Malayalam Movie 2018 And The Questions That It Poses

2018 is the Malayalam movie that ended the drought at the Kerala box office. It has achieved great critical reviews and is breaking collection records. I watched it last day, after it ran for almost 3 weeks to packed houses. There were certain sections of society that tried to create controversy out of it. One community accused the movie of failing to do justice to the rescue operations undertaken by them. Supporters of the ruling party allege that the movie doesn't highlight the efforts of the government in a positive way. The director of the movie, Jude, stoked the controversy by claiming that he used a particular actor as the CM so as to deliberately show him as a weak person who struggles to find a way out of the situation. In spite of all these, the common people related to the simple story of the prevailing human spirit, told from the background of suffering that they had firsthand experience of.

Instead of making a docudrama like Virus, which largely had real characters and situations that were documented, 2018 uses the method of the movie Titanic to tell its story. Titanic uses the real incident of the sinking of the biggest ship ever built in human history until then, in its maiden voyage, to tell a fictional story of unrequited romance between two people from different strata of society. The romantic element is used to connect with the imagination of the public so that when the eventual tragedy unfolds, they are more invested in its depiction. Romance provides an added layer to the actual events, even those that don't directly concern the main plot.

Jude Anthany Joseph introduces an array of characters from different social levels and with different ambitions in the first few scenes of the movie, and every one of them has their own crosses to bear. A young man who has eloped from the army and is paranoid of an impending investigation, an upcoming model who is ashamed of his family background of seafaring fishermen, a government officer who has toiled his whole life to build a beautiful home, an IT professional working abroad who is facing divorce proceedings, a truck driver who has fallen for propaganda and hates people from his neighbouring state—all of them are weighed down with identity crises that arise from societal burdens. When the flood happens, invariably all of them find themselves at a crossroads where they have to face their crises and break out of them for the greater good. Thus, 2018 uses simple fictional tales of personal redemption and portrays a much larger picture of a populace facing a deluge and emerging victorious.

But there are certain serious questions that the movie, which champions individual victories, poses to the public. The deluge of 2018 unveiled the inadequacy and serious lack of preparation of our government machinery in tackling such crises of enormous proportions. We saw an MLA begging for help on live television. We saw the inadequate warning systems before the dams were opened and water rushed into the property and houses of unsuspecting citizens at midnight while they were deep asleep. We saw the inability of government departments to coordinate their responses, in spite of most of them doing stellar work themselves. We saw the government depend on the goodwill of fishermen for rescue operations when their own machinery was incapable.

The questions that moviegoers, after watching 2018, should ask our government system are these:

What are the lessons learned from 2018?

What improvement will be there in the responses if, by any chance, another flood hits Kerala in 2023 or 2024?

And most importantly, if another flood hits us, will the burden of rescuing us fall again on the shoulders of poor fishermen?

Book Review: To The Stars And Other Stories by Fyodor Sologub

I have read many Russian writers and generally love Russian literature. The first Russian novel that I read was Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky. Later, I got to read the works of esteemed writers like Tolstoy, Turgenev, Gogol, Chekhov, etc. I am also looking forward to reading the novels of some familiar names like Nabokov and Bulgakov. Till I received the upcoming short story collection To The Stars and Other Stories from Netgalley for an honest review, I had never heard of Fyodor Sologub, who is a celebrated poet and story writer.

Sologub was born into a poor family, and after his father's death, it was his mother who toiled as a houseworker and ensured he got educated. Sologub became a teacher and worked in places far away from popular literary circles. With time, his work started to get noticed, and he collaborated with his wife, Anastasia Chebotarevskaya, who was also a translator. After the Bolshevik revolution, which he didn't favour, he was not able to publish anything in Russia. But he received recognition outside Russia as his works were translated into other languages. The couple applied for emigration, but the application was put on hold. Poverty and uncertainty caused his wife to take her life. Sologub was deeply affected, and he decided not to leave Russia. He spent his remaining days near the place of his wife's death.

To The Stars and Other Stories is a collection of thirteen short stories and a sampling of fairy tales written by Sologub that are translated by Susanne Fusso. Sologub is not a writer who is read widely today, though he was so popular in his time that a collection of his complete works was published twice in his lifetime. Fusso, being a Sologub enthusiast, wants him to reach his deserved audience, and that is the motivation behind this collection.

While reading these stories, I became aware of one thing: Sologub is, first and foremost, an excellent poet. All his short stories have an economy that portrays the most profound and vivid images with the minimum use of words. His stories are realistic in their setting and fantastic in their telling. We get a glimpse of a decaying society that suppresses the creative urges displayed by its members. Though all his stories have common themes and a similar structure, he uses elements from a highly varied cross-section of society, which makes each story a unique experience. It is also important to note that the issues highlighted in them are of universal nature and will find resonance until we depend on a societal structure for our sustenance.

The book opens with the story To The Stars, which is about a kid called Seryozha who cannot bear the behaviour of adults. He associates this with the daytime and craves the presence of nights and stars. He creates a world of stars in his imagination and believes it beckons him. This is a common motif that is present in most of the stories in this collection: a kid or kid-like person who cannot handle reality and aspires for fantasy. This alternate, imaginative life ends in ultimate tragedy. Most of the stories have a pessimistic viewpoint, but Sologub approaches death in a reverential manner. It is as if death is the eventual comfort for a human being suffering to align with a society that doesn't care.

But it's not just doom and gloom that is prevalent in these stories. Most of the stories have a humorous undercurrent, which again adds to their poetic nature. In some stories, like In Captivity, where two boys' search for magic words ends in expletives, and The Two Gotiks, where a boy sees his doppelganger running out of the house at midnight, the humour is overt. There are stories like The Youth Linus and In The Crowd in which humour is used to accentuate the horror and leaves the reader feeling a bit queasy after reading. The White Dog, a story in which an old seamstress decides to transform into a howling dog, embraces the supernatural, which is a rarity in the collection. Another one called Death by Advertising is also a supernatural plot about a man calling his death upon him by answering an advertisement.

