A Suitable Boy ( 2020 )

 It took about a month and a half to watch the six episodes of 'A Suitable Boy' by Vikram Seth adapted for Netflix by Mira Nair. Probably I read the 1200 odd pages of the book in lesser time. But that was a different time from a different world.

Infact, I read ' An Equal Music' first. In 1999 it was the toast of the literary world. The next novel from the author of 'A Suitable Boy' , it was supposed to be a classic instantaneously. However, I was disappointed by both the story and the number of pages it took to tell it. However the prose flowed like poetry and I wanted to read the previous book as well. And I loved it.

'A Suitable Boy' is a book of multi-dimensions and tells the story of the selection of a suitable boy for Lata. However simple it may sound with that one line, the story weaves itself across the landscape of India in the initial years of Independence when the country was trying to get on its own feet and walk.

" Mad bird, for God's sake let me sleep

Why do you cry like one possessed?
When will you rest? When will you rest?

Why wait each night till all but I
Lie sleeping in the house, then cry?

Why do you scream into my ear
What no one else but I can hear? "

So recites Amit - one of the suitors of Lata. He writes it thinking of her. In a way, its a comment on the women of India who have their husbands picked out for them all the time. In Suitable Boy also Lata choses the wise man over the passionate one. 


No matter, this is about the TV adaptation. The book, I remember, was commented to be a love story with little love in it. Mira Nair goes all out to show it off as a love story with the material she had. Which is all the better as otherwise it will become a harsh commentary on the way we chose husbands for the women of this country.

The 1950s were a dreamy period when the country was full of hope , the politicians had an inch of decency in them and the great nation-building program was in progress. However, the harsh reality was the upliftment of the poor and the communal poison that was injected into the soul of the country during partition (which has come to roost now!). The TV series touches these a little over the course of telling the story. 

But the primary thread is Lata trying to chose between the three suitors in front of her - her mom's favorite - Haresh , the poet - Amit and her passionate love - Kabir. The sub plot is that of Maan - her brother-in-law and his infatuation with the courtesan, Saeeda. The multiple threads are brought to an end at the end to the satisfactory conclusion.

What I liked about the adaptation is the lightness with which the story is told. Knowing the complex societal mores in India, the story moves along a simple path of following the way Lata is being pulled by everyone to chose their favorite and she making up her mind for her future happiness rationally. 

What the book is not is a commentary on the mores of the Indian society as a whole. By showing the events as it happens the adaptation becomes the commentary of the same. The book written in 1993 has subtly touch on a whole lot of things which have sadly become more relevant in today's India - caste , religion and the combustible mixture of politics into it. Although we do not hear any comments on these , the fact that they are there is enough to make you aware of it and be embarrassed.     

In the end, it is an absolutely entertaining adaptation with the right cast and the right director. A little bit of nostalgic watching and feel good about a story well-told in screen. 


The Civil Servant - musings on the American presidential Election

One of the effects of the politicization of Sibi was the eagerness with which he went out to vote. He turned 18 this year and so was super eager to be part of the election. The political awakening he is going through helped in terms of going enthusiastically about registering for vote , the mail-in ballot procedures and then finally casting the vote. Knowing him, I can say safely that he doesn't do it if he is not really interested in doing it.  

This is the first election in which Sibi casted his vote. And he wanted his candidate to win. We had a lot of conversations around the Indian-American candidates in the field and how and why so many of them are the right wing bots in the Democrat party. Hence, he was not fully convinced about Kamala's ( even now) affiliation to the cause he supports but he went ahead and casted the ballot holding his nose.

However, what I wanted to write about was the ( almost ) month-long charade of the election results tamasha being run by the outgoing President - Trump. In a way , I was a little sad about the complete entertainer going off the stage and handing it over to the most boring candidate I've seen in a while. 

Seriously though what impressed me is the way the American institutions handled the onslaught of the intimidation and the exhibition of raw political power. Knowing what happens in our democracy, it is with a jealous eye that I was witnessing the strength with which the last civil servant was standing up against the mighty president and his cohorts. 

There was no hesitation to do the duty and the numerous examples of the government workers in the ballot counting centers going about their duty while the mob was thirsting for blood outside and still was able to announce the results without fear says something about the strength of the process and the people who ensure to carry out those processes.

Irrespective of their party affiliation, the state level officials ( elected and others) were standing on the side of the law and ensured that the results cannot be questioned. Constitution was paramount and there is no questioning the established law - for any one person or for fear of the person. 

It is something to see the Indian rightwing going nuts over the American election. Thats not something you see often. Mostly, they cannot understand how these 'little' men can stand against the ' O! mighty one! '.

Of course, the career politicians in US showed how they can be bent against the law or for spreading fake news/rumors or for dog-whistling the supporters etc. Infact, the Republican senators and Congressmen behaved exactly like the counterpart servile politicians of India. There is no policy or anything, just a bunch of fake nationalist cult worshippers , more intent on being in power than doing anything for the people or the country.   

Ultimately, the clerks in the election offices, the state election commisions , the city/county/state level politicians , the media to an extent showed what can be done if they grow a spine and stand up for 'something'. The lowly , often-abused civil servant saved the democracy in USA by just doing his duty without fear. 

கீழடி அருங்காட்சியகம்.

உலகம் முழுவதும் இருக்கும் பல அருங்காட்சியகங்களுக்கு சென்றிருக்கிறேன். நியூ யார்க், கத்தார், துபாய், வாஷிங்டன், லாஸ் ஏஞ்சல்ஸ் போன்ற நகரங்களின...