Love is always new.....

COCKTAIL : A smiling curosity filled trailer

2012-05-22T07:07:00.001+05:30

After a long time, some trailer left me with a goody-good feeling. Ironical it may sound, but it has become a rarity to see a good romantic Bollywood movie. There are few new ideas when it comes to romantic films - almost every premise has been exploited many times before - but such movies rely on distinctly original treatment to stand out from the crowd and can work only with a crackling chemistry between the leads. COCKTAIL, luckily seems to be having it all.

This in no way to put the movie on the pedestal, things are stereotype and may just be predictable in the screenplay. You have flirtatious Gautam, conservative Meera and extrovert Veronica, though each of them are having fun with co-stars which we haven't seen in a long long time on screen. Co-written by Imtiaz Ali of Jab we met and Rockstar fame, the movie has a fresh, yuppie urban feel to it.

We haven't heard much from the director Homi Adajania after that quirky debut in Being Cyrus but he repeats actors from that movie, namely Saif, Dimple and Boman. Deepika who has a strict aversion to clothing seems to mellow down by the end of the trailer, while the gorgeous debutant Diana Penty looks like a million bucks and someone to look forward to.

13 July may be far, but then good things always take time to come by. At least, one can hope so!

Book Review - 81 : The Engineering Train

2012-05-20T22:34:00.000+05:30

Author: Smruti Mohanty

Publisher: Frog Books

The Engineering Train, writer's debut novel is an allegorical fiction. To put it mildly, that is just a market positioning stunt and an attempt to place yet another 'campus tale' in the guise of a literary gimmick. In fact, it does worse for its readers as it turns out to be neither allegory nor fiction in its entirety. It dangles somewhere in between, interspersing philosophical BS with a random love story in an engineering college in Gunupur.

There is nothing new in showing the good, bad, ugly side of the youth which has been clattered in every second book in the market. Randomly going through each of the routine portions while studying in a college -friends, booze, panga with teachers, placements and love-turned-lust story; it all sounds so familiar. It could have still worked if it concentrated more on the characterization of these college graduates but i guess that is the last thing you should expect from a book which never takes itself serious enough to bother about the basics of writing. As writer claims, 'a simple story of a common man needs to be told in a common language'. That, my friend, is indeed not an easy task.

I am going with 1/5 for Smruti Mohanty's 'The Engineering Train'. It is neither funny nor original. I cannot recall one point which made me think or feel engaged. It is a serious test of your endurance level. Read it if you must.

Book Review - 80 : The Devotion of Suspect X

2012-05-06T22:58:00.002+05:30

Author: Keigo Higashino

Publisher: Hachette India

It is always difficult to review a book which has already sold over 2 million copies in the native country; is based out of a popular detective (Galileo) TV series, led to a Japanese blockbuster who had raked in big-time money, have won numerous film awards and literary prizes along with a Korean film version of the book which is under production. Almost everything has been said before, every plot-point has been deliberated and each character has been chewed multiple times. But, still let's try.

Yasuko and her daughter Misato is living an ordinary existence in a Tokyo suburb. Yasuko works at a bento shop and is sure that she has outrun her blackmailing ex-husband, Togashi. But he turns up one night at their apartment and ends up dead. To the rescue of Yasuko comes a neighbour Ishigami, otherwise a mathematical genius who does a day job of being a school teacher to reluctant boys and a judo teacher in the evening. His devotion to Yasuko appears absolute, and both mother and daughter starts following his instructions in order to evade suspicion of murder when the police start their investigations.

What follows is the thrilling cover-up and dismantling of the crime-of-passion murder. However, unlike most conventional thrillers with a heist at its core, this one’s not a whodunit – it can’t be, because you know all along who’s done it – the question instead is, how are they going to get away with it, if at all? The Devotion of Suspect X also alludes to a chess game, as two masterminds, novice criminal and unofficial detective, engage in a cold fight to the finish line.

The book’s biggest accomplishment is the manner in which it compels you, the viewer to think differently – midway through the book you’ve got the drift, you begin to expect the unexpected, you even begin to predict what’s going to happen next. That’s the level of involvement you’re able to muster up for this book. You seriously feel for each of the characters, not just the victims but the investigators; each of them trying to out think each other, trying to gain brownie points each time they interact. The dialogues are precise and things get hot up when all of them literally starts punching and plummeting each other with verbal antics.

If there is a problem with the book, it is his length which stays well over 350 odd pages. For a taut thriller, that is around 50 pages too long and overstays for just that long to make you feel uneasy and things start to get monotonous. The portions where Ishigami and his school friend Yukawa from college starts getting into solving mathematical problems and arguments are over written and have a laboured feel to them.

I am going with 4/5 for Keigo Higashino's 'The devotion of Suspect X'. Do anything, but suspect the quality of the book. It is a thriller waiting to be read, right there. It is one of the most intelligent books you will read in a long time. Go and grab it, NOW!

This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at BlogAdda.com. Participate now to get free books!

Book Review - 79 : In the name of Luuuv

2012-04-29T00:21:00.000+05:30

Author: Chandra Mehendrou

Publisher: Tinkan Publication

In the name of Luuuv is a terrible, cliche title for a book that is actually not so bad. A collection of 5 short stories set over various age groups and diverse time periods is a sincere attempt to find THAT elusive true love. Inherently Dil-to-pagal-hain in its theme, it has flavours for all kind of questions in love but thankfully it never makes the mistake of turning into sentimental or sappy book.

The stories aren't particularly imaginative or inventive, but the book moves briskly and has a consistent tone. The book works even when the author hammers the point of today' youth being obsessed with jumping from one relationship to another, and far away from indulging in some serious emotional BS. Much of that negativity is complemented by strong central characters which have a mind of their own and even though they have seen worse of times being in relationship, they believe in themselves and follow their instincts.