The Road To Damascus, a story that he co-wrote with his wife, is a unique story in which the ending is very uplifting. The Kiss of The Unborn Child is also a story that ends with optimism, though it starts with the death of a boy who shot himself. There is another story of a young man who shoots himself. It is about a club of young girls who take turns masquerading as the fiancee of any dead single man. Nina is in anticipation when her turn comes and she has to attend the funeral of a man who shot himself as his fiancee. This is my favourite of the whole collection. Stories titled Beauty and The Sixty-Seventh Day are unabashed celebrations of the human body. The former ends in despair, while the latter, against which a pornography charge was applied and the publisher prosecuted, has a very hopeful ending.

The Lady In Shackles is a story about a widow who invites men to torture her every year at the exact time that her abusive husband died. It has an interesting psychological angle that is unearthed in its final sentence. Finally, we find a collection of fairy tales and parables that stands on the fine line that separates poetry from prose. Each of them is a very minimalist exercise that conveys a lot more to the thinking mind than it appears.

To The Stars And Other Stories by Fyodor Sologub is a collection of unique stories that blend reality and fantasy, poetry and prose, despair and hope. These stories share the pain experienced by a silent demography that struggles to keep up with the dictates of an unsympathetic society, fails to assimilate, and attempts to build a new reality for themselves.

Book Review: The Sorcery Of The Senses By Tanima Das

A divorced man stumbles on a family heirloom when he visits his deceased parents' house. It opens a portal through which he is able to converse with the five senses. They make him see his previous lives, where he, as the chosen one, spectacularly failed in spite of possessing amazing powers. In this life, he is an overall failure and doesn't have any superpowers. The Senses believe that this may help him take on the evil versions of the five senses, who are out to make the universe a hell.

After re-reading the above synopsis, I realised that if this novel was written as a comedy, reading it would have been great fun. But this is not a comedy, and I didn't have much fun reading it. The Sorcery Of The Senses is the debut novel of Tanima Das. It is a fantasy novel that checks every box on the fantasy story checklist. The plot has magical elements and characters with special powers doing interesting feats. The world-building in the novel is not bad. There are three distinct worlds described in the story, and the writing is immersive enough to transport you there. Characterization is excellent, with all the major characters getting a good story arc and making the reader empathise with them even when they end up doing foolish deeds, which is almost every time.

Every fantasy needs an intricate quest for the protagonist to undergo and a formidable nemesis who severely impairs his progress. The novel lacks on these two accounts. This is the first part of a series of books. Though there is definitely a quest, it just begins at the end of this book. Also, we never get a good look at the antagonists, though they are mentioned briefly. These turn out to be the handicaps of the book, and owing to them, the book ends without a hook—something that can compel the reader to grab its sequel when it is released.

The protagonist, Dhruv, doesn't feature much, as most of the story told in this book deals with his two previous lives. But the character, with all his flaws, manages to make an impact. I really loved the realistic way in which his marital issues are depicted. His ex-wife also turns out to be a very sympathetic character, though I guess the author may surprise me in the sequel. The three senses that make their appearances in this volume unfortunately turn out to be damb squibs. Their relevance in the plot is reduced to providing exposition. The characters of the two past lives of the hero are far more interesting, especially the story of the blind princess. The first one had an issue with everyone making really bad decisions, but still, the characters were colourful and interesting.

There are no gimmicks employed in the narration, as the author decided to plainly report the story. But the simple narration turned out to be impactful, especially when magical elements were described. Ghriz moving into the poison forest and Mong curing the illness of the king are two very interesting segments that benefitted most from the plain-sailing narration.

The Sorcery Of The Senses by Tanima Das is the first part of a fantasy series that doesn't make the reader crave its sequel. It is well narrated and inhabited by good characters, though it lacks a hook for the reader in its climax. I do feel that the author missed the chance to make something crazy with material that had the potential for an over-the-top plot. Still, it is a pretty good debut, and fantasy lovers will not complain after reading it.

Sisu: The Finnish John Wick

Sisu is a Finnish action movie that was internationally released recently. It is directed by Jalmari Helander, whose previous movie is Big Game, which is a decent Finnish adventure movie starring Samuel Jackson. I was underwhelmed after watching it years ago, believing it to be a Hollywood production. When I later came to know that it is Finnish, its ranking in my mind went up by several positions. I realised that Sisu is directed by the same guy while the end titles played. Then I also found out that the actor who played the main character of Big Game, Onni Tommila, has a role in this one, and the hero of Sisu is Joma Tommila, who is his father.

It's 1944, and the Germans are taking a beating in World War II. In Finland, Nazis are advancing and scorching every Finnish settlement on their way. Not interested in war, an old man is digging for gold in the wilderness. When he unearths a gold deposit, he collects the nuggets in a bag and leaves for the nearest town. On the way, he encounters a Nazi platoon, and when they find out about the gold, they try to confiscate it. He retaliates by taking lives in pretty ingenious ways. Germans realise that he is the legendary ex-commando Aatami Korpi, also known as the immortal, who has a reputation for refusing to die. Soon they will see a practical display of that reputation.

The pattern of Sisu is the exact same one that some of the best action movies have developed well before: a lone man getting pissed off and taking on a formidable group of adversaries. From First Blood to John Wick, there are many movies where a bunch of bullies try to pick on an innocuous person only to realise that they tried to bite off a lot more than they were able to chew. Sisu contains all the familiar action movie tropes of its predecessors and is basically a by-the-numbers action movie. It's basically a one-line plot, which is elaborated into an hour and a half-long display of machismo, something that was rampant in Hollywood movies decades ago but not that common to find these days.

Sisu employs a threadbare style of moviemaking that is very efficient and effective in telling its story. Conversations are sparse, character development is nonexistent, and the plot is very simple. But all these are compensated for by stylish action set pieces, sharp thrills, and a retro-exploitation vibe. The movie contains many scenes of graphic violence that are expertly placed for maximum impact. My favourite is a scene in which the protagonist saves himself when hanged on a noose by hooking his wound on a protruding iron bar.

The movie defines its characters very strongly through a simple act or a piece of dialogue. The Nazi villain is not just a maniac, and he needs gold to bargain for his freedom after they lose the war. This motivation, expressed in terse dialogue, makes a good impact on the plot without diluting his villainy. Similarly, a captive lady gives a sign of her strength of will when she volunteers to comb a mine field. The mysterious past of the protagonist is also conveyed by snippets of information reaching us from many sources. Thus, the movie manages to convey more with very little exposition.

