Category: Book Reviews

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Black Warrant (Confessions of a Tihar Jailer novel): A brilliant insider account

Co written by Sunil Gupta who worked as a jailer in Tihar the novel is both a crisp read and at the same time draws the readers into the notorious world

Black Warrant streaming on Netflix is easily one of the best shows in Hindi language. Vikramaditya Motwane along with Satyanshu Singh and others presented a very gritty picture of the deeply horrifying situations where it’s very difficult for a prisoner to reform. After reading the novel on which the web series is based it must be said that the directors have done absolute justice to the novel’s theme.

For those who haven’t read the book or seen the web series the novel is a memoir of Sunil Gupta who worked in the Tihar jail for a very long time. Sunil Gupta is known for his fantastic work in the field of prison reforms and overall administration. One of Sunil Gupta’s major achievements is starting Tihar’s first legal aid cell. Sunil Gupta is a recipient of India vision award for his contribution in the field of prison reforms. Sunil Gupta actually got a stable job in Indian Railways but he left the safety of that, instead he pursued his dream of donning the khaki uniform. In this process he became a jailer in the notorious place of Tihar.

Real and reel life Sunil Gupta

A strong aspect of the book is how Sunil Gupta along with Sunetra Choudhary presents the world of Tihar in a raw and gritty manner. There is no sense of artificially in the way Sunil Gupta has written about his encounters with controversial prisoners of various kinds. This includes Charles Sobhraj, Afzal Guru, Manu Sharma and some more.

A special mention must be made of how he describes the charisma and the power of Charles Sobharaj. The big reason for Sunil Gupta getting the job of a jailer was the recommendation of Charles Sobhraj. The huge influence that Charles Sobhraj wielded comes across strongly through the writings of both the authors.

Charles Sobhraj

Sunil Gupta’s description of both Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhatt is also very engaging. Talking about Maqbool Bhatt Mr Gupta says that he was highly educated and also pious. In fact Sunil Gupta used to practice English language skills with him. Following is a passage from the novel on Maqbool Bhatt.

 “It was very clear that Maqbool was a political prisoner and he was treated as one. Unlike others who would spend their time gossiping or trying to make trouble, all he did was read,” Mr Gupta writes in a chapter “The anatomy of hanging” (p.72). He described Bhatt as a victim of circumstances.

About Afzal Guru Sunil Gupta talks about how his attitude was different from the other prisoners regarding how they took execution. He writes that Afzal Guru began singing a Bollywood song while being informed about his execution. The song is ‘ Apne liye Jiye Toh Kya jiye, tu ji ae dil zamane ke liye’ (if you lived for yourself, you’ve hardly lived, live for the world). Afzal Guru claimed that he wasn’t a terrorist but had been labeled one. He added, ‘If I were a terrorist, I wouldn’t have ensured my child became a doctor.’

Sunil Gupta talking about Afzal Guru

Both the writers have presented the prisoners from a humanistic point of view. This is very visible in Sunil Gupta’s interactions with them. Another aspect of the novel is the message Sunil Gupta gives to jailers. He says they have a very important responsibility in bringing reforms and for that it’s important to have an empathetic attitude towards prisoners.

How the economic status of a prisoner plays a pivotal role in the jail has also come out well. If the prisoners are wealthy and have strong connections he can buy most things and these include air conditioners, food from hotels, women and more.

How the corruption is deep rooted across all levels of the prison has come out starkly. A good example of this is the case involving Kohli and his employer Pandher. They both were found guilty of rape and murder of a 14 year old girl. While Pandher was acquitted because of his rich background. Kohli a poor housekeeper on the other hand was hanged. This gives a very stark picture on how the rich can get away.

Final word: Black Warrant (Confessions of a Tihar Jailer Novel) is a must read just like the web series.

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Kamal Haasan (A Cinematic Journey): An amalgamation of Kamal’s craft and the influence of politics

Kamal Haasan (A Cinematic Journey)

This book written by noted film personality K Hariharan is not your conventional biography, it comes across as more of an academic study. For the many Kamal Haasan fans and serious movie buffs the book is a must read.