Thoughts of Maya is told from the perspective of an old man and his incomplete love story. Think of Love-Aaj-Kal's Rishi Kapoor with a women by her side to pour in the details of a period romance. True Love at first Click is the longest story in the book about two people who meet through Facebook and marry, only to let the woman realize the disastrous repercussions of an hasty act. Together Forever has an inherent sincerity attached towards it which is irresistibly captivating. It brings home the point that everyone leaves eventually, be it through death or choice or distance. The sooner you accept the fact, the happier you will be in life. Tale of Love and Deceit set in a time period of raja-maharaja shows how emotions of love remain the same, though the parameters around it changes with time and become more complex. Till I can Create Love is a roller-coaster ride about the eccentricities of love at your work place and how complex it can make life.

The only let down is the mixture of fiction and non-fiction portions which take away a seamless feel from the narrative. However, if you are looking for a quick chi-lit break, this is a perfect set-up. Almost all the stories maintain a brisk pace and all the character recover from heartbreak and betrayal without too much of a fuss. I am going with 3/5 for Chandra Mehendrou's 'In the name of Luuv'. Like the demographic it represents and targets, the book makes for good company, and isn't meant to be analyzed too seriously. An enjoyable one-time read.

Before Sunrise, Before Sunset

2012-04-23T21:36:00.000+05:30

[The following article first appeared in my weekly column for Scribido Magazine dated 23 April, 2012]

I kind of see this all love as this, escape for two people who don't know how to be alone. People always talk about how love is this totally unselfish, giving thing, but if you think about it, there's nothing more selfish. - Jesse, Before Sunrise

The above quote defines the brimming romance between the lead pair of Ethan Hawke and Julie Deply. Before Sunrise (1995 and its sequel, Before Sunset (2004) are the kind of love stories that just goes with the flow, unhindered, uninhibited. It also defies logic why such a film would work in the first place. Long shots taken, just two people conversing all the time, moving in narrow spaces across the city. It is nothing but surreal. But at the same time over the course of both the movies, there is an unearthed magnetism that you as an audience ultimately surrender.

Before Sunrise revolving around the theme of self-discovery through another person hits all the right notes in the right way. But that route is not easy. It questions all the romantic delusions we have been bestowed on for ages, it questions the romantic clues thrown via popular cultural media references and most importantly, it questions our existence in this fragmentary, selfish world. In a world where relationships are slowly becoming transient, filled with confusion and anticipation.. the world of Celine and Jesse provides hope and happiness of that one special person.

Before Sunset unfolds at a languid pace between the lead couple who has a decade of loneliness to share with each other. It possesses that rare, strange hybrid of incandescent emotions and real life messiness; interspersed with sublime yet grounded dialogues. It brings about a gamut of buried emotions within them - parenthood, sexually void marriage and a series of failed relationships. Every inch of them registers the weight of the moment - acute, honest and emotionally naked. Both of them wear their heart on their sleeves and an aesthetic achievement keeps the fun going. . It is engaging, yet so heartbreaking at times. It makes you root for the characters, yet you can't help seeing the irony in their words and actions. Both of them are older and (apparently) wiser and the wide disregard to the usual cliches in the screenplay makes their conversations just so damn fascinating.

It is the most unabashedly romantic slice of life one would ever see in cinema. If you feel low, if you feel high, if you feel love, if you feel romance; It is not at all a bad idea to revisit both of these movies. It just feels magical once again. All over again.

The 'Wall' Conversations...

2012-04-22T20:52:00.001+05:30

She: I miss you.
He: Thanks, much appreciated.
She: Oh hello, i am not your client.
He: Really, i thought so.
She: How rude is that?
He: Tit for Tat
She: What did i do?
He: You did not 'like' my last status.
She: Big deal?
He: It was for you.
She: I see.
He: You better see.
She: OK, chill
He: Ya right, what difference it makes to you?
She: Oh ho, i was just lazy.
He: Lazy enough not to 'like' my message.
She: Hmm..
He: Disgusting.
She: Why are you making such a big deal of it?
He: Am i ?
She: I did not said anything when 3 days ago you did not commented on my SM.
He: So is this some kind of revenge?
She: Noooo....
He: Then what the fuck is this?
She: I said, i was just lazy.
He: Fine.
She: What u did whole day?
He: Nothing much, n u?
She: Went for a hair cut.
He: You said you were lazy.
She: Ya, but not for a hair cut
He: Right.
She: Now don't make it an issue
He: I did not say any thing.
She: You were about to say.
He: You are assuming.
She: You are over reacting
He: You are mad
She: You are super mad.
He: I missed you.
She: Thanks, much appreciated.
He: You......
She: ....Love me.
He: No, i don't
She: You do, liar.
He: OK, if you don't realize, this wall is public.
She: So?
He: people can read our conversations.
She: Good na...
He: I don't want that.
She: Why?
He: I am not comfortable.
She: Then be uncomfortable.
He: Shut up, come on gtalk
She: I am not coming.
He: Why?
She: Mera man...
He: Your man.....that's me. Now, come online.
She: He he, ok fine coming.
He: Good.
She: First give me a kiss
He: No
She: Yes
He: Just one.
She: No, two.
He: I am not giving.
She: I am not coming.
He: Fine, :-* :-*
She: Cool.
He: Now come on Gtalk.
She: I am already there.
He: What?
She: yes, i was invisible. Just pinged you.
He: I will kill you.
She: With your anger, sure.
He: With my love.
She: Ahem ahem, Sadistic lover.
He: Let me show you some nifty moves next time.
She: *Yawn*
He: Thappad khana hain...
She: nahin, khaana khaya hain.
He: Treat this thappad as dessert.
She: I wish you offered something else.
He: You are not that lucky.
She: (smirks) Yes, i am dying to be lucky with you.
He: Whatever. let's talk on Gtalk.
She: OK
He: Remove this wall post.
She: Why? this is a proof of your sadistic nature.
He: Soon it will be a proof of a murder too, so remove.
She: Fine.
He: Good, over to Gtalk.

