via Amazon

Women in Dictionary by Prof.Karabi Hazarika/ Purbanchal Prakash

Reviews, Vol. I, Issue III

Sexist Terminology in Varied Spheres of Assamese Life:  Women in Dictionary   

Karabi Hazarika’s recently published book Women in Dictionary is a scholarly attempt to find ‘a room of one’s own’. The study of dictionary never before emerges as a feminist discourse as it occurs in her book. A dictionary is the confluence of both language and literature. In her book Women in Dictionary Prof.  Hazarika attempts to analyse some women-related words from a few selected English and Assamese Dictionaries to find out how women have been presented in a male-dominated society over the centuries. She has included in her discourse   Dr. Johnson’s A Dictionary of the English Language (1755), The Oxford English Dictionary (1989), Oxford Advanced Learners’ Dictionary (2010), Hemkosh(1900) , Hemkosh(2011) and Asomiya Jatiyo Abhidhan (2010-12).

In her perceptive study of the impact of sexist terminology in various spheres of life, she excellently observes: “Though it is claimed that the status of women in the Assamese society is quite high in comparison to the other societies of India, the language itself is not out of the influence of sexist terminology which are totally biased and dominated by the male folk.” Karabi Hazarika’s book is a kind of challenge to the patriarchal society and is more than a mere feministic reading of lexical presentation of women and female life in varied dimensions. “Rich in details, extremely well documented and argued, Women in Dictionary makes a challenging and pleasant reading, as well as an engaging travel through the universe of patriarchy, where language betrays the imposition of male supremacy”- observes Professor Elisabetta Marino of the University of Rome, Tor Vergata, in her foreword to Women in Dictionary which is going to be one of the literary milestones of Assamese –English literature and as well as of women literature. Her simplicity is deceptive as she focuses on a number of complicated issues in her study of these dictionaries. As a human being both men and women share the same natural  resources, geographical space , but unfortunately as a being  they live in two different  worlds. The comparative study of Hemkosh 1st and 14th edition along with Asomiya Jatiyo Abhidhan is quite interesting and scholarly. In every Assamese dictionary, there are many words to explain the beauty of a woman – Aparupa, Dhowola , Priyadarshini, Bamura,  Manjurani,  Romoni, Rupoi,  Lilawati, Sushismita, Shuni, Shromona Anupama and Sundari. The detailed descriptions of all these words reveal the deep analytical perception of the author who probes deeper into their nuances and connotation. She observes that Assamese language is not free from the influence of sexist terminology in various spheres of life. She claims, ‘Though it is claimed  that the status of women in the Assamese society  is quite  high in comparison  to the other societies of India, the language itself  is not out of the influence  of sexist terminology  which are totally biased and dominated by the  male folk “. She has given some examples daini, o’soti, beisya, ardhangini, mahimak, sotini, contrasted with words used for men, satampurushia, uttarpurush, baapatisatisaahon, jubasakti, dekasakti, chhatrasakti, natun purush. What emerges from the study of the terms in the dictionaries, is that cultural ideas, symbols, norms, and values play a significant role in the creation of women’s images and the differentiation of gender roles. Prof. Karabi in a lighter vein commented: “Like other parts of India, Assam also followed the law prescribed by Manu.” Women have to devote their lives from early girlhood to find a husband and to bear children for him. Hoggs and Abrams clearly describe how the power and status relation between groups bear on social identity: the dominant groups in society have the power and the status to impose the dominant value system and ideology which serves to legitimize and perpetuate the status quo. Prof. Karabi establishes successfully that “dictionary definitions are full of notions reflecting the culture and social climate of the time in which they were written."