Sisu is a run-of-the-mill action movie that is very minimalist but still manages to display a personality that many of the CGI-heavy, assembly-line behemoths of Hollywood lack. For an action aficionado, Sisu will definitely be a breath of fresh air by reminding them of the simple days when Bruce Willis or Stallone managed to punch their way out of situations.

Book Review: Fate Eclipsed by Deepak Kaul

The Mahabharata is an epic that has inspired the creativity of artists for generations. Writers, painters, sculptors, and moviemakers have used the epic for inspiration. Innumerous masterpieces are born in the shade of the massive banyan tree that is the Mahabharata. There are several interpretations, elucidations, and analyses of events and characters available. It's safe to say that the Mahabharata is a treasure trove for all.

One character of the Mahabharata who has awakened the fascination of artists all over India is Karna, the first son of Kunti, the mother of five Pandava brothers. His father was Surya, the sun. When Kunti abandons him, a chariot driver and his wife adopt him. The transformation from Kaunteya to Radheya and from Surya Putra to Suta Putra defines the character of Karna in the Mahabharata. He was supposed to be numero uno, but fate quashed his destiny. His ambition to become the world's best warrior was scoffed at, and his talents were not taken seriously. Karna is a complex psychological figure who will any day stand tall before even the best of Shakespeare's tragic heroes.

Karna is a character about whom numerous novels, plays, poems, and movies are made. From Shivaji Savant's Mrityunjay on, there are many novels that explore different aspects of the warrior. Karnabharam is a Sanskrit play by Bhasa, in which Karna is the protagonist. Rasmirathi by Ramdhari Singh Dinkar is a long poem that is also about the life of Karna. The first book that I read is a classic in Malayalam with the title Ini Njan Urangatte (And Now Let Me Sleep), written by P. K. Balakrishnan. Dana Veera Soora Karna, a Telugu movie starring the legend NTR, and Kalyug, a Hindi movie by Shyam Benegal in which Shashi Kapoor does a fabulous modern-day version of Karna, are some examples from the silver screen that I have watched. Mani Rathnam's Thalapathy and Prakash Jha's Rajneeti have Rajni Kanth and Ajai Devgn playing characters inspired by Karna.

Entering this already oversaturated list is a short novel or novelette titled Fate Eclipsed, penned by Deepak Kaul. From his Goodreads profile, I could gather that he has written 25 books, including at least one that is a retelling of the Mahabharata. To be honest, my first reaction when I started reading Fate Eclipsed was relief because it was pretty short and I wasn't sure if another retelling of Karna that could be fairly interesting was even possible.

The title Fate Eclipsed is perfect for a story about the tragedy of Karna. Being the son of Surya, his death can be equated to an eclipse. In the book, Karna feels that he receives his strength from being exposed to the sun. When all the other warriors get tired of the furious rays, it seems Karna gets more ferocious. Even though Karna is forewarned of his end many times, he never recognises these signals. It is only when he finds the sun eclipsed that he realises it is his end. The title very cleverly alludes to the tragic fate of this brave warrior.

The story is told in four chapters. It begins with the return of the Kauravas to Hastinapur after the insult to Draupadi by Duryodhana. This is the beginning of the descent for Karna, as he becomes weak in front of his loyalty to Duryodhana. After that, each chapter goes one step further towards the final tragedy. The narration mostly happens from Karna's point of view, with certain inputs from his wife Uruvi as well. The writer wisely forgoes the descriptive mode and focuses on being inside the mind of his protagonist. We get a glimpse of his emotions at work, his feelings towards others, his ego, and his beliefs.

The writer uses a language that is quite simple and sufficient to mirror some of the basic emotions of his protagonist, culminating in his eventual downfall. I feel the book is written in a teen-friendly way. So you can see Uruvi wishing for a nice vacation after the end of the war and some characters using modern expletives while angry. To the writer's credit, it never descends into becoming unintentionally funny. He is somehow able to sustain the emotional arc of the story intact.

Fate Eclipsed is a short novel that is inspired by the Mahabharata. It offers an interesting, though not very deep or illuminating, insight into the mind of one of the most influential characters in the epic. I found it an entertaining and quick read, and I hope the author can come up with a longer book that unearths and explores a different facet of the Mahabharata.

 

Karnataka Politics And The Aftermath Of The Great Battle For Being CM...

Three days ago, I posted about Karnataka politics and some crucial matters that affect the CM selection, which prolonged for some days much to the embarrassment of all the stakeholders. Today, finally, there is a decision. The Congress high command has decided that Siddaramaiah will be the CM and D. K. Shivakumar will be deputy CM for 2.5 years. While this agreement looks conveniently amicable for all parties, what exactly are the gains and losses for each party involved?

For the high command of the Congress party, the arrangement must have come as a huge relief, as it was very difficult to tame D. K. Shivakumar due to the reasons that I described in my last post. Congress is in a fix financially as far as the parliamentary elections scheduled for 2024 are concerned. The states like Rajasthan, Jharkhand, and Himachal, which are in their hands, are not that rich to cover the financials. On top of that, three more state elections—in Rajasthan, Jharkhand, and Madhya Pradesh—will happen within this year. So Congress wanted a rich state in its hand to cover the exorbitant cost of contesting in these states as well as all around India for the Loksabha, which it got after winning Karnataka.

Another important factor that Congress expects is the countrywide rise in the morale of Congress leaders and workers after a resounding victory in Karnataka. The delay in finding a CM was impacting that severely. But by selecting Siddaramaiah, it feels that a new energy and trust in its central leadership will pulsate all over the country. For example, in Kerala, the BJP was making inroads into the Christian vote base due to the perception that LDF is pro-Muslim and Congress is getting weaker by the day. But a decisive victory in the neighbourhood will cause many traditional Christian Congress voters who are thinking of an alternative to reconsider siding with Congress again. Congress will definitely feel that such a factor will work in their favour nationally.

On the negative side, we have to consider that wherever Congress has opted to divide the CM's tenure between two leaders of the state, the results have been disastrous. Karnataka and Rajasthan are prime examples. In other states too, where it ruled with regional party support, the lust for the CM post caused disastrous effects. Only time will tell how this arrangement will turn out. Another issue for Congress will be its turning a blind eye to the demands of several religious factions for the CM and Deputy CM posts. They will turn out to be a major irritant because they believe themselves to be the architects of electoral victory. But for now, Congress will be focusing on mining Karnataka for financial support to get through the elections that have to happen this year and next and not on the brewing threat of turmoil.