Rahul Dravid : The Last Genteman Indian Cricketer

2012-04-15T23:16:00.002+05:30

[Really late, but the post somehow remained in the drafts after being written and i forgot to click 'publish']

Dasvidaniya Dravid.

There will be no Rahul Dravid again. There just can't be. Never. Period.

Kolkata. Adelaide. Rawalpindi. Jamaica. Oval. Durban. The memories are too many and words too less to describe what you have done for Indian cricket. I guess the real worth of you will be realised once India goes overseas (which is scheduled almost 20 months away, the tour to South Africa in Dec 2013). Imagine on a green pitch, Indian 10-1 and there is no Dravid to counter the seam, the bounce and the swing. It is an incredibly discomforting to even imagine that.

You took over the wicketkeeping gloves which make you look awkward on the field, but made the Indian team look so good. You will be remembered as probably the last classic batsmen and the gentleman, unlike most Indians, unlike most sportsmen. There is only one word which personifies you - RESPECT.

Book Review - 78 : The Ordeal

2012-04-09T07:01:00.000+05:30

Author: Mangesh Jadhav

Publisher: Frog Books

NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) had jointly developed a satellite based technology that had military used. The Russians found out about it and tried to steal the technology through a source in the NOAA. The source travelled to France to deliver the 'package'. But CIA agent Michael Jones was close behind, intending to stop the sale. Did he succeed? What is the end result?

The author picks up an interesting scientific-led premise of this thriller which works just fine as a concept but forgets the most important thing in such a book - it should thrill you to bits; it should make you forget everything around you while being deeply immersed in finishing the book. Even though the narrative is kept at a tight leash with more focus on reaction of twists and turns than the twists and turns themselves, it is kind of a book which will leave you underwhelmed in the end.

The author takes you bang into the center of action by starting briskly with US and Russian counterparts worrying about the tsunami and its indifferent constantly changing nature. There are dozen of characters thrown in, most of them interesting though plagued by ridiculous dialogues and ludicrous situations. So the agent sourced to France has all the time in the world to seduce men, have elaborate meals and dress ravishingly at each of the occasions. Such kind of non-urgency plague the narrative deeply. Pacing is not a problem in this book but because the situations are repetitive, lines are said by elaborate explanations almost underlining each of them; it makes the book a task to finish.

One of the most infuriating aspects of this thriller is the loose editing. My favourite one is how the author constantly describes the setting of a room or a place - giving detailed half-page descriptions EVERY single time. It breaks the reading speed, it takes away the focus from the main narrative and just does not allow you to emotionally invest in the characters. Probably the editor working on the book fall asleep while going through the narrative. Well, my guess is as good as yours.

Priced at a steep INR 445 and too long at over 400 pages, the book does not work as a whole, though keeps you moving through the narrative because of its interesting premise. I am going with generous (2+0.5=) 2.5/5 for Mangesh Jadhav's 'The Ordeal'. Read it if you can somehow get past that loose editing.

Book Review - 77 : You Can Sell

2012-04-08T12:53:00.002+05:30

Author: Shiv Khera

Publisher: Westland

Who is not selling? A candidate at a job interview, apolitician making speeches to get votes, a boy and girl dating with the intention of getting married . . . all are selling themselves in some or the other way. You Can Sell challenges the age old cliché which delineates sales to be the sole domain of a sales man.

You Can Sell addresses time-tested principles which make a successful sales professional. The word used is ‘principles’ and not ‘tactics’. Tactics are manipulative whereas principles are based on the foundation of values. Many times you hear people saying that to succeed you need to learn the ‘tricks of the trade’. Good professionals learn the trade, and that’s exactly what You Can Sell teaches.

Reading Shiv Khera' s 'You can Win' around 10 years ago in the hostel dormitory, i laughed my guts out. I thought it was a book definitely not written for the people of earth, it was so away from the reality. I remember arguing then with a fellow nerdy student how the author sees the world from a rose tainted canvas which very few can relate to and a world which only some of us can think of inhabiting. In short, even though it was a ridiculously successful book the self-help book never worked for me. Now, years later after reading his latest venture, i can't help laughing again. This time, out of sheer boredom.

Published first in 2010 by Rupa Publications and short-listed for Vodaphone Crossword Non-fiction Award 2010, the book has been repackaged and released again by Westland. The book has more of exercises and tests after each chapter that the previous version, which i conveniently skipped. They add to the length of the book and quite unoriginal to put it politely.

The best bits of the book are the one where the author decides to put real-time examples of selling from his own life. They are not only interesting to glance through, but also effectively communicates the points of selling across the spectrum of business verticals. These are the portions which people in Sales, Marketing or Business Development will find most useful applying in a professional set-up. There are few good pointers to those people too who are starting up their career and can have a deeper look into their positives and negatives.

The most sore point is that it does not tell anything new on personality building and selling skills which you have not heard before - Same cliches about dressing well, listening to customers, understanding the situation, being patient, following up with them and many more. It is the same jazz you have read so many times and it sounds just so damn familiar.

I am going with 2/5 for Shiv Khera's 'You can Sell'. I believe it is going to sell many more copies and earn lot of money for publisher/author. I just wish it was a much better book than any other self help bible you come across on a bookstore shelf. In its current form, it is just a one time read which you may like to pick up if you hadn't read a self-help book in a long time.

This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at BlogAdda.com. Participate now to get free books!

'Chicken Soup for the Indian Couple's Soul' in Bookstores!

2012-04-01T15:51:00.000+05:30

Chicken Soup of the Indian Couple's Soul is now available in bookstores. I have got a short story tucked in there (Section 1 - Made in Heaven, Page 37).

You can also use the following websites to buy the book online:

Infibeam

Homeshop18

NBCIndia

Flipkart

Crossword

uRead

[The final price may change depending on the discount offered by a particular merchant - if you want to do a quick comparison, use India Book store to check out prices at any point of time before buying]

If you want a *free copy* and you are a member of Blogadda, you may apply for review of the book here.