Dr. Rinita Mazumder, Asst. Prof of Philosophy & Cultural Studies, Central New Mexico  Community College,  University of New Mexico, in her blurb wrote justifiably: “ This book explores  the way women  are depicted  in the lexical  discourse , which in turn shows the negative  position of women in culture  and society”. The book has eight valuable chapters in which two are devoted to Hemkosh (1900) and (2011). Hemkosh is believed to the first Assamese dictionary and here we get a brief history of the Dictionaries in Assamese language. What is interesting is the feminist approach to Hemkosh. Word choices often reflect unconscious assumptions about gender roles. Words related in this dictionary make it clear how women were placed or treated during the 19^th century in the Assamese society. All social interaction is gender oriented, and gendered social interaction is guided by status and positions people occupy and roles, the behavior associated with a status. In Assamese society women enjoy considerable freedom compared to the women of the other parts of the country, but here also they are denied their deserving positions, dignity and equality. Words like Angana, Anugaman, Opeswara, Kutni, Akuti, Gabhoru or Osati reveal this impact of inequality. At a time when “Assam was dominated by medieval conservatism, women generally remained confined to their homes, while their spouses were free to enjoy life without any hindrance” (P.120). Prof. Hazarika points out: “In pre-independent Assam, all they had to do was to devote their lives from early girlhood to find a husband and bearing children for him. There was no way she could even dream about herself except as her children’s mother or her husband’s wife.” Here the study of dictionary becomes a veritable social document on gender discrimination. Elsewhere we find Prof Hazarika’s observation: “Going through the words related to women in this latest edition of the Hemkosh, it is found that this dictionary has included some words which are obsolete and are not used any more. The inclusion of these gender sensitive words like Bondhura, Bare Bhotori, Bare Motori, Bondhoki, Bonsura , Sopola or Manjika without referring to them as outdated  definitely reflects  the chauvinistic attitude  of the compiler who represents a section of Assamese population who are yet to develop  a positive attitude towards  women.” Thus we find that cultural ideas, symbols, norms and values play a significant role in the creation of women’s images and the differentiation of gender roles.”(P.145).

Many feminists argue that the language rules are rigged and need to be reorganized and reinvigorated. Every year new words are added to standard dictionaries, but the initial deficit of language, it is argued, still haunts women today. Prof. Hazarika focuses beautifully on linguistic sexism which is rooted in the real life social inequality between men and women. It may be social in origin rather than linguistic. In India as well as in Assam, there is hardly any debate so far insisting on gender-neutral language. This is due to lack of gender consciousness and awareness. It is an integral part of global problem of gender inequality. Dictionary definitions are full of notions reflecting the culture and social climate of the time in which they were written. According to Roland Barthes, a myth is a part of language, a type of speech. The myth of ‘potibrata’ or ‘modesty’ reflects the interweaving of culture and ideology. Barthes says that language is a form of action, a performance that creates and moulds in diverse ways. This cultural attitude towards women indicates male sexist prejudices about women and thus the language tends to reflect this. Prof. Hazarika rightly points out that ‘it is necessary for the lexicographer to warn the dictionary user of the sensitivity of such words.” (P.214)

Dictionaries of modern day with modern outlook like the Oxford  Advanced Learner’s Dictionary  and the Asomiya Jatiyo Abhidhan  vow to eliminate  any sexist bias in their vocabulary. Every word is under the hammer and on anvil. The great African writer  Ngugi Wa Thiongo to whom Prof. Hazarika made a reference, says in his book Decolonizing the Mind: “ language carries culture  and culture carries, particularly through orator, the entire bodies of values by which we come to perceive ourselves and our place  in the world. “ We live in a patriarchal world that values men over women. Our language is a reflection of these values. Linguistic sexism is not only an ethical problem but primarily a violation of human rights. The book Women in Dictionary ends with the warning: “Thus vulgarisms and offensive words should not be entered in dictionaries and defined explicitly. We wait for a good reception of the book by the academicians and the researchers all over India and globally too. The book contains an impressive bibliography at the end which enriches the content of the book. The binding and cover page deserves all kudos and Jayant Bormudoi commands respect for his art work on the cover page. The readers and researchers will be immensely benefitted by the publication of this valuable book on language and literature and credit goes to the publisher Purbanchal Prakash, Guwahati. Finally we may agree with Professor Kausik Gupta , Ex-Vice Chancellor, West Bengal State University  and Social Scientist  that: “ Prof. Karabi Hazarika’s magnificently comprehensive  book Women in Dictionary provides an authoritative  overview  of the major ideas, periods  and movements iconised  in the words as well as images  of women over the  years in Assamese literature vis a vis  English literature.”

Reviewed by Dr.Ratan Bhattacharjee, Associate Professor and Chairperson, Post Graduate Dept of English, Dum Dum Motijheel College, West Bengal State University, Kolkata. He is a Freelancer and regular contributor of The Eastern Chronicle, The Statesman, guest columnist of The Assam Tribune and few other national newspapers and journals. He is an Editor of few International Journals and a poet as well.  

