Book Reviews - Dozen Pebbles Washed Ashore by Life
Book Review - 52 Red Pills
Review – Tiki Taka – a movie that would touch your heart
The intro scene of this feel good comedy film #TikiTaka starts with a girl and a boy reaching out to Raju bhai who is a taxi driver in Kolkata. They enquire about “Khelechi”. He gets worried thinking that the people were from police department. He then gets convinced and starts speaking about Khelechi Agchubi.
You heard it right. May be for the first time ever, you get
to see the lead role being performed by an African. Khelechi lands in India
with a football package. All he was told is to handover the package to PK’s man
at Gate No.4
The expressions of Khelechi is simply superb. He enacts
really well as to how one would feel being lost in a different country and also
chased by police. This is where he meets Raju Bhai who picks him up from the
airport.
Prankrishna Dan aka PK is the feared underworld drug lord.
Bonolata Sen aka Bonny is the heroine of this movie. She
works in the Press as a reporter and has her own ambitions.
Raju Bhai’s proficiency in English would make you laugh. In
one instance, he asks Khelechi “Why..Run your back”, “What inside bag”.
Though Khelechi and we (as the audience) could understand the language, the
usage of such funny language makes you feel light. Khelechi is no less. He
interprets what Raju speaks as it is. On one occasion, Raju says “If I can’t
pull you out of this hole, my name is not Raju Bhai” for which PK responds
“Is your name not Raju Bhai?”.
There are few short duration songs as well in this movie
which is meaningful and compliments well to the story. I particularly liked “I
landed from Africa”.
Just after one of the
songs, Raju Bhai meets Bonny. He makes his own story about Khelechi saying he
is a top football player from Youth World Cup and has landed in Kolkata just to
play a match and promises to arrange an interview for Bonny with Khelechi. He
becomes popular across Kolkata and fans from two teams Young Bengal and Notun
Bagan starts arguing among themselves claiming that Khelechi would play for
their team. While all of these were happening, Khelechi was literally unaware
of his popularity.
When things were falling in place, Khelechi gets kidnapped. Raju bhai hatches a plan to rescue him.
Did his #GoalMaal worked out this time?
Did he manage to rescue Khelechi?
Did Khelechi manage to play the football?
If yes, which team did he represent?
Watch the movie Tiki Taka
which is a laughter riot and has proved beyond any doubt that a quality movie
doesn’t need a big budget but just the right story with good supporting actors
who can live the character and do the justification to the story as well as for
the movie.
For many such amazing movies, you may download the ZEE5 app and enjoy it during your leisure time or during travel. Beat the boredom now!!
Book Review - Narasimha : The Maha Avatar Trilogy(Book 1)
Title - Narasimha : The Maha Avatar Trilogy(Book 1)
Author - Kevin Missal
Genre - Myths, Legends & Sagas
Publisher - Harper Collins India
ISBN - 978-93-5357-076-7
We all would have heard/read about the story of Prahalad, when we were a kid. There were movies made in various languages as well. Yes, we do know the story but what this book conveys is the same story in a different and fresh approach. Yes, an approach which would make it even more realistic to the present day. As we get to see lot of advancement in our day to day life, it is imperative for us to get accustomed to it and rewrite some of our long standing legends and myths in such a way, that it appeals to the younger generation. Kevin did just that and he did it really well.
If you have read his previous "Kalki" series, you by now would have read this book as well as Book 2 - "Hiranyakashyap". He has clearly mentioned in the very beginning that it is not the accurate tale of Lord Narasimha but has interpreted it in his own style which makes it an interesting read.
Anghrad is the brother of Prahalad but is not as good(read it as soft-hearted) as him. Andhaka is their cousin. Hiranyakashyap, the deadliest king appoints Prahalad as an interim king since he had other unfinished business. They were assisted by Kalakeyas and Poulamos. They were in the quest of acquiring Soma drink from the Devas headed by Lord Indira. The other major target was to get hold of Pashupatastra.
Narasimha, the lead character or the protagonist was too tired to fight the war. He is supported during the times of war by Nagas and Simhas. Narasimha during one of the fierce battle kills Andhaka. However, he comes back ALIVE later. How did he do that?
Also, he wanted to fight the battle for himself and NOT for his uncle? He was least bothered about Pashupatastra. What was his aim/target? He was hell bent against eliminating Lord Bhairav. Why?
Hiranyapur , Kashyapuri, Sonitpur - Places you would find in the story.
Some other characters in the novel:
Dhriti - red haired girl. Was she a part of Vishnusena?
Holika - mother like figure for Simhika who was in love with Viparichit (Prahlad’s Royal Guard).
This novel will keep you captivated from the beginning till the end. If you haven't read Kevin's earlier books, you must read this so that you would understand that his stories are worth the hype.
This book is available on Amazon and all other leading stores, online and offline.
Book Review - MYTHS of OLD
What should I say about this book?
I am dumbstruck with the sheer brilliance of the book. It
would give you a feel of watching the movies like “The Lord of The Rings” and
the ever-popular tele-serial called “Super Natural”
I also do not use this statement “Value for Money” that often
but for this book, it would perfectly fit the tag line.
Why?
Firstly, it is a great story.
Secondly, the volume. Yes. The story runs for close to 600
pages which means it would take not less than 2 days (if you are a speed
reader) to finish reading it and for normal/slow readers, almost a week.
Here, you should note that the volume is close to 600 pages
(572 pages to be precise) after the editing. So the actual story would have
been not less than 1,000 pages. What a work…
I must give you a word of caution here that you may not get
to remember all the characters in the very beginning as there are way too many.
If you have a good memory, it is well and good else I would recommend you to
take notes. I did the latter not because I have a bad memory but I wanted to go
with the flow rather than getting stuck somewhere in the middle.
The story begins with Dhananjay - hunter & the holder of
Keeper Piece. He gets followed by a stench smell though he could not figure out
what it is all about since his wife Era was with him. They were in search of
their son Wodan.
What happened to him?
Then there is this demon Chaya who comes as a
messenger of Asag (very powerful demon which is hell chained) seeking help from
Adri.
Below are some of the characters/names you might want to
remember:
Horsemen of Old – who
cannot be killed
Horsemen of the Apocalypse- Death
Kaavsh
Merkan – an angel gets killed by own men
Gael & Virgil - Executioner & Redeemer
MYTH
Maya
- Ardak’s(Spider King) descendent
Daan
- The Whisperer. Maya learns shadowblink from him.
Aki Asu - Shade (like Maya & Daan)
Darkness
Maya
leans shadow blink technique from Daan. She was too good for him.
Adri Sen – the protagonist of the story and the son of Victor Sen who is the
first and the only one to break out the unbreakable Bagchi prison.
Initially, he was a prisoner along with Gray(Spider Lord),Fayne
& Zabrielle. They were held
as prisoners by Sentinent who has promised to help them.
Then there was something which Zabrielle was
hiding.
What was Zabrielle hiding?
Even before Adri could figure this out, she gets kidnapped.
By who? Motive?
Captain Brahms - Leader of the Sentinent
Farzaaya - Demon title given on one’s deeds. One could not pick one’s own
Farzaaya. 100’s of them. Adri asks for a chalk to summon someone. Why did he
insist on using the chalk and who did he summon?
While they go searching for Zabrielle, they
heard of someone from a forbidden place who could help them out with some
crucial information. Hence, they visit Moonless Dilhi where Martial law was
imposed by The Faces.
It
is from here; the story takes a lot of twists and turns which would keep you
captivated until the end. There is no dearth for unexpected events. The flow
was picture perfect. Like I said in the very beginning, the story gives you the
feel of old and the new ideas comprising The Serpent, The Dragon, The
Tantric, The Horseman, The Blade Saint, The Demigod, The Dark Master
coupled with Hammer of Numen and the Paladins of Light.
I
am also doubly sure that this story could make it to small/big screen if it
finds the right person who is willing to produce and direct and would be no
less than the movie/serial, I have mentioned in the beginning.