The filmography of Kamal Haasan is a delight for any true cinephile. The legendary actor has done so many versatile roles both in offbeat and mainstream cinema. Kamal’s penchant for experimenting with different get ups has enthralled his fans over decades. He has many admirers among different age groups and is still going strong. To pick up 40 plus movies out of his illustrious career is a very difficult task for any writer, but K Hariharan does a good job in selecting them which not only reflect Kamal Haasan’s craft but also the influence of politics.

Kamal Haasan in Nayakan

Kamal Haasan and K Balachander: A major highlight of the book is undoubtedly the chapters covering Kamal Haasan’s early movies with the legendary K Balachander. The role of K Balachander in shaping up Kamal’s career is immense and this comes across very strongly. K Balachander’s movies always had a socio political context.

The influence of the Dravadian moment in how K Balachander wrote his characters particularly the women coming across as very strong makes for a fascinating read. Topics of sexuality and the frustration of unemployed youth often found place in K Balachander’s cinema.

The characters which Kamal Haasan played were often surrounded by strong women making him a feminist symbol, this quality made him very endearing to the female audiences of various age groups.

Interpretation of lost and found themes: Another interesting aspect of the book is how K Hariharan looks at the lost and found themes in the movies of Kamal Haasan. A particular mention must be made of his analysis on Michael Madan Kamaraju released in the year 1990. This comedy of errors focuses on three siblings growing up in different places and finally reunited with their mother.

He compares Michael Madan Kamaraju to other famous Indian movies Amar Akbar Anthony (1977) and Raj Kapoor’s (Awaara) which also has the themes of lost and found. K Hariharan puts these movies in the context of many families losing their loved ones while fleeing borders during the tumultuous partition.

Kamal Haasan in Michael Madan Kamaraju

Mention must also be made of the chapter covering Kamal Haasan’s cross over hit Ek Duuje Ke Liye. The nervousness which Kamal Haasan went through (because it was his first Hindi film) while filming the movie and how it went on to defy many odds makes for a very good read. The success of Ek Duuje Ke Liye opened doors to Bollywood for the likes of K S Chitra and K J Yesudas. Interestingly you also had the likes of Lata Mangeskhar, Asha Bhonsle and Udit Narayan making a foray into Tamil and Telugu film industry as a reverse phenomenon.

Another interesting thing about the book is the analysis of Kamal Haasan’s commercial movies. K Hariharan looks at them as part of industrial products. Kamal Haasan viewed commercial filmmakers as simple and honest human beings not governed by philosophies either moral or ethical.

Talking about one of Kamal Haasan’s most political movies Hey Ram there is an interesting analysis on how the initial script was based on the character of Nathuram Godse. Later it became a fictionalized tale of an agonised Hindu wanting to kill Mahatma Gandhi as he suffers a personal loss during the partition. There is a detailed explanation of a scene involving Naseeruddin Shah playing the on screen Mahatma Gandhi. During the shooting in Ooty the musicians were rehearsing the hymn Vaishnava Jana Toh. As soon as Naseeruddin Shah walked in to the set as Mahatma the noisy location went silent and every one walked up to the old man to join in the prayers. K Hariharan describes how Kamal Haasan had Goosebumps all over his body.

Kamal Haasan’s natural flair for comedy has also come out well along with his passion for experimenting with different characters. One slight drawback of the book is that his two Telugu classics Swathi Muthyam and Sagara Sangamam needed more exploration. Even the chapter on Mani Ratnam’s Nayakan doesn’t give much insight except for the very famous breakdown scene.

Kamal Haasan in Swati Muthyam

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Animal’s People: A haunting account of Bhopal gas tragedy aftereffects through a fictional story and setting

The novel Animal’s People deals with many significant themes like abuse of human rights whether it is the people coming from the lower sections of society or the differently abled ones, the huge impact of environmental degradation and lastly resilience of human spirit enabling people to fight all odds among others. Indra Sinha truly deserves all the appreciation the book has got. Though first published in 2007 the novel still feels very relevant

Animal’s People Novel

The Bhopal gas Leak is one of the biggest tragedies in the history of mankind. Apart from the huge death toll the leak also led to survivors having major health problems like respiratory issues, blindness and other maladies resulting from exposure to toxic gas. Although many years have passed since then the horrors of that period can never be forgotten particularly for the residents of that area. The Bhopal Gas tragedy also had a major impact on both environment and economy of our country.