Ananya – a bittersweet journey by Shilpa Gupta/ Rupa Publications

Reviews, Vol. I, Issue III

Why do we read/write fiction?

The purpose of fiction has always been to entertain, but entertainment is not the only motive in totality. It carries much greater responsibility of enveloping and dealing with the aspects of social, cultural, personal, and impersonal narratives including numerous facts and several facets of lives we live in.

Rupa Publications’ Ananya – a bittersweet journey written by Shilpa Gupta is such a work of fiction, which deals with one of the most sensitive and complicated phase of a complete generation, (the teenagers) – who are usually caught between the webs of their demanding career as well as the dilemmas and surges of their age, growing up in today’s troubled times and society, wherein people keep nagging around the ubiquitous nets of modernity and most often ‘mistaken modernity’. It also raises a tremendous question towards the attitude which is carried on by the parents of recent times, those who keep busy in making their career and money; however, in the meantime, they lose their children.

The novel essentially focusses on a young and talented girl – Ananya Sharma, whose aspirations are bigger than any other regular teenage-girl-next-door. Being a regular topper of her class, she enjoys competing with boys, rather than getting with them into the romantic spheres.

Instead of her passion towards math and science, and complete focus on cracking the IIT entrance exams, she could not run away from her growing age, of course. Ananya’s best friend Mohini’s handsome and charming brother Rohit enters as the distraction in her life and she witnesses the streaming change within herself, later claiming to be in love.

I found myself thinking about Rohit often. I would catch myself daydreaming and with some effort force my thoughts back to my studies. I wanted to ace my exams and make Papa proud. I admired him so much and so desperately wanted to be an engineer like him. I wanted to be a civil engineer so that I could build bridges, roads, and huge buildings. I always envisioned myself with a helmet, on a construction site, looking very important and commanding my team on various operations.

But what she receives by the other end is not trust and affection, rather the dosage of longing and betrayal. She is left pregnant at the tender age of seventeen to face the atrocious world.  

‘Rohit, you have put me in the most impossible situation and instead of standing by me, you are washing your hands off this. I just don’t know what to do, please understand that I cannot ask anyone else for help. This is not America. My life is totally messed up – I feel like there is no point in living anymore!’

People start looking down at same the girl, who once used to be looked upon as a pride. She suddenly discovers herself on the wrong side of the world, which may not allow her comeback towards the normal life. She further witnesses the fault lines in her parents’ relationship as well, which threatens her from within.

But the story is not all about the pains. After falling many times in order to make a return and purpose to her life, she goes through many difficult phases, all alone, from inside. She keeps failing. But with the support of her family and friends, Ananya fights back with greater strength this time in order to stroll back to her life, finding new reasons to live, after discovering the larger than life picture of humanity.

This novel deals with an incredibly striking and candid representation of the changing world of a teenager’s life. Mainak Dhar, bestselling author of the Alice in Deadline series quotes about this book quite effectively, saying – “Through Ananaya’s story, we get not only the story of self-discovery and triumph of a young girl, but also the hypocrisy and prejudices of modern Indian society when it comes to women.”

About the Author-

A chemical engineer from IIT Roorkee, Shilpa Gupta holds a postgraduate degree in management from IIM Ahmedabad. While she has many published financial research papers to her credit, Ananya marks her debut into the world of fiction.  

Reviewed by Varsha Singh

Cracking the Code – My Journey to Bollywood by Ayushmann Khurrana and Tahira Kashyap/ Rupa Publications

Reviews, Vol. I, Issue III

In a very less span of time, an emerging talent of the Indian Film Industry, Ayushmann Khuranna has made his presence felt quite significantly. He is an actor, singer, television anchor, a son, husband, a father, a good human being and many more things in a single package, including the brand new avatar of a writer as well.

In his recently published book Cracking the Code – My Journey to Bollywood (Rupa Publications) Ayushmann has laid bare the utmost personal account of the struggle he went through in his life, in order to make his presence felt, until he cracked the codes of success in Bollywood. His journey is not yet done; he claims this as just a beginning, which it is, indeed.   