India’s
answer to J.R.R.Tolkien is here……
This book is available on Amazon as eBook and Paperback formats.
Book Review - One Day, Life Will Change
Author - Saranya Umakanthan
This is an excellent and an inspiring fiction novel from Saranya Umakanthan. The protagonist of this novel is Samaira Ranjan. She gets married to Ashish initially and was having high hopes of having a happy and an everlasting married life but was short lived.
She gets abused verbally and physically which prompts her to apply for divorce. When she reaches home with this news(since she did not reveal it to her parents), she gets another major blow. The series of unfortunate events/incidents that happens after this reminded me of a Tamil proverb:
Author Focus - Dr Kavita Bhatnagar(Author of the book "Second Chance")
1.What motivates you to write?
My motivation for writing comes from a desire to
express my thoughts. Writing is something which comes naturally to me and I
enjoy it. It is a medium to connect with people and hence
it is an
enriching experience . It is also something which gives me my 'me' time - it is
something that gives me serenity and bliss both. It also becomes a stress
buster . It is a channel to voice my observations about society and
relationships . All these are the motivating factors behind writing.
2. How did you feel after publishing your books?
There is a sense of satisfaction after publishing my books. Publishing is a corollary to writing. One of the reasons behind writing is to make it reach to people. Publishing makes that possible. It is a logical culmination of an author's journey. It also opens up a whole new world of opportunities in various forums . It is a fulfilling experience.
3. What are some of your favourite novels and authors?
Having been a student of literature, some of my favourite books and authors are from the classics. I have a fondness for all of Thomas Hardy's works- sp Tess of the D'ubervilles. His characters feel alive even today and the environment that he builds becomes part of the plot itself. Charles Dickens' Great Expectations is another immortal novel . The story of Pip binds you and gives you so many life lessons. Among contemporary writers , I have enjoyed Jhumpa Lahiri a lot, specially The Namesake. The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy was a wonderful read too.
4. Is there a specific reason for naming your novel?
Second Chance revolves around the theme of life giving a second chance for love to the main character Ragini. Moreover , she is also determined to get this second chance . Hence it was an apt title.
5. Where do you write from? Do you go to some specific place, like beach side or the hills?
I normally write from home , on weekends. Sometimes I write when I'm on vacations and can find a relaxed atmosphere to create. I attended a writers's retreat in Rishikesh last year and realized that these workshops are a good way to rejuvenate one's skills. Since I have a full time job , taking breaks is not so easy and I have to weave writing in my daily routine.
6. What inspired you to write the books(in general)? Any tales to tell…
The inspiration to write comes from a desire to express my observations and to make people think about changing society and issues. But most of all I think its a desire for self fulfillment.
7. What was your biggest learning experience throughout the writing process?
The biggest learning in this entire process is that where there is a will there is a way. Despite time constraints , I have written this novel. Despite initial No by publishers I could ultimately find one . Despite the Pandemic situation, I could have a proper launch and a good event - the way I wanted. So all these just show the importance of not giving up in life.As is rightly said, when you want something from your heart, the whole universe conspires for you to get it.
8. Looking back, what did you do right that helped you break in as a writer?
I think I believed in myself and in my words. That honesty is very important to make a project successful. Also as I said, I did not give up. Perseverance is a another good virtue that results in success.
9. Any best piece of writing advice that you would like to share with new or struggling writers?
From what I can tell from my experience so far is that it is very important to first get the story out. It can be rebuilt, edited , reshaped later but at first attempt , just maintain the flow of thoughts and focus on reaching the end. One may get stuck in between but resolution does come and the quicker one is in finishing the first draft , the better it is. There are many tools and techniques available to writers today but the best way still is to write from your heart. That will never let one down.
10. Something personal about you people may be surprised to know?
It may surprise people to know that I write both in Hindi and English and both poems and prose. Words and language are a medium and should not be a deterrent.
11. Any future books that you would like to discuss now?
Yes I have 2 ideas in my mind that I am developing. Writing comes after thinking. So right now I'm in the thinking stage ! Both are works that again focus on relationships but in a different manner. More on this later.