If you do get a chance to read it, pour your love and hate mails to loveisalwaysnew@gmail.com. Cheers!

Book Review - 76 : The Orange Hangover

2012-03-26T22:04:00.001+05:30

Publisher: Jaico Books

Author: Rahul Saini

THEN:
He had the coolest lifestyle – dinner with friends, best restaurants in town, first day first show of practically every film released, a decently paying job, parties all night and a good girlfriend.

NOW:
He is stuck in his small hometown with zero parties, movies, cool restaurants or friends. The ‘good’ girlfriend has turned ‘bad’. He has no cool job. Everyone thinks he is a total nutter and there is only one girl who seems to understand his beliefs and values but speaks too less. And just to make things worse, he manages to tangle himself in a terrible case of extreme crime.

Would he be able to follow his heart and stick to his values and ambitions? Would he ever be able to win the girl he likes? Would the terrible case of extreme crime ever be solved?

The Orange Hangover make some pertinent points about the vicissitudes of life and delves into the psyche of young people which eventually have to make a difficult decision in life sooner or later - follow your heart or your brain. It is not surprising to guess in such kind of quick-young-fiction where the narrative is headed and exactly where it will end.

The story of this book, although much of it is set at his workplace, has little to do with that improbable job role. There is an inherent sincerity and grace in the relationship between the conversations of the lead protagonist and the online friend grows. However, the writing is adequate, most of the situations and reactions ranges from weird to abnormal. The murder set-up sequence is amateurishly handled and is almost forced into the narrative to give the all usual masala fare.

I am going with 2/5 for Rahul Saini's 'The Orange Hangover'. It does not provide anything new from what we have not read before in such kind of books. The only thing you can appreciate is the sincerity with which author feel for the central character. Read it if you must.

Published But Plagiarized

2012-03-25T22:55:00.000+05:30

The following book review article appeared in The Sentinel, Guwahati on 20th March, 2012.

Normal. Well, not exactly.

Problem is, I wrote the same book review on 22 Feb, 2012 on this very blog. The newspaper has copied it word by word without giving any due credit or asking my permission to publish it. Instead, very conveniently they have put the author as "agencies" right at the bottom. This coming from a reputed and 'popular' newspaper in North-East India was a shocker to say the least.

My numerous emails and reminders have been unanswered so far in the past few days. Phone calls have been conveniently forwarded to someone who never picks calls. If they want to lick my puke, let them do it. Frankly my dear, i don't give a damn. Sick of this blatant plagiarism!

PS: Suggestions to harass this newspaper are welcome. I need to rush back to make a strategy presentation. A fucking newspaper publish my writing without my permission and i am more worried about a fucking presentation. Fuck, Fuck, Fuck my life! :D

Book Review - 75 : When Monday Was Over

2012-03-19T22:57:00.002+05:30

Author: Titus Manickam

Publisher: Frog Books

Fred Nicholson is successful and rich. He owns many companies, and he is only 38. Yet something inside him keeps prodding him to steal. He cannot resist the thrill. He steals not because there is any need, but because he gets an insidious kick out of it. Fred steals money meant for an ATM in New York and sends the police in a tizzy. All they come against are dead-ends. It is the perfect heist. Fred now eyes the world’s largest diamond. He steals it and in the process he falls in love with a young and beautiful woman. She is nobody’s fool. Where will Fred go from here? Will he be able to pull off this high-profile robbery? Will love become his undoing or will it rescue him?

When Monday was over starts briskly, suck you into the world of greed with a robbery and then starts concentrating on the personal life of Fred. This crucial, but arguably deterrent plot-point robs off some of the sheen from an otherwise fast-pace thriller. There is no harm in showing the human side of this kleptomaniac person but it goes overboard in portraying that particular trait and hence, gets away from the basic premise of a thriller. In the end, it becomes a mixture of different genres - be it romance, thriller, action; none of them strong enough to sustain on its own.

If you can overlook some of the cliches and a sagging middle portion, there are few things to like in the book. The pace is brisk, the editing fairly tight and the conversations between the characters is the soul of the book. Most of them stems from the cockiness of the main leads but ultimately provides credence to the flow of the narrative.

I am going with 2.5/5 for Titus Manickam's 'When Monday was Over'. A little more effort in keeping with the tone of a thriller would have gone a long way in making the book far more richer. In its current form, it misses the target by a whisker.

Collision of The Past & The Present

2012-03-10T23:26:00.001+05:30

Bumping into exes with their currents is weird. Like really weird. Specially when it is completely unexpected, you are at an emotional low and work-stressed. The first thought which comes into your mind seeing her (of course,with someone else!) - Thank God, it could have been me! :D

You see...meeting someone whom you knew at some point for a long time means chaos. Big time. You are damn too familiar with their habits, their nuances, their actions and hell, even their gestures. That tensed habit of playing with the wrist watch, that action of putting the titian hair behind the ears, that irritating habit of twitching the eyebrows, that nuances of saying 'Hello' while titling your head towards right, that upright stand on your toes when to say 'alright'. It just seems so familiar. Like, time has flown but nothing has changed. Like, time has stopped but you have changed.

There is an air of unexpectedness and anguish. There are unspoken words and unheard murmurs. The emotions which engulf you at that moment leave you in the awe of the unknown and fascinated with the familiar. There are ephemeral glimpses of the past and a collapse of an almost useless life. There are broken images and dreams, there are unfulfilled promises and desires. You see, such is love and its eccentricities. They collide and crashes both, your past and the present.

PS: On the other side, there is an irresistible temptation to be snarky, rude or distant to the person alongside her. However, my mother's advice to be nice to snakes and spiders still hold in my life.

Book Review - 74 : The Land of the Wilted Rose

2012-03-09T22:42:00.002+05:30

Publisher: Rupa Publications
Author: Anand Ranganthan

It is the golden age of the Indian empire. The brown man's burden stretches from the temple of Angkor to the chapel of King's. The fate of all mankind is in the hands of a seventeen-year-old Maharaja whose ships rule the waves and armies occupy the four corners of the earth. But all is not well. In the small colony of England, an unassuming little white man decides to fight back.

