I am not an avid reader. Hardly read one or two books in a year.
My appetite for movies and music leaves me no time for books (not that I regret it!)
So I try not to waste all that effort in anything less than a blockbuster :D
Had read 5 point someone last year. Decent.
One of my friends suggested the next book by the author; and I did read it.
Uh-oh…big mistake! Not my kind of book. No dark humour, or crafty writing could save something as weak as that. So, completely ‘blown’ away by this book, I needed something to get me back into the reading habit. Let’s say to get me believing that there’s something good in the literary world that remains(!). So I go to this book shop, gaze around and after almost an hour later I spotted a huge bulky book by the name Shantaram. Read the outline of the plot; interesting!
Picked it up, paid and walked out.
That was almost 3 months back. Excuse me but that’s how fast I read.
I finally completed the 900 pages long book.

I am not quite sure if it fits the good-in-the-literary-world bill, but what the heck, I was bluffing anyway! It may not be the one that would pull you out of the pits in your life, but this tale of strength and will packs such a mixture of all things good and dark that it’s almost unbelievable. The fact that this is true is all the more exciting. Even if you prefer the pot boiler thrillers, this one’s not going to disappoint you.

I personally have been a fan of gangster movies both in hollywood and bollywood (the ones that qualify). But in no movie I have seen the Mumbai underworld in the light as shown in this book. (Sorry, I have to draw my comparisons from movies, as I said, I do not read much!). It’s not the unscrupulous, cruel goons that you come across, but they are depicted just the same way as anyone you might meet in your normal life, men of values, men of wisdom. Just that their perspective of right and wrong and where they draw the line being different (this being one of my all time favourite subjects to debate on!).
But above all, I must admit that what I found most refreshing about the book was the picture of India. No turban wearing poeple, no 'rich' cultural heritage crap, no Indiana Jones temple of doom treatment (Don't get me started on this movie; it's infuriating to even think about it!). And what more, the Indians in this book are (thank god for that) not NRIs! Wowee Powee! It's the India we all know...and the kind of poeple we are familiar with. Oh what a relief. I’ll say no more…spoilers are sinful :)
Heard it would be made into a hollywood movie soon; with Depp in the lead (OMG!!!!). Finally a movie worth waiting for.
Strongly recommended read.

Posted by Sat at 10:14 PM
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