12.What other profession excites you the most?
My own profession - that of an Indian Revenue Service is exciting . It has multiple avenues to excel in- for eg a technical side, a legal side , an enforcement side and an administrative side. very few professions offer such a varied spectrum of roles and I'm fortunate that I have completed 24 years in this service.
13.Any special mention about your reader (be it with reviews/feedback or anything else)
A reader is very important for the writer
because ultimately a book is written for the reader. Its vital for a book's
success that the reader relates to the story and to the characters. Hence all
details about the characters specially should be conveyed to the reader so that
they are able to visualize it all clearly. The bond between the writer and the
reader is a very special one and i thank all my readers who have read Second
Chance and liked it.
14.Do you write the story at a stretch or you take your time to complete it? If you take a longer time, wouldn’t you be forgetting the story? How do you tackle it?
Much as I desire to write a story at a stretch , it is not so simple. I have written Second Chance in two phases itself. One has to ensure that the flow is not broken. So at times when I am not writing, I make my notes and use them later. While at times it is difficult to resume with the same though process that one may have left it at, the art lies in going back to that same thoughts and resuming it. This is a key challenge of writing.
15.Traditional or Self-Publishing? Why?
Traditional publishing . Because that's how it was meant to be. It there is merit in writing it will be picked up sooner or later. Self publishing is as the name suggests for self! So I believe in the old school and the platform that traditional publishing gives to a book is immense.
16.How is the response so far for the book?
Its just one week since the book released. The
response has been good. Its figuring on the too hot new releases in Amazon.
Readers have called me to say that they have not been able to put it down and
its quite a page turner. The reviews on Amazon also say that the plot is
engaging and the characters relatable. I think the books gives strong messages
about the right of a woman to make her choices , her decisions and I thank the
readers for appreciating that.
Dr Kavita Bhatnagar's review of Second Chance can be found here
Book Review - wine for breakfast
Title - thank you for holding me
when I fell apart
writing this book was the
best thing that I could
do to myself
Title - gallery
I offered to you
an entire exhibition
of my body
but you chose
a street art like her
The above lines are an excellent way of expression which shows the feminine character but the same time exhibits the helplessness situation of the person(read it as girl/protagonist).
Title - pick the right book ,chills - shows the inner desires or should I call it dark desires? Do give more attention to these poems.
Title - project, slut - helpless situation of the person being exploited for the desire of the other. This poem is a classic example of "Strong over week"
Title - demonic carols - sophisticated. Author has played with words which is like a rhythm that sounds like a song despite being a poem...
Title - Illustrations - though simple yet elegant
Title - covert bushes - I dream about me
in your arms
instead of her
about me in between
your lips
and not her
Each and every poem is certainly a class apart. They show the wider perception of the author who showed a great variation which is really noteworthy.
Title - Institutionalization- brilliant prose.There are only a few prose in the book and the rest are poems.
Title - dear bully - is one of the hundreds and thousands of untold stories of sorrow/torture faced by girls while they were in school.
Title - the breakfast club - this poem was short & sweet.
Title - That is love - this poem is splendid with a special mention to the ending lines.
Title - prioritize - it’s like hitting on bull’s eye.
Title - a slap - is a slap for those who indulge in domestic violence and talks about it in
Title - Rally, fragile - brilliant poems
Title - at the movies - is like a short story.
Title - literary romance 2 - is my favorite poem among all. This is the actual poem:
fall in love
with a writer
who can love you
with words and
kiss you with poetry
Poems in this book have emotional connect & appeal. If you love poems, this book is something you wouldn't want to miss. It took little over 2 hours for me to read the book in full. I thoroughly enjoyed reading them all. The main theme is "LOVE" and most of the poems are centered around this but like I have mentioned earlier, each and every poem is unique - be it with words or the message it tries to convey. It is surprising to hear that this is the first book by the author.
This book is available on Amazon in both Paperback and eBook format. Available for FREE, if you have a Kindle Unlimited plan.