In 2023 Yash Raj Banners Produced a show called The Railway Men focusing on a few unsung heroes who put their lives at stake saving as many lives as they could on that fateful night. First time director Shiv Rawail did a terrific job in exploring the moral corruption within the political landscape like the chief of the union carbide factory getting away with his sins. The series also presented a realistic picture of the terrible aftereffects.

The Railway Men directed by Shiv Rawail

Indra Sinha’s 2007 novel on the other hand is set in the fictional city of Khaufpura, this place is home to a devasting gas explosion. It goes without saying the place of Khaufpura and the events there resemble the immense tragedy of the Bhopal Gas leak. Coming back to this novel the story focuses on a young man of 19 years. He was born just a few days before the explosion of chemical factory. This young man calling himself Animal walks on all fours with a twisted back. Although born with a terrible condition he never looks for sympathy, in fact he rejects all kinds of sympathy sprouting profanities for most part and obsessing about sex. His life undergoes a significant change with the entry of an American doctor called Elli. Elli wants to open a free clinic for the still suffering townsfolk. This is the brief outline of the very disturbing Indra Sinha novel.

A strong aspect of Animal’s people is how Indra Sinha has written the main character. There is an infectious energy with a never say attitude about this 19-year-old boy. He often becomes a narrator giving the readers an insight into the major divide between the have and have nots in the area of Khaufpura, this young man also represents the lives of many individuals whose life have undergone extreme changes because of the devastating catastrophes like this.

In spite of his language bordering on profanities on numerous occasions there is also a certain endearing quality to him. A lot of dark humor is generated with his character often leaving the viewers in splits. Good examples of the dark humor are the following lines

“Is it kind to remind a blind man that he could once, see? The priests who whisper magic in the ears of the corpses, they’re not saying, “Cheer up, you used to be alive.’ The juxtaposition of the devasting atmospherics and the dark humor has been wonderfully done by Indra Sinha.

Apart from his spunky nature the novel also does a very good in job in exploring how at times he is haunted by the ghosts of the past and a hidden desire to be loved.

As already mentioned, Indra Sinha’s Animal’s people also dwells into numerous socio-political themes. A very good example of this is about the difficulty in achieving social justice, how the government’s need to protect corporate companies makes things very complicated.

The environmental degradation and its terrible consequences also comes out very strong in Indra Sinha’s writings. The novel often feels like a wakeup call for the common man.

Another important part of the novel is the theme of identity. There are some occasions in the novel where our protagonist is seen struggling internally concerning his appearance as an animal however towards the end, he finally does make peace with it. This acceptance of his new identity comes out strongly in the line “Stay four- foot, “I’m the one and only Animal.”

For those who haven’t still read this excellent novel please do read it, Animal’s People is a must read for serious readers.

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Bahasaheb My Life with Ambedkar(Savita-Ambedkar): An insightful account of a legendary man beyond the shades of an activist and scholar

Dr Savita Ambedkar, his second wife, showcases the towering figure in a new light. The readers get to see a romantic side of him also through their conversations and letters

More often than not we see the second wives of major public personalities undergoing tribulations of different nature. They are looked upon as witches/devils by their followers. Dr Savita Ambedkar’s also faces the same fate. After the death of Dr Ambedkar she was severely ostracized by the followers of Ambedkar, malicious rumours were spread about her. An autobiography like ‘Bahasaheb My Life With Ambedkar’ translated in English by Nadeem Khan is a very important book in this context.

Dr Savita Ambedkar’s autobiography was first published in Marathi in 1990 and only after three decades it finally got translated into English. From what I gather from the forewords this huge gap shows the immense resentment that Ambedkar’s followers had for Savita (probably due to her savarna caste?) and the fear of publishers to attempt a translation. Why do followers who idolise a great man find it difficult to accept his second wife and her role in his life? It is not just about Savita, there are other women too.

Book cover Babasaheb My life with Dr Ambedkar

Ambedkar’s efforts to uplift the Dalit community and his fight against injustice is something that most people are aware of, but what makes this book special is that we see Ambedkar as a husband, a companion through the eyes of Dr Savita. A different shade of Ambedkar beyond his intellectual contributions comes strongly through her words.