In the very beginning of this book, he declares,

“Do you want to be rich? Do you want to be famous? Do you want to be successful? If the answer is yes, then quit reading the book right away. But if you are a lazy, easily bored or have some time to kill, read on…”

He says it wrong. This book is much more than what the author has said in the very first lines. There is a possibility that the readers may take this book as a manual of becoming or making of a star, which it is, indeed, but there is much more in the bag. This book is firstly and essentially focused about the making of a good human being and later on about a successful star, (which Ayushmann keeps claiming, he is not).

Ayushmann has drafted his amusing journey from the beginning of his early childhood, to his first ‘casual fame’ through channel (V)’s show, Popstars, leading towards his experiences as a Roadie, then his struggle, love and fame with films like Vicky Donor, Bewakoofiyan, Nautanki Sala  until his much awaited upcoming movie, Hawaizada.  

Ayushmann’s struggle is different from the numerous dreamers who go to Mumbai in order to be lost. It is so, because he believes in self-confidence, rather than overconfidence, which eats up dreams and lives as well.   

Karan Johar speculates the essence of this book really well. In his words, this book is “[O]ne of the most personal accounts of how an insider not only managed to get the proverbial foot in the door, but also opened the doors and hearts of an industry that doesn’t usually welcome unknown last names… [A] genuinely compelling read.”

The book may be read in a single sitting, because the experiences, passions, humility and insightfulness of Khurrana keeps you chained.

Book Blurb:

So you love the spotlight and drama of Bollywood, and want to make it your life. But what is the right time to become a professional actor? What sort of hindrances are you likely to face as you make your way through the film and television industry? Where will this road take you? And, most importantly, how do you make it happen?

In Cracking the Code, Ayushmann Khurrana—actor, singer and television personality—tries to answer these questions and outlines a step-by-step guide to making it big in tinsel town, drawing on his personal experiences as a rising star in Bollywood. Supported by anecdotes from his own life—his transition from a reality TV star to a distinctive voice on Big FM; from getting a break in soap operas to becoming the highest-paid host of reality shows on television; from dealing with failed auditions to finally landing the coveted lead role in hit film Vicky Donor; and struggling to juggle his new-found success with his family life—Ayushmann identifies and shares the patterns he has noticed on the road to becoming a successful movie star.

Honest, witty and insightful, Cracking the Code offers a rare insider’s look into the film industry as it stands today, and tries to simplify the process of getting a break in Bollywood. 

Ayushmann Khurrana is an award-winning Indian film actor, singer and television anchor whose debut film, Vicky Donor, was critically acclaimed and a huge commercial success. Tahira Kashyap is a professor of mass communication and journalism in Mumbai and the author of two books. She also writes and directs plays in Chandigarh, her hometown.

Reviewed by Varsha Singh 

Managing Editor | Reviews

Jhumpa Lahiri’s The Lowland/ Random House India

Reviews, Vol. I, Issue III

Winner ~ DSC Prize for South Asian Literature (2014)

The Sixties. The colorful and uncannily dangerous Sixties. Nothing can describe the character of the age so aptly (of course, when decontextualized from its immediate referent) than the famous lines from A Tale of Two Cities: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair…”. The countercultural and revolutionary forces effecting, both ways, fundamental changes in life across the globe also swept over India, especially Calcutta (now Kolkata, generally acknowledged as its cultural capital) in that murky Sixties. Here it came in the form of the Naxalite Movement. In 1967, the insurgent Naxalbari, a remote village in the Darjeeling District, tucked into the foothills of Himalayas, set ablaze the dissent’s voice throughout West Bengal, particularly Calcutta. Its lanes bore witness to those ‘bloody’ days of revolution, to how the city’s intellectual hubs- its universities, colleges – fell under its great sway under the leadership of Charu Majumdar and Kanu Sanyal, and how the revolutionaries attempted a mass mobilization against the local authorities in the hope of a better world and what price ultimately they had to pay in the hands of the repressive state forces for such a dream.

Many literary exponents have turned, from different subject positions, to this potent revolutionary field to capture its various shades. While works like Samaresh Majumdar’s Kaalbela and Neel Mukherjee’s The Lives of Others give an almost full length detail of the Naxalite Movement, Jhumpa Lahiri’s The Lowland does not only project snippets of the fatalistic movement but also telescopes the repercussions the movement had in personal life, highlighting the political imbricating the personal. Of course, Lahiri, here, continues with her favorite themes of diasporic displacement and alienation in lesser degree, but  this extra dimension of the effect of political in the personal sphere is something both new and radical, setting her work apart not only from the works by the two mentioned but also from her previous ones. It is a saga of love, endured and survived even after the physical bond is severed.