In the case of D K Shivakumar, who may be feeling that he is on the verge of a political harakiri, it remains to be seen how much strength he can pull off being a deputy CM. If he is able to manage and wrestle out a home minister portfolio, along with his state Congress President post, he may be able to float some clout to survive a CBI investigation. Otherwise, he needs to play every strategy in and out of the rule book to outsmart advances from three sides: Siddaramaiah, investigating agencies, and Amit Shah, who finds immense pleasure in poaching an adversary and forming a government in a hostile state. For DK, the last option may even turn out to be a lifesaver and a way to come back to the adversaries of his own party. But I believe the smart choice is to stay with the party and try to lead the way to an outstanding win again in 2024 for Congress. This will be difficult with all the pressure from all sides, but achieving this will ensure an astronomical political stock, which will be the best bargaining chip inside and outside the party, something that D. K. Shivakumar badly needs today.

Siddaramaiah is the man of the hour after winning the CM war. But for him also, there will definitely be tough times ahead. He will have any space only if he can also have his home ministry portfolio with him. Otherwise, he will be relegated to the sidelines, with DK occupying the post of State President and being Home Minister. But he can ensure that DK is out of his way simply by complying with the investigations against him. No one can fault him for that. If he gets home ministry also, there is no stopping him in Karnataka for the time being. If not, he can expect Amit Shah to eye a reentry to Karnataka through him. But the wisest option will be not to try and topple the equilibrium until the culmination of the 2024 general elections. Based on election results, he can look for the best option moving forward.

The BJP turned out to be the main loser in the election because of its unexpected defeat. It lost too many seats, nullifying any chance for a last-minute manoeuvre like it did many times before in several places. Along with losing power in a state that is an economic and cultural stronghold, it gave a chance for its opponents—literally all non-BJP parties—to believe and propagate the notion that the BJP is losing its hold. It has also given teeth to its main opponent, Congress, by claiming that it is the main opposition to the BJP at the national level, thereby reducing the superiority of various regional parties that are also opposed to the BJP.

The best option for the BJP is to closely monitor the chink in the Congress armor—infighting—and pounce on the right opportunity. It has ample chances of using the CBI to scare Shivakumar into switching sides. It can also use DK's insecurities to lure him. I am sure the BJP will also try to win over Siddaramaiah if there is any chance of disappointment. But I believe instead of attempting these acrobatics, the BJP has the best chance to purge all the muck collected within it, which is in fact primarily responsible for the debacle due to corrupted governance that alienated the common people of Karnataka. They can sit in opposition and use the opportunity to earn back goodwill through constructive interference in governance.

There is a fifth party that is the biggest loser after the entire event unfolds: JDS. They were believed to become kingmakers. But the public made sure that JDS politicians sat at their homes, licking their wounds. Still, they have a chance. They have to observe the moves of the BJP. If the BJP chooses to poach someone from the Congress, they cannot form a government due to their abysmal seat level. They need support from JDS for that. That remains the only chance for them to get themselves back into the limelight.

Politics is more entertaining than a Netflix series. It is a cesspool of opportunism, but it is still entertaining. The future of Karnataka politics, at least for the next 5 years, looks to be more thrilling than GOT and more hilarious than TBBT. Let's wait and watch the fun.

The BJP just threw a spanner into the Congress gears, and no one is talking about it.

State elections in Karnataka are over, and Congress has registered a comfortable win. But as usual, two of its most important state leaders have already started a power war for the Chief Minister post. A tried-and-tested solution is to share the CM post with the agreement that one person will be CM for some time and the next for the remainder. Siddaramaiah, the senior leader, has agreed to a two-year term out of five for himself if he gets the first chance. This seems to be a very mature solution, and at first glance, it appears that Siddaramaiah is ready for a ceasefire. But D. K. Shivakumar is not agreeing to this very amicable solution. He wants the CM post for himself.

What might be the reason for this stubbornness? The answer lies in the spanner that the BJP threw into the gears of the Karnataka Congress when they suddenly appointed present Karnataka DGP Praveen Sood as the CBI director. Praveen Sood is the policeman who is accused by D K Shivakumar of being a BJP stooge who registers cases only against Congress workers and turns a blind eye when any BJP workers are in trouble. Shivakumar has openly stated that once Congress comes to power, he will make sure that Sood is terminated from service and arrested. When PM Modi selected Sood as CBI director, it may appear that he was just protecting Sood from the ire of the ruling party.

But that's just the tip of the iceberg. The appointment of Sood is a plan to widen the rift within the Congress party and, if possible, arm-twist some of them to jump on the BJP bandwagon. I believe Siddaramaiah already started playing the BJP script unknowingly when he proposed the two-year CM plan. If Siddaramaiah gets to become CM, Shivakumar has every chance to end up on the gallows because there are already CBI cases against him, and Praveen Sood, who already has an axe to grind, will do everything in his power to make sure he is implicated.

It is only logical that Siddaramaiah will be happy to move Shivakumar out of his way and get to be CM for the full term. So Shivakumar realises that unless he gets to be the next CM, he is in trouble. As CM, if you are prosecuted by the CBI, there will definitely be some support from the party and workers. But if there is no power, no one is going to bother about his fate. Even High Command may feel that it is for good that he is out of the picture. One headache less for them. That is why he is fighting tooth and nail to get the CM post.

An option for the BJP if Siddaramaiah gets to become CM is that it can lure Shivakumar with promises to drop CBI cases if he joins them along with some MLAs loyal to him. In that case, the BJP will surely get JDS support too, because JDS is the real loser in this election. They were believed to be kingmakers. But now there is no value for them in Karnataka politics. In that case, with JDS and Shivakumar's support, the BJP may find it possible to eke out a majority and form a government like they did in Maharashtra.

What if Shivakumar gets to become CM? He will be plagued by CBI inquiries instigated by the BJP. Siddaramaiah may do everything to make governance hell for Shivakumar. I don't think Siddaramaiah may jump ship because there is a high chance that he may get the CM post very soon. Interesting developments are unfolding in Karnataka. Let's see how it finally ends up.

Book Review: Evoked- The Lavasa Incident by Mansi Babbar

Twin sisters who are as different as chalk and cheese live in the idyllic town of Lavasa, one of them outgoing and the other a loner who refuses to fit in. When one of them dies, it triggers a series of mysterious deaths that rattle the quaint town. Only Inspector Mohite suspects that there is a connection between all the deaths, and if he isn't able to connect the dots soon, more dead bodies will pile up.

Evoked: The Lavasa Incident by Mansi Babbar is a book that is part of the series Ravi Subramanian Presents, published by Harper Collins India. I have reviewed two crime novels, The Bankster and God is a Gamer, by Ravi Subramanian before. While reading them, I felt that English crime writing in India was ready to take a huge leap, thanks to such efforts. But that leap never came, probably due to a deluge of extremely well-written novels on Indian mythology that conquered the market and readers' attention.

Years later, I am happy to see that Ravi Subramanian has not discarded his efforts and is trying twice as hard to bring crime fiction back to the forefront. In this initiative called Ravi Subramanian Presents, I believe he is mentoring talented writers to produce crime fiction that does what it is supposed to do: thrill. In his own words, he is aiming for thrillers on steroids, which Mansi Babbar has delivered with this no-frills, all-thrills story that chugs on like a bullet train from start to end.

There is an intention behind every book, movie, or work of art. Any evaluation of that work should be primarily based on how well it has met its intended purpose. If that is met, we can conclude that the attempt has worked well. The intention of this book is to give its reader the pleasure of reading a fast-paced plot packed with action and intrigue on every page. Evoked passes that test with flying colours. It makes good on Ravi Subramanian's promise and then does some more.

The plot is relentlessly quick in its progression. Its ending is satisfactory and then leaves the possibility to explore more of the book's strongest points in a sequel. The narration is thrilling, trimmed, and refuses to beat around the bush. The format of the book doesn't give much scope for plot development or characterization. The weakest part of the book is the first few pages that are devoted to these two formalities. Once the action kicks in, reading goes into auto-mode until the climax.

But the cherry on top of the reading experience of Evoked is the psychological manipulation done by its antagonist. I am not revealing more as it may lead to spoilers. That character takes the entire plot on its shoulders. In a thriller that relies on action alone, it is a brave effort to use such a narrative device without compromising the pacing of the plot. The writer has to be appreciated for having the conviction to follow this path.

A reader who is on a journey—a train ride or a flight—or has a lazy evening ahead can pick up Evoked by Manasi Babbar and have a great time.

I thank the Writersmelon team and the publisher for the review copy.

Book Review: Mr Stoker And The Vampires Of Lyceum by Mathew Gibson

A woman is attacked at the renowned Lyceum Theatre while legendary actor Henry Irving and his leading lady Ellen Terry rehearse for their masterpiece play. When more suspected vampire activities follow, the theatre's acting manager and upcoming author Bram Stoker have to step in. Stoker strives to connect the dots in a gothic London, while in the background, the Whitechapel murderer preys on unsuspecting women and secret societies thrive by attracting youngsters using dark and disturbing rituals. He senses that Irving, his boss and the owner of Lyceum, is somehow connected to these incidents when an undead Prussian baron makes his entry to exact revenge.

There are many books and movies (factual and fictional) that deal with the subject of how a famous author or an artist created a masterpiece. My own favourite is the movie Final Portrait, directed by Stanley Tucci, about how Alberto Giacometti made the painting The Portrait of James Lord (I have written about it). Mr. Stoker and the Vampires of Lyceum is a fictional account of some incidents in Bram Stoker's life that ended up with him writing his tour de force, Dracula. Matthew Gibson is a scholar of Bram Stoker, Gothic, and vampirism. He has written many books on Dracula, and this is his first work of fiction.

Most of the characters in this book are real and renowned personalities who have excelled in their domains. The author has created a fictional version of them and has tried to compose a chilling gothic horror novel. All those characters are successful in creating an impact on the reader because the author, with his extensive knowledge of the historical personalities and their living situations, portrays deeply nuanced sketches of them in the novel. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the characters who are not part of history. The character arcs of such characters made me deeply dissatisfied, all the more because they are the major antagonists, and this deficiency seriously impairs the emotional quotient of the plot.

The best character portrayal in the novel is undoubtedly that of Bram Stoker. The author has poured out all his admiration for Stoker and has produced a very likeable and complex person who is forced to keep up his appearances for the sake of the theatre in spite of his poor economic situation. His wife would like him to ditch theatre and pursue the career of a barrister, causing deep rifts in their relationship. His relationships with his boss, Irving, and his subordinates make the novel more interesting and colourful.

Along with his splendid portrayal of historical personalities, the author sketches great scenes of historic places too. He renders a moody and dark London suffering from political unrest, religious excesses, and scenes of disturbing violence. Also, we can see the detailed illustration of the barren and seemingly evil landscape of Danzig. The atmosphere of constant threats and tension adds to the enjoyment of reading this book.

As these are supposed to be the experiences that inspired Stoker to eventually pen Dracula, it is to be expected that the story mirrors the classic to some extent. There are instances where this association burdens the plot to a small extent. Though some interesting plot twists eventually save the book, sometimes I feel like closing it down and taking up Dracula to read further. But for the most part, Mr. Stoker and the Vampires of Lyceum is an interesting book, thanks to brilliant characterization, great atmosphere building, and some inventive plot twists.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for sincere feedback.

Book Review: Storythinking by Angus Fletcher

The human brain is often equated with a supercomputer. The common understanding is that it is a logical analytical device that interprets data and provides conclusions based on that. But according to Angus Fletcher, our brains are far more than that. In this short volume, he elaborates on the capacity of our brain to storythink—the capacity for narrative building—which is the basis for human innovation and growth.

Angus Fletcher is a professor of story science and an expert in narrative theory. He uses narrative theory and the technologies of neuroscience to probe the human brains of authors and audiences, finding out the effects of stories on their brains. His conclusion is that stories are not just means of communication, as most of us believe. They are powerful tools for creative action, something that logic-based critical thinking is impossible to achieve. Human brains are able to think narratively as well as logically, and each kind of thinking has a different function from the other. While logical thinking was good for answering how, story thinking made it possible to answer why and what if, which resulted in better planning, adaptability, and innovation.