This is his story, the story of a man who, armed with only an umbrella and a newspaper-wrapped meal of fish and chips, led millions on the historic Dundee March, towards freedom, and himself into the pages of history as a Great Soul, the White Mahatma. The Land of the Wilted Rose, the first book in The White Mahatma Quartet, is an allegorical work, a black comedy, but it is also a book that seeks to understand the psychological scars empires inflict on the vanquished, scars that fester, that remain unhealed.

The dark humour is a difficult genre to write specially when it is mixed with allegorical mode of presenting the narrative. A story of role reversal, the book starts off brilliantly with such nuanced layering you are pretty much sucked into the world. It is only when the author start getting self-indulgent the narrative loses its steam and meanders all along.

There is fun reading deliberate spelling or pronunciation mistakes by the whites, the tongue-in-cheek humour and the detailed situations, most of them manages to keep your interest alive. However, the author fails to bridge the gap between the readers and her characters. It's unquestionably interesting what happens to these people, you know their lives have changed forever, yet there's a certain unexplained distance that never lets you "feel" these incidents yourself. Remember, the most compelling books are the ones that transport you to the centre of the drama, and make you a participant in the action. The land of the wilted rose is a noble book, an admirable debut, but you don't feel the pain. Never. Ever.

I still need to get my head around why the whole story had to be divided into four different books. Considering it is only 150 odd pages long and just start to pick momentum by the end of the first one, it is surprising to see publisher and the author stretching that over four books. Most of the times, such strategic decisions back fire in books. This is exactly one of those cases. It would have made so much sense to put all the four books into one, packaged and edited them well to create a black comedy.

I am going with 2.5/5 for the first book in White Mahatma's Quartlet, 'The Land of the Wilted Rose'. It is a book which requires patience and lateral thinking to appreciate. If it was not trying so hard to work on a tangential level with weird characters, it would have been much worth it.

This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at BlogAdda.com. Participate now to get free books!

Book Review - 73 : Zero Percentile 2.0

2012-03-05T19:43:00.001+05:30

Author: Neeraj Chhibba

Publisher: Rupa Publications

Pankaj’s ambition gets the better of him; Priya is torn between her two friends; Motu is struggling to save his company from a hostile takeover; Arjun is left alone to support his daughter, a child with special needs; and Nitin can’t allow himself to fall in love as he is afflicted with HIV ... Zero Percentile–2.0 is the story of Pankaj and Motu who begin their foray into the software world with a small company called NumeroSoft. Surrounded by friends, Nitin, Priya and Arjun, they have pinned their hopes on the Babe – the software they are developing. As Pankaj’s desire to conquer the world clashes with their ethics, their friendship falls apart and they leave the company to start a new software enterprise. Once friends, now fierce competitors, the stakes are enormously high for them. What will it cost them? Will they ever get back together? A tale of greed, love, friendship and conspiracy which ends in a pulsating climax after seven days of bitter fight for control.

It is always difficult to follow up on a well-written, engaging book and ZP2.0, sequel to Zero percentile might have just pulled it off if it was not trying too hard to cram it everything. Apart from awkward sentences cases and non-seamless narrative, the book entwines in so much that at times, you have to stop to check on the flow of events. Pacing has never been a problem in Chhibba's books, but it is the lack of detailing and logical loopholes which hurt the final product this time.

Each character comes with its own set of rules and problems, more complex than others. It helps that most of these are regular situations with which one can identify and the book has a good heart which we all want to see somewhere in ourselves. The narrative is punctuated by flesh and blood characters with whom you can identify and it is brave on the author's part not to show any prejudices. I particularly enjoyed the portions of Arjun's daughter, which are written with a deft touch and a rare maturity when it comes to writing about the specially challenged children.

The second section of the book, however, was too long for me, and provides a convenient back-story to justify each characters eccentricities. The cross-connecting of various stories is a tad confusing and the amalgamation of sub-plots with the main story left a lot to be desired. I personally felt the brouhaha over Nitin's AIDS campaign over-the-top mainly because it is set in IT industry where you would expect the intellectual level of people working to be of an optimum level.

I am going with generous (2.5+0.5)=3/5 for Neeraj Chhibba's ZP2.0. It is more complex, but less engaging than its prequel. More focus should have been on exploring relationships and less on number of relationships. It might just have worked much better in that form. Read it if you are a fan of racy metro reads.

Book Review - 72 : Faceless

2012-02-27T23:52:00.000+05:30

Author: Tapan Ghosh

Publisher: Frog Books

The blurb on the book says 'soon to be made into a motion picture'. If i meet the producer tomorrow morning, i would advise him to stay away from this one and save some money. Faceless by Tapan Ghosh is a mixture of everything, yet nothing. The story line is as dead as the dildo in the bin, which incidentally is the starting point of the story. This particular plot point is used mainly as a shock reference and does not compensate in any way for the monotonous tone or an overdose of philosophy and wisdom in the narrative.

Embarrassed about mistaking a vibrator for a bomb, the anti terror squad go looking for its owner. This silly piece then proceeds to introduce each of the characters, Khush, Shom, Swapna, Natasha and Sara in a sequential way each having a back story to bank upon. Things get interesting when Raima meets Shom. They are mutually attracted, fall in love and at last find their true soul mates in each other! Their sensual and passionate love is the crux of the story. Will their love survive the test of time? Or will they desert each other?

Lying solely on sexual innuedos and two-faced jokes, it is hardly original writing and heavily borrows from those American sit-coms. Alas, if it was even half as entertaining, it would have made my reading day. The plot is clumsy, punctuated with awkward scenes and cringing dialogues and even the transition between the various plot points is hardly seamless. Even the climax, inspired from a Class-A recent Bollywood thriller is also a cop-out and does not engage you enough to forget it flaws.

The constant 'i wanna be cool' repartee and expletive-laden language gets boring after a while, mainly because each of them is followed by a half-baked, unconvincing plot point that clearly stretches your imagination to absurd regions. It is not a hard read, pacing is fast and language lucid; but you can't compensate for something as basic as a storyline in such a quick metro read.

I am going with 1.5/5 for Tapan Ghosh's 'Faceless'. Save your face, stay away from reading it. There are many good things to do in life, reading this one is definitely not one of them.

Life is what you make it...

2012-02-26T22:36:00.001+05:30

If you win you're a genius, and if you lose you're a dunce. Isn't, it? The life is all about achievements, overcoming challenges, making and spending money. Is life actually so one-dimensional or we allow ourselves to snuggle into a world of comfort. A world where your life becomes not just monotonous, but meaningless. A world where things are on hold, still you can't make heads and tails of it.

Life is tough, but then who said it is going to be easy. It was never meant to be and it never will be. Overcoming difficult situations ultimately becomes part of life, part of the system, part of you as an individual. There is no fun in having things on the platter or not struggling to have things going for you. Things in life should not come easy, you lose the meaning of trying hard for success.

You got to understand that in life most people are well intentioned, world is fundamentally and essentially a good, rather great place to live in. There are too many good things to explore, to find, to observe that there can be any negativity allowed in life. If things don't work out on time, they will in long run. They have to work out, they deserve to work out if you persevere long.

Life is what you make it, life is what we think we can make it, life is what we should make it and we will make it. Life is too short for fights, too small for prejudices and too long for keep making love. Grab the chances, they will be less but surely there will be. To keep moving, inch by inch, column by column. You will get there. One day, some day, in this life.

Notes on Dhiraj Kumar's 'The Asocial Networking'

2012-02-22T21:42:00.002+05:30

Author: Dhiraj Kumar

Publisher: Wordizen Books

Rating: 3/5

The Asocial Networking by Dhiraj Kumar is nothing but a BIG over-reaction on the impact of social networking (specifically Facebook) on our lives. It does make some pertinent points about the facade people put by showing an alternate 'online' life to others but goes overboard in the analysis and infuses a spirit of outlandishness that in the end harms the book far more you can think off.

It is interesting and ironical to see ourselves socializing with the help of gadgets when we could actually step forward and socialize with the person standing next to us. For the benefit of those who exhibit their social lives online, this book offers little tricks of the trade to master the art of networking and garner tangible gains in the real world. On the other hand, the author discusses our vulnerabilities and weaknesses, which are often reflected in the way we socialize on the web.

However, the extreme or negative side of the social networking is written with heavy-hand and does not presents a balanced approach to counter the positives. For instance, the author constantly harps about the fact that putting a status message of 'DND' on Gtalk reeks of hypocrisy and double standards. Because if you are so busy, why would you be online? But at the same time, author does not take into account that being online have also to do with professional work or an emergency issue.

I was particularly offended at various points in the book where the author judges people around him with disdain and contempt. At one point in the narrative, he even classify bisexuals as extreme perverts and voyeurs who venture out in night on social networking and prey on people. Such kind of factually incorrect, close-thinking and morally reprehensible thoughts should have been censored in the first place if there was a good editor working on this book.

Even the extremely implausible clause of Facebook getting extinct or less exciting in few years in nothing but a statement made without any solid evidence. Anyone who follows these social networking websites knows that these companies earn revenues through advertising and marketing of various companies, brands and products. To view them mere as dating or sex-mating sites is doing a grave injustice to their whole existence and as a tool of usefulness in our daily lives.

Having said that, the author does make some key observations about Facebook in our existence - people wasting time playing Zynga games, low productivity and less concentration at workplaces, too many diversions in the name of updating status and answering wall posts and my personal favourite - sexual discrimination against men on these websites. These are well thought off points which shows depth with which things are researched. I particularly liked the concept about FIPRA - Facebook International People Rating Agency, something which you may think in the future coming into action to compare people. The clause of displaying your Facebook profile at the time of an interview for a psychoanalysis assessment is a possibility which may not be far off.

In the end, the book is articulated with some well-researched points and keenly observed thoughts. I just wished it was more balanced to enjoy it even further. If you can deal or be comfortable reading ONLY negative impact of Facebook, this book may be a treat for you.

Book Review - 71 : Tamasha in Bandargaon

2012-02-17T10:24:00.000+05:30

Publisher: Tranquebar Press

Author: Navneet Jagaanathan

In the fictional suburb of Bandargaon, tucked away in Bombay, there's never a quit moment. Dreams erupt, hopes shatter, in the heaving Sunrise Apartments, by a rickety tea-cart-Jinias Chai Hause, inside a seedy Jaanam Desi, and by the dilapidated Purana Qila. Chagan, the dashing hero, who shines like a film-star, spends hours wooing a beauteous Shalini. Shalini, ever fickle, oscillates between him and a pining Vinayak. Vinayak, in turn, tries desperately to win the favour of Shalini's mother, Lakshmibai. Elsewhere, the local politician, Sajjanpur, tries winning an impossible election; Miranda, a sullen mortician, seeks answers from an ailing priest; and Sultan, the irascible grocer contents with an overfriend dog.

Tamasha in Bandargaon has brought R. K. Narayan-esque humour back.The residents of this town go through a mad medley of emotions that test every inch of their moral fiber. The troubles and travails of the people in the slum, the strange quirks and stupidities of the people in the apartment, the never say die spirit of the folks who run the gambling den and the tea stall; all this add up to a pacy narrative which is touching and makes you think about life and its eccentricities. The author touches every chord of the regular people like me and you - be their social, personal, professional, financial or emotional lives.

Jagannathan is wise in touching upon varied subjects, like politics — in the form of the firebrand politician Sitaram Sajjanpur of the National Workers Party whose sole aim is to be voted to power — to personal loss, like that faced by Lakshmibai’s childhood friend Geeta who did not have the gumption to take her romance with the temple pujari to the next level.