The novel begins with an objective but precise detailing of a lowland, spanning a few acres in Tollygunge (a place in south Calcutta), of Tolly Club so as to initiate the reader into the very much personal lives of two Mitra Brothers – Subhash and Udayan – in a small enclave by this lowland. The narrative, sometimes elliptical, complicated, with shifts more than often from present to past and vice versa, introduces the reader with the childhood days of these two brothers, so much different in their susceptibilities but again complimenting each other as if they are ‘mirror images’: “Sitting over the chessboard they were mirror images: one leg bent, the other splayed out, chins propped on their knees”, the narratorial voice comments. While Subhash is more restraint and cautious; Udayan is a daredevil and adventurous. But one is incomplete without the other. We come to know both the brothers move to different colleges, befriending different pupils there (Subhash to Jadavpur University and Udayan to Calcutta University): Udayan gradually drifts towards leftist ideology and is finally hooked to the roaring tide of the Naxalites, Subhas leaves for America to study marine chemistry. This branching out at different directions shows their inherent differences, but, as mentioned already, their mutual understanding and complementing each other dismantle any reading along the line of archetypal sibling rivalry. However, the narrative occasionally offers glimpses of the partition days, crisscrossing the narratives of their growing up in those after partition days. Again, there is reportage of events from both national and international history, leaving the reader be deluded or read it like more of chronicle initially than anything else.

But that it is not meant to be a chronicle of political facts or a political uprising becomes clear as the story takes a sudden twist, much before the book reaches its middle, in Udayan’s death following this boisterous Mitra lad’s involvement in that Leninist-Marxist Naxalite Movement. From now on, it focuses more on the psychological ebb and flow of its character, of showing how this single event is to affect other characters and events henceforth. Shocked at the news of his brother’s death, Subhash returns home to sooth his parents’ heart but only to find himself unwelcomed, and moved by the fear that widowed Gauri, whom his brother married much against the displeasure of his parents, would face a life of hardship, he marries her again to his parents’ objections. The narrative, henceforth, concentrates more austerely on the repercussions of personal choices on the agents themselves and on their near and dear ones too. Udayan’s political choice has cost him his life, left his parents in irretrievable loss and shock they can never overcome, left Gauri alone, bearing their child in her womb. Now this choice of Subhash bears its own kind of fruits. It alienates him further from his parents. And so far his newly-wedded relationship with Gauri is concerned; it ultimately turns out to be the case of a disjointed couple, ever in search of love to dawn upon. Though Gauri agrees to marry him and moves to Rhode Island, she is a girl more at ease with philosophy, finds liberation under the alien sky, stats pursuing higher studies, ultimately moves to California to lead a pure sequestered life in the academia on her own liking.

The second half of the novel – after Gauri gives birth to Bela– becomes more psychologically incisive and poignant. Here Lahiri’s prose is so controlled, brilliantly precise and at the same time emotionally so exhilarating. The issue of parenthood, her relationship with Bela, with her past, with ghostly presence of Udayan’s memory and more importantly, with Subhash, now her lawful husband – all these are explored compellingly enough to provide us with contours of experiences the characters sometimes hold back verbally. The dark secrets in their hearts, though closed to the other characters, are unspooled before the readers through plain, suggestive, easy-to-understand language. The narrative beautifully captures the trajectory where Subhash, not the biological father of Bela, almost occupies the ‘fatherly space’, executing all those duties a father should do, Gauri, the biological mother seems to be detached, gradually drifting away from Bela, from all parental concerns and rather erecting an insulated home in her academic research. Towards the end where Gauri stands isolated from all, her portrayal not only attracts readers’ pity for what she has done, for her and only her choices, Lahiri, through an astute exteriorization of her thoughts, makes sure she has a ground for her actions/decisions. Though sometimes a reader may feel the portrayal of her character is failing, sometimes inadequate, Lahiri, apart from this objection, cuts a fine figure in matters of characterization: the portrayal of Subhash is dealt with sensibly and deftly.