A very important part of the book is their numerous private conversations and also the exchange of letters between them. These letters and conservations bring out Dr Ambedkar’s romantic side, how caring he was and the happy relationship they had. A particular mention must be made of the part related to sex. When Dr Ambedkar comes to know that Savita is not very keen on physical intimacy he jokes with her that his old age will be an advantage for her. He further says although he has sexual urges he will not force her to get intimate.

This part shows how respectful Dr Ambedkar was towards Savita and women in general. Special mention must also be made of the chapters where Savita talks about the different characteristics of her husband whether it is love for music, interest in arts, affection towards dogs and his ability in cooking some delicious food.

All these chapters make for a pleasant read as we get to see Dr Ambedkar as a normal human being too. His relationship with Savita happened during an extremely critical period of Indian history. Ambedkar was hugely engrossed in drafting India’s constitution working extremely hard in making sure that everything went right.

Because of old age Ambedkar was having certain health issues and Savita being in the medical profession proved to be very useful as she could take proper care of him. Also her ideals were the same as his, therefore intellectually too, according to the book, it was a satisfying marriage.

Whether one likes Savita or not the book must be read to know Ambedkar’s personal life as they are crucial years of his life and also his last years. 

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Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World: Genghis Khan and the Mongols in a different perspective

Writer Jack Weatherford goes beyond the popular perception of Genghis Khan as a ruthless man and a bloodthirsty nomad. He presents the warrior in a different light presenting him as a progressive leader who encouraged the right to one’s own religion belief among other aspects. The novel also touches upon the role of Mongol women as administrators

Jack Weatherford’s Genghis Khan and the making of the Modern World looks at the rise of Genghis Khan along with throwing light on the various aspects of the Mongol empire. Through his writings Jack Weatherford has touched upon the impact of Mongols in different parts of Asia and Europe.

From the very beginning the writer draws the viewers into the world of the Mongols and Genghis Khan. Genghis Khan’s gradual rise to power and glory has been excellently documented. Even before he reached the age of 10 the father was poisoned, and the family was excluded from the clan. They had to survive in an extremely harsh environment. Additionally, Genghis Khan was kept as a slave for many years.

Jack Weatherford has focused a lot on the formative years of Genghis Khan particularly his life as a slave, the military campaigns have been given less importance, but this isn’t a major flaw as we get a psychological insight into the warrior that Genghis Khan became in the future. The description of Mongol war tactics though not so detailed still makes for a fascinating read.

Genghis Khan and the making of the Modern World book banner

A noteworthy aspect about the novel is the description of the women by Jack Weatherford. The various women mentioned in the novel come across as strong personalities. At one point they practically run the empire. Yes, they do meet an unpleasant end but still the chapters related to these women are very engrossing giving an insight into the Mongol culture.

Another fascinating aspect of the book is how the Mongol innovations spread across boundaries. Connecting both the east and the west they were able to build a global economy and also an early modern globalization. In fact, many of the modern world features can be attributed to Genghis Khan and his followers.

The various aspects of the Mongol reign that include introduction of paper currency, tolerance towards subjects who practiced different religions also make the book very interesting. However, the many positive aspects of the Mongol reign may across as too patronizing for some readers making them question the authenticity.

Overall Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World is a must read for those who are into history particularly for those wanting to know the other side of Genghis Khan.

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The Naipauls of Nepaul Street: A moving memoir on a family of achievers

Savi Naipaul Akal does a wonderful job in documenting the hard beginnings of the Naipauls as second-generation indentured laborers in Trinidad.

The surname of Naipaul has become tantamount with Sir V.S. Naipaul easily the most famous member of Naipaul family. However, through this memoir Savi Naipaul Akal, the sister of V.S.Naipaul brings lot of new information. Apart from V.S. Naipaul there are two others in the family, brothers of V.S. Naipaul, Vidia and Shiva who are also writers. In fact, the love for writing can be traced to the father Seepersad Naipaul. Seepersad Naipaul wrote numerous journalistic pieces for the Trinidad Guardian along with a collection of short stories.

Savi Naipaul Akal the sister of V.S Naipaul brings lot of new information

These short stories successfully captured the various shades of Indian life in Trinidad. At that point Trinadad was a colony of the British crown. Seepersad Naipaul was very well known for his humor while addressing local problems. There is a deeply disturbing incident in the novel where Savi Naipaul talks about a rabies epidemic.