Of course, the book is all about people and a a whole gamut of emotions - jealousy, politics, joys and sorrows, ups and downs and trials and tribulations, it all adds up. The story proceeds with the plots woven somewhat detached, yet connected and completely coherent. There is a constant presence of the element of humour all through the book, that is simple, yet powerful. The novel essentially is a collection of stories on characters that belong to the same milieu, it does get a tad repetitive and over-the-top at some places. The 13 chapters become 13 different stories of various people in the town and the transitions between these chapters could have been more seamless. Despite this, the novel is an honest and successful attempt at highlighting our idiosyncrasies as a people.

I am going with 3.5/5 for Navneet Jagannathan's 'Tamasha in Bandargaon'. It's a confident debut by the author and i hope to read more in this genre. Going by the climax and the potential of the story, it will be worth to create a sequel to this one. But surpassing the quality of this one will be a major challenge. Do give it a shot, it is worth your time.

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Book Review - 70 : Navrasa by Lotus

2012-02-13T21:56:00.000+05:30

Author: Rajiv Kumar

Publisher: Frog Books

'Navarasa by Lotus' tells interlinked stories of a fading movie star; a youth accidentally taking form of a masked vigilante; a mosquito determined to fight human domination; an unmarried couple on the verge of break up; a woman who is terrified of her dream; a school kid struggling to vent his anger; Fate of our society post 2012; Rajiv's addictions; and Anand's redemption... The result is a collection of nine stories of different genres, each being a tribute to the rasa: humour, love, disgust, heroism, wonder, fury, horror, peace and compassion. These nine stories are interwoven with recurring characters and situations. There are surprises galore in each of the stories but it does take time to get used to that 'recurring factor' in each of them.

I particularly liked 'Mutiny' in which rebellious mosquito is determined to devise ways to combat humans. With interesting name conventions and a tight narrative, this is the best story of the lot. T20 had an interesting premise and delves with human relationships effectively though the grammatical mistakes were too high to ignore. 'Loop' is another intriguing story in which girl is entangled in a specific loop on a specific day at a specific point in life. 'Redemption' link all these stories together, and even though it is the shortest it is probably the most important story in the book. The idea of having connecting all the stories by a single link is not new, but is done intelligently enough to draw your interest.

I am going with generous (2+0.5=) 3/5 for Rajiv Kumar's 'Navrasa by Lotus'. Look beyond the repetitions in certain portions of the stories and judge them at an individual level. Each of them has a good heart beating inside and deserves your attention. Read it with no expectations, and probably you will not be disappointed.

Book Review - 69 : Along the Way

2012-02-11T18:06:00.001+05:30

Author: TGC Prasad

Publisher: Rupa Publications

The hero, Venkat, joins NIT, Kozhikode and makes friends with a few of his classmates. After completing their education, the group of friends enter the competitive world of TCS, Bengaluru. Venkat has to deal with a demanding boss and the complicated workings of office politics. Romance blossoms and Venkat and his batchmate, Anjali, fall in love. Venkat begins to enjoy his job, makes friends at the workplace and finds his life moving along at an exciting pace. But relationships change their course, certain shocking events create rifts between friends – nothing goes as planned and Venkat and his friends look for ways to negotiate the roadblocks that crop up in their professional and personal lives. Anjali’s parents need a lot of convincing about the fact that Venkat is a potential son-in-law. Venkat hatches a strategy to cozy up to them and prays hard to his mother’s favourite deity so he can marry the love of his life.

'Along the way' captures the nuances of software industry competently and effectively, specially when it comes to detailing of the complex projects, strict deadlines, pressure on relationships, peer learning and conflicts. The tone is strictly young, hip and trendy and even though it does get monotonous after a while it still keeps you on engaged with the twists and turns. In the end it is a standard Bollywoodish coming-of-age and finding your own dream kind of a story but keeps you in the spirits with an affectionate romance between the lead couple and camaraderie among the friends.

Having read dozens of similar-sounding campus novels in the recent times, it was refreshing to see some real situations and dialogues poured in the first half of the book when the story is set in the engineering college. The interaction scenes between the Project manager/HR head and Venkat even though teetering on melodramatic moments and over-the-top sensibilities allows you to smile once in a while. I particularly liked the scene in which Venkat and friends get caught in a tangle having called 911 inadvertently on an onsite visit to US. Even the whole SRK calling Anjali's mom in a well-planned and executed strategy is far fetched from reality but at least packs in an emotional punch.

The only letdown is that it is damn too predictable and familiar. In fact, the prologue just withers away the whole story and the climax and you are just waiting to see how it will eventually unfold. The sub-plot involving the trivia questions with Venkat by the Colonel is repetitive to the point of boring. It appears so many times by the end of the book that it loses the initial charm. Even the hugging act to Raj seems forced on so many times that it grates on your nerves. There are stereotypes abundant here; with nagging parents, bunch of chaddi-buddies, evil managers and a sexy girl-friend. In fact, most of the characters in the TCS which were introduced with great detail right in the induction phase of Venkat are left in between with hardly anyone making a great impression to be remembered after you have put down the book. Even the interesting bits of Godfather has been quoted so many times it hardly makes a difference in the end.

I am going with 2.5/5 for TGC Prasad's 'Along the Way'. It is warmhearted and witty and captures the nuances of human relationships and workplace dynamics with ease. If it was a little shorter, better edited and less predictable, it would have been a much more rewarding read. If you are looking for a light fiction, it is not a bad away to spend a Saturday Night.

Notes on Priya Kumar's 'The Perfect World'

2012-02-06T12:35:00.000+05:30

Author: Priya Kumar

Publisher: Embassy Books

Rating: 3.5/5

A job cannot be mistaken for one's life purpose. A purpose is something you would do even if you didn't get paid for it. A job is a necessity. A purpose is your own drive for contribution. A job is something you do, even if you do not want to do it. A Purpose is something which you do because you want to do it.