Philosophers, starting with Aristotle, placed logic as the basis of intellect and degraded narratives and stories as lies. Their quest was for eternal truth, so it was natural for them to find narratives, due to their fleeting nature, not worthy of serious consideration. Angus Fletcher wants this book to do what Aristotle did for logical thinking: explain storythinking and devise methods to practise and perfect the habit of using it. He isn't denying the benefits of logical thought and metaphysics, but he advocates incorporating narrative thinking into the process as well. He also convincingly puts forward the argument that AI can never compete with the human brain on radical innovation because AI, however complex the algorithms it may use, still employs the basic logical method developed by Aristotle in its workings.

The book is an easy read where the writer develops his thoughts on storythinking by using narrative theory. He differentiates very clearly between the more prominent logical thought and storythinking and demonstrates why one is never a replacement for the other. He bases his thoughts on history, biology, sociology, philosophy, and science to clearly illustrate the benefits of storythinking and how it can tremendously contribute to personal and societal growth. I would like to read more about the neuro-experiments performed by the author and how the brains of authors and audiences react to narration.

"Storythinking is contemplating why and what if. It’s conjecturing from causes to effects. It’s envisioning the consequences of different rules for action. It’s mentally modelling hypotheticals, possibles, counterfactuals, and other kinds of things that could happen. It’s using our cerebral machinery to stick original characters into never-before-seen story worlds and speculate on what happens next. It’s natural selection, imaginatively accelerated."

This book was provided by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

ഗുരുസാഗരം: ആധുനികതയ്ക്കൊരു ഒറ്റമൂലി?

വളരെ വർഷങ്ങൾക്കു മുൻപ്, നോബൽ സമ്മാന ജേതാവായ ഒരു വിശ്വ സാഹിത്യകാരന്റെ കൃതി വായിച്ചു കഴിഞ്ഞ ശേഷം, എങ്ങനെയുണ്ട് എന്ന് ചോദിച്ച എൻറെ അമ്മാമനോട് ഞാൻ പറഞ്ഞത്, ഇതുപോലുള്ള പുസ്തകങ്ങൾ എഴുതിയ ആൾക്ക് നോബൽ കൊടുക്കാം എങ്കിൽ നമ്മുടെ ഓ വി വിജയന് ഒക്കെ പണ്ടേ അത് കിട്ടേണ്ടതാണ് എന്നായിരുന്നു. ഒ വി വിജയൻറെ ഖസാക്കിന്റെ ഇതിഹാസം എന്ന അത്ഭുത സൃഷ്ടി വായിച്ചതിന്റെ സ്വാധീനത്തിലാണ് അന്ന് ഞാൻ അത് പറഞ്ഞത്. അതിനു ശേഷം അദ്ദേഹത്തിൻറെ പല നോവലുകളും കഥാസമാഹാരങ്ങളും ലേഖനങ്ങളും മറ്റും വായിച്ചിരുന്നു. അന്ന് പറഞ്ഞതിന് ഒരു കുറവും പിന്നീട് തോന്നിയിട്ടില്ല. 

എന്നാൽ കഴിഞ്ഞ ദിവസം ആദ്യമായി ഗുരുസാഗരം വായിക്കാൻ എടുത്ത് കുറച്ചു പേജുകൾ കഴിഞ്ഞപ്പോൾ, ഞാൻ കരുതിയത് എൻറെ അഭിപ്രായം ഒന്നുകൂടെ വിലയിരുത്തണമെന്നാണ്. കാരണം എനിക്ക് ഗുരുസാഗരം തീരെ പിടി തരുന്നുണ്ടായിരുന്നില്ല. നോവലിസ്റ്റ് എന്താണ് ഉദ്ദേശിക്കുന്നത് എന്ന് മനസ്സിലാകുന്നുണ്ടായിരുന്നില്ല. പക്ഷേ പൂർണ്ണമായ വായനക്ക് ശേഷമാണ് എന്താണ് ഇതിൽ പറയുന്നതെന്നും, എന്തിനാണ് ഇത് രചിച്ചതെന്നും ബോധ്യപ്പെടുന്നത്. ഖസാക്കിന്റെയോ അദ്ദേഹത്തിൻറെ മറ്റു കൃതികളുടെയോ യാതൊരു പിന്തുടർച്ചയുടെയും പങ്കു പറ്റാതെ തീർത്തും സ്വതന്ത്രമായി രചിക്കപ്പെട്ടതാണെന്ന് ഇതിൻറെ രചനാരീതി പരിശോധിച്ചാൽ മനസ്സിലാക്കാം. 

ഭാരതീയ തത്വശാസ്ത്രപ്രകാരം മനുഷ്യൻ ജീവിതകാലം മുഴുവൻ കർമ്മങ്ങൾ ചെയ്തു കൊണ്ടിരിക്കുകയും, ഈ കർമ്മങ്ങളാൽ ഉണ്ടാകുന്ന ബന്ധനത്തിൽ മുങ്ങിക്കിടക്കുകയും ചെയ്യുന്നു. എന്നാൽ കർമ്മ ബന്ധത്തിൽ നിന്നും പുറത്തു കടക്കുകയും ആത്മജ്ഞാനം നേടുകയും ചെയ്യുന്നതോടെ അവൻ പരമ ലക്ഷ്യമായ മോക്ഷ പ്രാപ്തിക്ക് അർഹനായിത്തീരുന്നു. ഒരു മനുഷ്യജീവന് തനതായി മോക്ഷ പ്രാപ്തി ലഭിക്കുക എന്നത് ദുഷ്കരമായതിനാൽ അവനെ അതിനു പ്രാപ്തനാക്കുവാൻ ഗുരുവിൻറെ സഹായം ആവശ്യമാണ്. തൻറെ ശിഷ്യനെ ധർമ്മ പാതയിലേക്ക് നയിക്കുകയും ആത്മബോധം നൽകുകയും ചെയ്യുക എന്നതാണ് ഗുരു ധർമ്മം. മലയാളത്തിൻറെ മഹാസാഹിത്യകാരനായ ഒ വി വിജയൻറെ ഗുരുസാഗരം എന്ന കൃതി വായിച്ചു കഴിഞ്ഞപ്പോൾ ഈയൊരു തത്വചിന്തയുടെ കഥാവിഷ്കാരമാണ് അതിൽ അടങ്ങിയത് എന്നാണ് എനിക്ക് തോന്നിയത്. 

