Monday, May 12, 2014

Drama Queen - Suchitra Krishamoorthy

There's no doubting this. Suchitra K can write. Here she vents it all in a work of true fiction based on her real life. She chooses one angle, gets very honest about it, tells it in a tone that;s funny and not heavy, perhaps spices it a bit and cooks up a readable dish. But just barely because it hinges dangerously on - is she okay or is she crazy kind of a feeling you get. My one big complaint is that if someone can write so well, she could do much better to invest in topics that give her more scope to explore this talent of hers deeper.

So we take off with a depressed Suchitra, suffering from a Aphallatosis (a rare mental disorder arising from lack of sex) single mother, daughter of a supportive father and domineering mother, sibling of the smart and beautiful brother and sister (one sister she downplays). She is alone, has no men, wants breastless hugs (she is hugging women all the time in case you wondered),  is stuck with two girlfriends who make her feel worse, a shrink who is trying to rip her off. She proposes to all and sundry, single men who can take care of her - Ram Gopal Varma, Karan Johar, Nagesh Kukunoor. Finally she gets sex with the one breastless wonder in her life, Pankaj, and that sorts her life out forever. Of course he is married so there is no marriage anymore but she's back. Now tell me, is this all true? Ok, I know the true facts, but what about the rest?

(What is a true work of pure fiction? Or a fictional memoir? Is it true or made up? I know some parts are true but which parts are not.)

It if funny in a sad manner because it appears from the way the book swings, high and uncontrollable at times, that her problems do seem real. However I am not too concerned about her sufferings, imagined and real, as I am about the way her life seems to have zipped by while all this writing, singing, painting talent was left unexpressed (perhaps). She pokes fun at herself, her mom, her dad, her friends.

Its nothing I identify with though, her concerns, her problems, her take on a life without beauty or pedigree. But I do identify with her writing and her need to get this out of the way. Would I recommend it? I don't know. It moves fast, she writes well, its fun in a sort of a black, self-deprecating manner. On the other hand the story is going nowhere, her concerns appear too frivolous for us middle class readers, and the odd big names do not help too much in spicing things up. It's 6 on 10, mainly because its an easy read, its honest in a way. But despite my middle-of-the-road review, Suchitra, write more. I'd read your stuff anytime. You're fun and honest and can poke fun at yourself - all of which I like. UGG for that.

No comments: