Showing posts with label indian authors. Show all posts
Showing posts with label indian authors. Show all posts
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Image Courtesy: India Uncut
When umpteen visits to Crossword and Odyssey failed to fetch me a copy of My Friend Sancho (MFS), I wrote to Amit Varma, who suggested Flipcart. Rightly so. Shopping at Flipcart was hassle free and quick.
Amit Varma of the India Uncut fame is a journalist-blogger-novelist.
My Friend Sancho is his first novel.
Being a regular at IU, I expected a satire on the watchdogs of democracy or an insider's look at the machinations of the BMC.
Thankfully, Amit didn't consult me for the plot.
For then, I wouldn't have met Abir Ganguly.
MFS is a young Tabloid Journalist, Abir Ganguly's journey through Bombay, Tabloid Journalism, ethics, crime, family, friendship, confusion and love.
A routine, petty crime coverage goes awry and Abir becomes an unwilling party to a police encounter. Later, wanting to do a human-interest story on the deceased, Mohammed Iqbal, Abir meets and befriends his daughter, Muneeza, who shares snippets of their un-eventful, yet loving life together.
Professional Ethics-cum-order from a sly boss-cum the need for masala demand Abir to do a balanced piece, and present a sketch on Inspector Thombre, the man responsible for the wrongful shootout.
Amidst juggling between work responsibilities, dreams of a rich life, and taking potshots at celebrities, Abir sees a delicate relationship form between him and Muneeza.
Will Abir be able to do justice to Mohammed Iqbal, or will he end up supporting the wily Inspector Thombre?
Would Muneeza still be his friend when she realises the truth, or, would Abir have to settle with a lizard as a companion?
Read MFS to find out for yourself.
The book worked for me because of :
- The humour - I thought I was fairly immune to Amit's humour. I was wrong. MFS has plenty of wit and sarcasm that will keep you wanting for more
- The prose - A book works for me, if, it can articulate its idea without me having to refer to a thesaurus often. By that standard alone, MFS is a winner. An easy style, lovely font, frothy read
- Bombay - The unabashed use of the word "Bombay" earned Amit brownie points. I only hope the MNS doesn't discover this !
- Indian Writers - A lot of Indian writers borrow their style from Western authors. They end up disappointing everyone. I am glad Amit didn't succumb to this fad and came up with a cosmopolitan, yet Indian novel
- The Climax - The book ends at the right moment. Amit should strictly avoid a sequel, unless, it offers a more biting humour
- Sex - Yes, a well thought out, humorous, tightly woven and earnest piece of work, doesn't need that one customary page of sex to sell itself. I would have hated MFS if it would have gone the Chetan Bhagat or Manreet Sodhi Someshwar way
It would be interesting to see if Amit can dish out better etched characters, who don't necessarily mirror his own thoughts, the next time around.
For now, Sancho awaits you.
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