Above lines from Priya Kumar's 'The Perfect World' encapsulates briefly how one should view job and purpose of your life, in turn distinguishing between personal and professional life but still making most of both of them. This is the story of Niki Sanders, who while still struggling to find meaning and purpose in life, is approached with an offer to be part of a planet called 'The Perfect world'.

She is living an ordinary life laden with fear-loaded dreams, demanding relationships, a dissatisfying job, a bitter attitude and ever eluding aspirations. In a desperate attempt to seek clarity, courage and confidence, she unwittingly leads herself into meeting with two evolved souls from across the universe. These superior souls belong to "The Perfect World" and with them Niki embarks on the most thrilling adventure of her life; an adventure into infinite possibilities and self discovery.

This part self-help book, part magic realism fiction takes you on a journey into the universe but also on a parallel journey within. Sprinkled with wisdom, the story urges you towards choices of power, passion and purpose in your daily actions leading towards spiritual awareness and spiritual greatness. The writing was crisp, editing tight and even though it is over 300 pages old, it rarely drags on.

I am not a great fan of self-help literature but once in a while comes a book which makes you change your outlook towards this genre. It provides nuanced writing, is interspersed with magic realism to keep the narrative interesting with anecdotes. Read it when you feel low in life and you will enjoy it even more!

Book Review - 68 : The Suicide Banker

2012-01-31T17:56:00.000+05:30

Author: Puneet Gupta

Publisher: Rupa & Co

The Suicide Banker is the story of a young banker whose employers believe in the motto of turning conventional wisdom upside down. Against the backdrop of financial boom and subsequent meltdown during the first decade of this century. Sumit becomes an unfortunate witness, active participant and ill-fated victim in the affairs of Ind-Credit Bank. Over the course of life-altering events, the once blue-eyed boy is slowly but surely sucked into the dark abyss of financial world his dreams collapsing one by one in a heap, taking a heavy toll on his personal and professional life. Will he be able to survive?

Same in the spirit as Ravi Subramanian's Banking trilogy, the book moves at a brisk pace and we are introduced to a range of characters from all the hierarchical levels in the bank. The mystery seems interesting to start with and you genuinely feel sympathetic towards the rigmarole of Sumit's life. The language is crisp and there are quirky one-liners thrown in within the finance context. Even in personal relationships, there is a sincerity in Sumit's relationship with a junior colleague but at some point in the narrative, that plot-point is conveniently side-tracked and loses momentum. Such kind of road-blocks make this book a difficult read after the initial momentum.

Problem is, there are very little nuances here, everything is sanitized and things get extremely preachy in the narrative. The author writes with a heavy hand, underlining every single point it makes while telling this story, leaving almost nothing to subtlety. As a result, the book is too long and rambles on and on when clearly a reader has run out of patience. If you’re unfamiliar with finance jargon, much of this book is going to sound like Greek to you. It could have been gritty and realistic, but it goes for a more populist tone instead. The conflict seems too simplistic in the end, and you’re pretty much bored for much of the second half. The personal life description of the main protagonist is too detailed specially including those scenes where his wife is hosting a TV show and invoking responses from audience. Almost 10 pages could have been simply edited out because it hardly makes a difference to the main narrative.

I am going with 2.5/5 for Puneet Gupta's 'The Suicide Banker'. It is not a bad book by any means; it is just too long, too preachy and too many characters sounding similar in the end analysis. A little restraint and light hand would have done this book a lot of good. Read it if you are from finance background, you may feel different about it.

Book Review - 67 : The Cavansite Conspiracy

2012-01-30T19:34:00.000+05:30

Author: Manjiri Prabhu

Publisher: Rupa & Co.

The theft of the precious mineral stone, the cavansite, from The Crystal Museum of Minerals has left everyone puzzled, more so because the modus operandi of the theft has uncanny similarities with an international bestseller, The Cavansite Conspiracy by Chris Carver. While the police and the curator of the museum are on the hunt, a spiritual group in Bangkok too is interested in acquiring it by any means.

Meanwhile, Koyal Karnik, a lecturer in communication studies working in Hamburg, Germany, arrives in Pune to attend her friend Jasrajs wedding. Little does she know that she will not only be implicated in the theft of the cavansite, but that her friend will be murdered, and she will be forced to become a fugitive on the run. The only person she can trust is her ex-boyfriend Neel, with whom she takes off on a journey of mystery and love from India to Hamburg, then to the Isle of Sylt and finally, a London television studio. But can she really trust anybody? And what is the connection between Jasraj and the cavansite? What is Jasrajs fiance hiding? Finally, who is Chris Carver and what is his role in the mystery?

It is fast-paced and thrilling and keeps you glued most of the time in the narrative. The twist in the end was unpredictable and it is highly unlikely many readers will be able to guess it before the climax. The story moves around various countries and a gamut of plot points which will keep you glued. I particularly liked the sensitive treatment with which the problem of left handed people in India is dealt with. Considering at one point of life, i seriously thought myself to be ambidextrous, i was able to relate to the dilemmas and social restrictions that come on the way.

The romance between the couple is fun to read and extremely relatable. Both of them have a back story to fall on and are constantly throwing repartee which make their conversations spicy and juicy. The only time the book slips up is when the author infuses a Bollywoodish feel to the narrative by concentrating too much into the romance between Koyal and Neel. Right under the nose of a death threat and conspiration to frame her, the couple play games on ice-dunes and make the romantic sparks flew. What was sorely missing was a song to be picturized on the couple in the Isle of Sylt! This acts as a deterrent to the pace of the story and intermittently takes away the focus from the murder mystery, diffusing a juveliness which is hard to fathom. But one should look beyond these nitpicking for an extremely rewarding read.

I am going with generous (3+0.5) = 3.5/5 for Manjiri Prabhu’s ‘The Cavansite Conspiracy’. Barring a few glitches in the end and a sagging middle portion, it is a tight thriller which delivers what it promises. It starts briskly and will keep you engaged most of the time. I recommend you make time to read it.