Seepersad Naipaul wrote numerous journalistic pieces for the Trinidad Guardian

Seepersad Naipaul received a letter telling him to sacrifice a goat for Kali Matha if he doesn’t want his family to become victim of the deadly curse. Naipaul was initially unfazed and responded in his usual humorous style, but soon was persuaded to perform the sacrifice. This led to a major mental breakdown as this was against his principles and he was never the same person after that. The portions about Seepersad Naipaul are easily one of the best chapters making readers feel the pain of the man.

The chapters focusing on the early life of Seepersad and his wife Droapatie are engrossing. Both of them were indentured laborers doing odd jobs; how they eventually got out of bonded labor building a better life for themselves and the children is very touching. Through this memoir Savi Naipaul also makes some sharp points about the cultural changes in Trinidad from a colony to an independent nation.

In fact, Trinidad becomes a major protagonist in the way Savi Naipaul describes the place and its inhabitants. The readers have a lived-in feel while reading the novel.

Savi Naipaul also comes as a strong individual no less than her brothers. The progressive outlook of Seepersad Naipaul and Droapatie in making sure that their daughters Savi and Kamala also get the same education and importance as their brothers is laudable. She also talks about the role of her mother in managing both the family finances and how V. S Naipaul used his mother as a source of information to better his writings. The word she uses here is ‘via savage interrogations’.

It is interesting to know that the home of Seepersad, Droapatie, V.S and Shiva Naipaul is now a heritage building with a plaque ‘The Naipaul House’.

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The Fisher Queen’s Dynasty: Another winner from Kavita Kane

This Kavita Kane’s novel is a must read for those who like reinterpretation of mythological characters. Like her previous ones here too the author has chosen a neglected female character, this time Satyavati

Starting from The Karna’s Wife: The Outcast Queen in 2013 Kavit Kane has written eight books so far. She has made a significant place herself by reinterpreting epics from the perspective of women who have been mostly neglected, case in point being Ravana’s sister Surpankha. As far as I know no other work has come on Surpankha keeping her as the main protagonist. Same applies to Menaka Apsara. Of course, like other writers who reinterpret epics Kavita Kane is also famous for adding her imagination like in the case of her first one. Nevertheless, she has engaged the viewers thoroughly with her writings.

Starting from Karna’s wife Kavita Kane has written eight books so far

As far I know no one else has written a book with Surpankha as the main protagonist

Coming to The Fisher Queen’s Dynasty the story traces the journey off Satyavati, from toiling away as a fisherwoman to becoming the wife of Shantanu. For those who don’t know Satyavati was the stepmother of Bhisma Pitamah. The story focuses on her ambitious nature and how her actions lead to a complex chain of events.

The characterization of Satyavati is in a way similar to Surpankha. Both the woman aren’t very likeable in terms of their actions but the readers don’t hate them completely either because of the psychological insight.

There is no denying that Satyavati is shrewd and cunning. In the process of securing the throne both for herself and the sons many lives are destroyed. However, beneath the shrewd demeanor there is also a broken woman. Due to the hardships faced from childhood she firmly believes that only power will get her respect. In order to maintain that power she keeps on making mistakes.

The equation between Bhisma and Satyavati also keeps the readers hooked. Bhism is the only person that Satyavati thrusts wholeheartedly, she constantly seeks him out. There are also hints of her having more than motherly affection when she gets jealous of Amba. There is an underlying animosity in the way Bhisma taunts Satyavati on certain occasions, but you also seen him admiring her inner strength.

Although The Fisher Queen’s Dynasty is primarily about Satyavati and Bhisma other characters also have their moments. Particularly mention must be of Amba a woman who desperately wants to marry Bhisma.

Overall, The Fisher Queen’s Dynasty is a wonderful exploration of Mahabharata from Satyavati’s perspective. As far as I know in simple English no other book has come on Satyavati as the main protagonist. Of course, the debate on what part of the book is imagination and how much is taken from the original text is never ending. But for those who like a mixture of both this is a must read.