നോവൽ ആരംഭിക്കുന്നത് കുഞ്ഞുണ്ണി തൻറെ ദേശാന്തരവാസം മതിയാക്കി തിരിച്ച് തൂതപ്പുഴയുടെ തീരത്തുള്ള തറവാട്ടിലേക്ക് മടങ്ങുമ്പോഴാണ്. വർഷങ്ങൾക്ക് മുന്നേ തന്റെ ആദ്യ ഗുരുവായ അച്ഛൻ ചൊല്ലിത്തന്ന പാഠങ്ങൾ കേട്ട് വളർന്ന സ്ഥലം. ദില്ലിയിലെ പത്രപ്രവർത്തന ജോലിയും അവിടെ നിന്ന് , പരിചയപ്പെട്ട പല രീതികളും, സ്വഭാവങ്ങളും ഉള്ള മനുഷ്യരും, കുറച്ചു വർഷങ്ങളായി കൽക്കത്തയിൽ പിരിഞ്ഞു താമസിക്കുന്ന ഭാര്യയും മകളും, ഒരു ആശ്രമം നടത്തുന്ന തൻറെ ബാല്യകാല സുഹൃത്തും, എല്ലാവരെയും ഉപേക്ഷിച്ചുള്ള ഒരു മടങ്ങിവരവ്. ഇങ്ങനെ ഒരു തുടക്കം വായിക്കുമ്പോൾ നാം കരുതുക നിരാശനായുള്ള ഒരു മടക്കയാത്രയാണിത് എന്നാണ്. എന്നാൽ കഥ അവസാനിക്കുമ്പോഴാണ് ഇതൊരു ഹതാശന്റെ തിരിച്ചുവരവല്ല, നേരെമറിച്ച് ആത്മബോധം ശ്രദ്ധിച്ച ഒരു യോഗിയുടെ തിരിച്ചുവരവാണ് എന്ന് നാം മനസ്സിലാക്കുക. 

ആരാണ് കുഞ്ഞുണ്ണിയെ ഇതിന് സഹായിച്ച ഗുരു? നോവലിന്റെ പേര് പറയുന്നതുപോലെ കുഞ്ഞുണ്ണിയെ ആത്മബോധത്തിലേക്ക് നയിക്കുന്നത് ഒരു ഗുരുവല്ല ഗുരുക്കളുടെ സാഗരമാണ്. തൻറെ ജീവിതത്തിൽ നല്ലതായാലും ചീത്തയായാലും, സന്തോഷം ആയാലും ദുഃഖം ആയാലും, ഒരു സ്വാധീനം ഉണ്ടാക്കിയവരെല്ലാം തൻറെ ഗുരുക്കന്മാരാണ്. എന്തിന് കടുത്ത സമ്മർദ്ദത്തിൽ തന്നെക്കൊണ്ട് എത്തിക്കുന്ന സന്ദർഭങ്ങൾ, അത് മാനസികമാകട്ടെ, ശാരീരികമാകട്ടെ, തൻറെ ഗുരു തന്നെയാണ് എന്ന തിരിച്ചറിവാണ് ഗുരുസാഗരം നമ്മിൽ ഉണ്ടാക്കുന്നത്. 

യുദ്ധം നോവലിലെ ഒരു പ്രധാന വിഷയമാണ്. കഥ നടക്കുന്നത് ഈസ്റ്റ് പാക്കിസ്ഥാനിൽ ആഭ്യന്തര കലഹം നടക്കുമ്പോഴാണ്. ഇന്ത്യ അതിൽ ഇടപെടുന്നതോടെ കുഞ്ഞുണ്ണിയുടെ ജീവിതവും ഈ യാഥാർത്ഥ്യത്തോട് ബന്ധിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു. കൽക്കത്തയിലേക്ക് യുദ്ധറിപ്പോർട്ടർ ആയി പോകുന്ന കുഞ്ഞുണ്ണി തൻറെ മകളോടും ഭാര്യയോടും വീണ്ടും ഒത്തുചേരാൻ ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നു. എന്നാൽ അത് ഒരിക്കലും സാധ്യമാവില്ല എന്ന തിരിച്ചറിവ് തൻറെ ജീവിതത്തെ മറ്റൊരു കണ്ണിലൂടെ കാണാൻ അയാളെ നിർബന്ധിക്കുന്നു. പ്രാഗിലേക്ക് റഷ്യൻ ടാങ്കുകൾ ഇരച്ചു കയറിയപ്പോൾ അഭയാർത്ഥിയായി മാറിയ ഓൾഗയുടെ അനുഭവം കുഞ്ഞുണ്ണിയുടെ അനുഭവത്തിന്റെ മുന്നോടിയായി വായിക്കാം. 

ഇഹലോക ബന്ധങ്ങളിൽ നിന്നും, ജന്മാന്തരങ്ങളായി സംഭരിച്ചുവെച്ച കർമഫലങ്ങളിൽ നിന്നും രക്ഷപ്പെടുക എന്നത് എളുപ്പമല്ല. ചിലതിനെ നമ്മൾ എടുത്തു കളയുമ്പോൾ മറ്റു ചിലത് നമ്മളിൽ നിന്നും പറിഞ്ഞ് പോകുകയാണ്. ഈ പറിഞ്ഞു പോക്ക് ഏതൊരു പരിത്യാഗിയുടെ ശരീരത്തിനെയും മനസ്സിനെയും മുറിപ്പെടുത്തും. എന്നാൽ ഈ മുറിവുകളിൽ നിന്നുള്ള അതിജീവനമാണ് മോക്ഷപ്രാപ്തിയിലേക്ക് കുഞ്ഞുണ്ണിയെ നയിക്കുന്നത്. തൻറെ അച്ഛൻറെ ശിഷ്യത്വം സ്വീകരിച്ചുകൊണ്ട് തുടങ്ങുന്ന കുഞ്ഞുണ്ണിയുടെ ആത്മസാക്ഷാത്കാരത്തിന് ആയുള്ള യാത്ര ഒടുങ്ങുന്നത് തൻറെ മകളെ ഗുരുവായി സ്വീകരിക്കുന്നതിലൂടെയാണ്. തൂതപ്പുഴയുടെ തീരത്ത് നിന്ന് തുടങ്ങുന്ന യാത്ര സമാപിക്കുന്നത് തൂതപ്പുഴയുടെ തീരത്ത് തന്നെ. 