The lowland with the description of which the novel begins remains a constant recurring motif throughout the story. It works as marker of change in a rapidly changing scenario of a city. But not only has that, it, cutting across the barriers of time and space, become a potent symbol, a haunting presence to the characters. Moreover, on stylistic aspect of the novel, it can be said that the beauty of the text lies in its taut structure, restraint but easy-to-follow language, self-assured prose studded with bridled eloquence, and its suspenseful narratival pattern. The psychological aspect adds a special charm to it. The impersonal style of its narrative may sometimes read like a journalistic view but this detached, matter-of-fact nature brings its own kind of elegance, providing an impartial take on and description of the characters and events. Though sometimes narrative may appear a bit stretched, it is absorbing otherwise. Covering almost four generations of a family, Lahiri’s The Lowland, which has won recently the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature (2014), is, as the back cover of the book says, “a tale of two brothers bound by tragedy, a fiercely brilliant woman haunted by her past, a country torn by revolution, and a love that lasts long past death”. And its finely-pitched absorbing narrative showcases one of the best story-tellers with Midas touch.

Reviewed by Soumen Jana, Assistant Professor of English, Subarnarekha Mahavidyalaya, Gopiballavpur and Research Scholar, Department of English, Vidyasagar University, Paschim Medinipur, West Bengal, India

The Mime Order by Samantha Shannon/ Bloomsbury

Reviews, Vol I, Issue III

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Once again gold is touched through the pen of Samantha Shannon. Flamboyant and graceful imagination is portrayed by her second sequel this time more vibrantly and though it is the second script of The Bone Season still it has a rich freshness and undiluted taste for the readers, a true treat of science fiction blended exuberantly with the flavour of fantasy, adventure, blood and glimpses of future era. She has engraved a whole new genre, if not exaggerated as those characters like Paige Mahony and many thrilling ones have that uncanny ability to transport the readers to a new world of suspense and dark secrets which will compel you to want more .

The book posseses a magnetic charm which can bind the readers for a ride very adventurous and never ending excitement. Shannon is successful in bringing so many facets of a brilliant fantasy novel under one title .The readers who loved books like The Da Vinci Code, The ever charming Harry Potter or the books by Sherlock Homes are bound to appreciate the beauty of this novel. If I say in words of a true fan, then the void left by Harry Potter can be filled by Paige Mahony.

In this plot, Paige Mahony has escaped the brutal prison camp. But, now her problems have just started to multiply along with her many of the survivors are missing and Paige is the most wanted person in London now. Scion is now much vigilant and is keeping an eye on the dream-walker. As it advances, the mime lords and mime queens are invited to a rare meeting of the Unnatural Assembly, there vivid and picturesque showcasing of future generation which at one moment seems to be real. Jaxon Hall and his seven seals are all set to take the centre stage. But as it should be there are bitter fault lines throughout the clairvoyant community and the fate of underworld is yet to be decided. Yes it is a bit hazy and complex in parts but that is only a trace and be relaxed it has not broken the rythm. The flawless aroma of dark secrets everywhere and still there are hints to break the shackles of suspense and mystery which fades away as the width of the pages shift to the left.

One prominent thing which Shannon has successfully done is to make you believe that all the tunnels, drones, and the surroundings really exists in the same manner as that of R.K. Narayan’s Malgudi Days though two of them are completely different masterpieces but the intense flavour of making you believe what you read is somehow alike which ultimately makes it an excellent work. It seems so real in some parts that you can actually see yourself in the plot. Through this work she has unfurled her exceptional ability of storytelling which can mesmerize people of all ages and of all times. As you read through the lines you want to read it at once, that’s the beauty it has. There are many reasons to pick this novel, one being to revive the nostalgia of fantasy thrillers and explore more this time. Through this you will be on a journey which I can also assure that you can experience which takes you to a new world which suddenly seems real. A book which is so magnificient that it seems why so late but history repeats itself and I guess it is the next phenomena and is bound to hit the bestsellers gallery. Breaking the monotony and about to create history this time it is none other than this recipe presented by Samantha Shannon in an extraordinary manner. It is really a thing not to be missed and is really a cherishable thing of our times, which is guaranteed to be tasted again and again every time with a new flavour and imagination.

Reviewed by Partho Mishra

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