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The Girl with the Seven Lives: Vikas Swarup delivers another engrossing page turner

The concoction of thrills and emotions make it a riveting read

Former Indian diplomat Vikas Swarup has had a fantastic start to his writing career. Both of his novels, Q&A, which was adapted into the movie Slumdog Millionaire, and Six Suspects, have been showered with praise. Six Suspects was made into a web series by Paan Singh Tomar director Tigmanshu Dhulia. A major reason for Vikas Swarup’s success is his ability in choosing plots that reflect different aspects of Indian society. The stories are thoroughly rooted in the Indian milieu making it relatable for the readers. 

With his latest The Girl With the Seven Lives the writer has again picked up a subject that effortlessly blends edge of seat thrills with a solid emotional graph. The central character of this novel Devi is a morally complex protagonist. She isn’t always likeable, some of her actions don’t fit the traditional compass of morality. However, we do not completely despise her because Vikas Swarup gives a psychological insight into her wretched past. The novel begins with a young woman Devi being held hostage by a dangerous man. He threatens to shoot her if she doesn’t talk about the 25 years of her life so far. Adding to Devi’s horror is an online auction, in this auction the person who bids the highest will determine her fate. Thus begins a long odyssey taking the readers on a rollercoaster ride. There are some shocking revelations keeping the readers thoroughly engrossed.

The Girl With the Seven Lives wastes no time in setting up the story. The very first chapter begins with the gruesome kidnap. The readers go through a lot of tension on the reasons behind the kidnap and  her eventual fate.

The plot thickens further with various attention-grabbing developments. Vikas Swarup’s writing of the various cities like Mumbai and Goa became a character in themselves. The dark underbelly beneath the shining glitter covers some important societal aspects. Whether it is the horrendous treatment of girls in observation homes, racket of fake degrees etc.

The bond between Devi and her dog Sheru also adds an emotional touch even if you aren’t a pet lover. As mentioned above Devi doesn’t fit into the traditional compass of morality but the readers also understand where she is coming from. Her childhood and teenage years are anything but happy. For example, her younger brother Sonu faces a brutal death due to a speedy BMW. A private hospital refused to treat him and a crooked cop showed zero empathy. Additionally, the elder brother is also unlawfully detained and the readers are given the impression of him being dead too. At one point a wealthy woman Devika takes an interest in Devi for her own selfish needs. She offers the comforts of a home pretending to be a kind person, but in actuality Devika just wants to use Devi as a subject to write an authentic novel about the poor. All these experiences shape up the person Devi grows up to be.

The readers root for Devi to come out safe from this ordeal. her journey through multiple identities and overcoming many obstacles give an important message on resilience.

(PS: Recently Vikas Swarup has talked about wanting Alia Bhatt to play central role of Devi if the book was made into a movie. Here’s hoping that his wish comes true.)

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Nenu Mee Bramhanandam: A Breezy Read For Both His Fans And Movie Buffs In General

The inner workings of the industry are kept to a bare minimum which is surprising given that he has a career span of almost four decades.

Comedy is a difficult art to master. Apart from timing spontaneous reactions to situations are also necessary. Bramhanandam has enthralled the audiences of different generations and has managed to stay relevant. The relevancy of Bramhanandam is easily visible in how his expressions are used as emojis in different situations of everyday life. Naturally there is lot of curiosity and excitement surrounding his autobiography. It recently came out both in Telugu and English as ‘Nenu mee brahmanandam’ and ‘Me Brahmanandam’ respectively.

Brahmanandam presenting his autobiography to Chiranjeevi

We all know that a comedian’s life need not be full of humour. It is never so. Nenu Mee Bramhanandam is no exception. The book covers different stages of Bramhanandam’s personal and professional life starting off from his life in poverty as a young child.

A significant incident in Bramhanandam’s childhood concerns the festival of Diwali. His father Nagalingachary could not afford to buy crackers for his children. But on one occasion when Bramhanandam was persistent about them his father took him along to borrow money from the local landlord. The observant child that he is he noticed his father’s hesitancy while asking for money. This incident made the young child understand the real meaning of poverty along with how to value money.

Bramhanandam’s bonding with his mother Lakshminarasamma also comes out strongly in the way the actor describes her. In one of the pages she gives an important advice to her son about how it is all right even if he doesn’t achieve anything significant in life; but don’t get into the wrong path, don’t get addicted to cigarettes and alcohol. He promised her never to touch them in life and kept it to this day. We are reminded of Gandhi’s mother here. Maybe most mothers give their sons the same advice but not all sons keep their word.