പാശ്ചാത്യ സാഹിത്യത്തിൽ നിന്ന് ഇറക്കുമതി ചെയ്ത അന്യതാ ബോധവും (alienation) അസ്ഥിത്വ ദുഃഖവും (existential crisis) നമ്മുടെ ആധുനിക സാഹിത്യത്തെയും ബോധ്യങ്ങളെയും ആവരണം ചെയ്തിരുന്ന ഒരു കാലഘട്ടത്തിൽ ഈ പ്രതിസന്ധികളെ തരണം ചെയ്യാൻ ആശ്രയിക്കേണ്ടത് ഭാരതീയ പാരമ്പര്യത്തെ തന്നെയാണ് എന്നതാണോ ഗുരുസാഗരം പറഞ്ഞു വയ്ക്കുന്നത്? ചോദ്യങ്ങളും പ്രശ്നങ്ങളും മാത്രം ഉന്നയിക്കാൻ പഠിച്ച ആധുനികതയ്ക്ക് ഒരു ഒറ്റമൂലി ഇതാണ് എന്നാണ് കഥാകാരൻ പറയുന്നത് എന്നാണ് എൻറെ നിഗമനം. എന്തായാലും ഇനിയും പല എഴുത്തുകാരുടെ പുസ്തകങ്ങൾ വായിച്ചതിനുശേഷവും ഇവരൊന്നും ഒ വി വിജയന് അപ്പുറമല്ല എന്ന് ധൈര്യപൂർവ്വം എനിക്ക് ഉറപ്പായും പറയാം.  

Mani's Own Selvan

I watched PS2 in theatres. It convincingly ties up the story that began in PS1, though differently from the plot of the novel. A good artist also knows the deficiencies of his medium. So Mani Rathnam, who is aware of the mammoth that he has decided to adapt on screen, chose to trim the complex novel and make a straightforward movie. Under the time and budgetary restrictions, this seems to be the best version that could be made. He also chose to add some action and war scenes to appeal to the viewers' appetite for spectacles, all the while respecting logic and gravity. He has also cut short the importance of several characters who are shown in the first part. The movie is very quick in its pacing, though it takes time to breathe during some dramatic scenes.

Aishwarya Rai and Vikram steal the show with some great emotional scenes. All other characters, including Ponniyin Selvan, get one or two scenes to shine, except those few whose roles were totally butchered. But my only sympathy is with Sarath Kumar's character, who has a great arc in the novel that unfortunately wasn't realised in the movie. Each actor, irrespective of screen time, has done a good job, even if it is just showing up and looking good.

The songs in PS2 are not that catchy. After watching PS1, the tunes of Ponni Nadi and Devaralan Attam refused to get out of my head for days. But PS2 lacked in that department. All the songs complement the scenes but don't stand out. Background music heavily uses operatic sounds along with traditional Indian classical and folk tunes. The use of opera imparts a grandiose effect to the high-voltage confrontation scenes.

If you want a good entertainer that is aesthetically pleasing and not over the top, PS2 is satisfactory. If you have an obsession with the book adaptation being done line by line for the movie, it's better to skip it. If made into a series, this could give GOT serious competition with all the intricacies, subplots, and conspiracies, though that is not to be. Mani Rathnam, to his credit, manages not to spoil the legacy of the Cholas, Kalki, and the epic novel Ponniyin Selvan.

Book Review: My Journeys In Economic Theory by Edmund Phelps

I am never that keen to read about economics. I've read certain popular books on the subject, succumbing to their popularity and my FOMO, but generally, when I pick a book, it will never be about economics. I have read a book written by Nobel-winning economist Amartya Sen, but that wasn't on economics. So, when I received the book My Journeys in Economic Theory by Edmund Phelps, who received the Nobel Prize for Economics in 2006, from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review, I was travelling into uncharted seas. 

My Journeys In Economic theory, as the name indicates, is an account by the renowned economist Edmund Phelps that focus on the highpoints (and a few low ones too) of his illustrious career. Though the book starts with the chronicling of his childhood experiences and schooling in Illinois and New York, it is majorly about his contributions to economic theory. The author also recounts his interactions with other fellow economists who have associated with him at various times. There are also many mentions about his love towards music and art, which I believe, became crucial in his reshaping of economic theory by introducing aspects like innovation and dynamism. 

Though he was interested in philosophy, his father suggested him to pursue economics, which he did and found that he really loved the subject. He perceived a gap between macro and micro streams of economics which seemed disconnected at the time. One of his initial interest was to bridge this gap. With this in mind he pursued a rigorous and deep study in economic theory. His paper on the Golden Rule of accumulation suggests an optimum level of national saving that can sustain its steady growth of consumption. He wrote a book at the same period that dealt with public debt and how an excess of it would drive a wedge between wealth and capital. It says that public debt, though it increases the wealth of a nation and increases consumption, contracts capital investment. 

Phelps then worked on the relationship between employment, wage setting and inflation, and introduced several important concepts like the role of expectations and imperfect information in wage setting. He was merging the macroeconomics of inflation and employment to the microeconomic decisions of wage setting and hiring. He also wrote a textbook called Political Economy. Phelps went on to work on how altruism, welfare systems and social justice effects economic performance. He argued that this factor also benefits an economy by making it more efficient. His studies on structural slumps was important in understanding why an economy fails to generate investment and employment due to structural issues like ineffective bureaucracy or lack of research and development which cannot be tackled by introducing fiscal stimulus or by monetary easing. He was awarded Nobel in 2006 for his innovative contributions to the analysis of intertemporal tradeoffs in macroeconomic policy, and for his research on the relationship between employment, inflation, and economic growth.

Till then, Phelps felt that all his work was constructed on foundations built by other economists. His desire to work on an economic theory that may open a new frontier resulted in his research on the effects of innovation on economy. He suggested that structural dynamism of a country triggers innovation and thereby benefitting its economic growth tremendously. Phelps has also studied the factors that influence the level of innovation and entrepreneurship in an economy.

My Journeys In Economic Theory is a very interesting book that is short but packed with information. It offers a very concise view into an illustrious career that offered paradigm shifting observations on every area it dealt on. I feel that someone who has a working knowledge on economy will be benefitted hugely by reading this book. For me, who is just a layman as far as economic theories are concerned, it was a bit tough even though rewarding book. I had to refer many other sources to make many points palatable for me and still I will accept that I haven't comprehended it fully. But I am definitely more wiser on economic theories and more inspired after reading about the life of Edmund Phelps.