The other engaging chapters in the book are about the time of his studies and his period as lecturer. He recounts how different people helped him at different junctures and doesn’t forget to acknowledge them. Before becoming an actor Bramhanandam had participated in many mimicry shows. There was constant juggling that took a toll on his professional life as his fellow lecturers weren’t very understanding.

Coming to the acting career the chapters that particularly stand out are the ones related to the shooting of Kshana Kshanam and Money. He gives a good description about how the late Sridevi couldn’t control her laughter while shooting with him.

In the comedy thriller Money, Bramhanadam talks about how he was not very sure about playing Khan Dada in the film but still went ahead with it. Apparently the first copy of Money did not receive an encouraging response but the film went on to do big business along with immense appreciation.

Bramhanadam’s special love for late Jandhyala and EVV Satyanarayana can be seen on more than one occasion in the way he remembers them.

As for the disappointments –

One expected more insights into the treatment of comedy in Telugu Cinema. He could have shared his views on the use of slapstick comedy that often tilted towards the vulgar side. The inner workings of the industry are kept to a bare minimum which is surprising given that he has a career span of almost four decades.

Even about his latest film Rangamarthanda which brought him many accolades he touches about it only very briefly. After acting as a comedian in 1200 films he was doing a serious role for almost the first time. He himself said many people are referring his career now as before and after Rangamarthanda. Still he did not elaborate much on such an important shift in his career.  

His belief in God was expressed in almost every sentence. Of course belief in god is an individual choice but to attribute every incident to the almighty was a little overdoing. A crisper edit would have made the book more readable. 

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Ready To Fire: More Compelling Than The Movie

Ready to Fire co-written by Nambi Narayan himself is a book that leaves you with many thoughts much like the movie Rocketry which was released earlier this year. It makes us think about the heavy price that Nambi Narayan had to pay, because of his hefty dreams. It also makes us angry towards those who framed him as a traitor, and built up a false case against him. However, there is one major difference between the movie and the book. There is no denying that Madhavan’s directorial was a touching account of the brilliant scientist, but the book is definitely crisper. The book has two aspects. One is his scientific journey, and the other is the trials and tribulations he faced both professionally and personally. The chapters involving his wife are less but they still move you. Also there is less of technical jargon compared to the movie Rocketry.

In a nutshell, Ready to Fire covers the various aspects of ISRO spy case, Narayan’s development as a scientist and the passion that he had for his pet project Vikas among other things. This project Vikas played a major role in the PSLV and GSLV success later on. The book also touches upon the power struggle between Left v/s Congress in a subtle but impactful way.

The book is 350 pages but we don’t feel the length much. Ready to Fire is interesting for those who are not so much into science as well, because beneath the science it is a moving human story. Don’t know who has written more pages but the writing style of both Nambi Narayan and also Arun Ram keeps you engrossed.

One of my favourite chapters in the book is regarding the evolution of ISRO. The journey of ISRO from the inception to its present is filled with many interesting details. These anecdotes give a different dimension to the book. They are both hilarious and stunning.

The chapters involving the police investigation is painful to read, but there is also a fair amount of sarcasm in the way Nambi Narayan writes about the obvious loopholes in the case registered against him. You can clearly tell that police were under a great deal of pressure to prove that Nambi Narayan was indeed a traitor.

As said earlier the chapters involving his wife are less, but you are not likely to forget her. Her animal like cry on seeing her husband after a long time is easily one of the most disturbing parts in the book. She suffers a severe psychological condition leading to depression also. Finally she comes out of it with the help of her husband.

There is a part in the book where Nambi and his wife step out after a long time to attend a reception. During lunch Nambi gets a call that he has been declared innocent by the Supreme Court of India. At last justice is done. We feel immensely happy.

Lastly the bond of Nambi Narayan with Vikram Sarabhai and Abdul Kalaam also makes an interesting read.

Ready to Fire is a story of human spirit that one shouldn’t miss reading. Both the book and the movie should definitely be on your bucket list.

https://www.primepost.in/ready-to-fire-more-compelling-than-the-movie/