Ordeal By Innocence

Another Agatha Christie classic but my enjoyment was marred by knowing the plot in advance, that too from its picturised version viewed quite sometimes back. So I could not enjoy the flavour of the mystery very much though the thrilling ending in the signature Christie style could glue me tightly to the final chapters that once more revealed to me the mastery of Christie's writing! That I knew the criminal didn't matter much in the final chapters but the sheer way of presentation kept me enthralled to the very end. Still I must say that the ending was rather poor compared to other Christie novels that I'd read though I'll recommend this again and again to mystery lovers for its surprising twist.
The storyline is itself a new one where we find a young boy, previously accused of murdering his foster mother, being given a free pardon after two years based on a very late evidence. But it was too late in the sense that the boy had died while in jail. So though the family was in one hand pleased at having the truth unveiled but the cloud of suspicion also engulfed them as it was obvious that the murder was an inside job, given the time and condition of the event. Thus as the case reopened once again, the members of the family starts doubting each other and the pain and anguish become apparent in the conversations that covers the most part of the story. Fresh evidences are sought out and the whole aspect is considered from a different point of view. Some tries to unearth the actual criminal and thus becomes a threat to the murderer. Some tries to keep the past in the dark and thus becomes obstacles in the path of truth. Thus the web is formed and readers will find this complex situation well handled by the author. This is more of a psychological battle between the good and the evil and the phrase 'innocent must not suffer' ultimately prevails. A very complex plot and enjoyable to those who loves psychological plots.

Sadhu Babar Lathi

Based on a novel by Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay, the movie is the most poorly directed that I ever saw in a Nandan II premiere. Added to this are the unnecessary overacting and the slow pace of the movie. The only thing that deserves mention is the quality of the songs that is not only rich in melody but the lyrics of each one is both simple and appealing.

Sonar Kella

Maybe this book (or maybe Joy Baba Felunath, actually both came in a single gift package from my parents) was my first introduction to Feluda but this time as I read it on the eve of my proposed holiday to Rajasthan, the excitement was of a new type. Not only did I choose this book just to savour the adventure but also to have a glimpse of Rajasthan in Satyajit Ray’s eyes so that I can match it during my travel. Probably Jaisalmer and its Fort were made famous to the average Bengali by Ray only after publishing this book. And also he must be the only person in India to successfully christen an age old Fort to a new name that his imaginative brain provided observing the golden texture of the same. To tell about the story will do injustice to the millions and millions of Feluda fans who surely will never forget this story though it may not be a favourite one for them. One can never forget the adventure following the little Mukul’s tales of his previous life and precious stones. Then there was the failed attempt to kidnap Mukul and thereafter begins the race between Feluda and the miscreants. In this, several suspicious characters are introduced and it is upto Feluda to undo the mask of decency from the face of the villains. This novel is not only famous for its storyline and its later filming but in this story Ray introduced the character of Lalmohan Ganguly aka Jatayu, the thriller novelist and thus was struck a lifelong friendship between Feluda, Topshe and Jatayu. Just one point to further note is that in the sketches of this book Lalmohan is far from chubby and only after the filming of Sonar Kella and Santosh Dutta’s renowned performance as Jatayu in it did Ray modify his sketch to make Lalmohan’s figure more to correspond that of Santosh Dutta. The climax of the story is inside the Fort and while reading this those who have viewed the movie surely could never resist comparing it from the movie version.

C Kkompany

The story of three losers and friends, one a crime reporter Akshay Kumar who is betrothed to the daughter of an underworld Don and dreams of settling in Dubai, second the retired Joshi who is considered to be a burden by his son and his family and third is Lambodar, whose height and self-esteem both seems to be the obstacle to his dream of reaching for the sky. These three hatch upon a plan to extort money from Joshi’s son, Purushottam by way of threatening him on phone in the guise of an emerging underworld gang. To enhance the effect they shoot a video in Akshay’s camcorder where Joshi acts as the hooded hostage whom Lambodar feigns to kill. They names the gang C company. This not only terrorizes Purushottam but the CD is misplaced and is telecasted over the whole country that alarms both the underworld and also the corrupt police forces. Meanwhile these three also starts to intimidate the corrupt officials and promoters by threatening phone calls and thus helps the common man who labels the gang as the Robinhood of underworld. TV shows are organized and the whole country seems divided in their opinion of the operations of this gang. The Don is also excited as one of his pubs is forced to close and so he also sets on the trail to finish off the leaders of C company. Though the climax is not so interesting but the final twist near the end is nice. As to the acting, the best part is done by Rajpal Yadav and Raima Sen is nice in her side role and never crosses her defined boundary to gain attention as the case is for several other actors of recent times. But Mithunda is not so correct in his characterization and at time overacts.

Mumbai Meri Jaan

It portrays the triumph of a city’s spirits in the face of terror. The film picks up representatives of certain classes of people, the principled corporate personnel, the professional journalist, the apparently corrupt policeman, the easy going shopkeeper and the idle supplier whose philosophy of life is challenged following the fateful day when serial bomb blasts ripped through Bombay railways and sent various emotions in the minds of the survivors and the other citizens. The film is truly based on how these five struggles to lead a normal life following the mental trauma and shock following the incident. Though the theme of the movie is based on bomb blast but the film chants the promise of life through mutual belief, courage, repentance and love of the city and the country. The chief characters are played by K.K. Menon, Paresh Rawal, Irfan Khan, Madhavan and Soha Ali Khan and I don’t any other could have done better in portraying the respective roles.

Tarnikhuror Kirtikolap

The content is as

1. Dumnigorer Manushkheko

2. Conway Castler Pretatma

3. Seth Gangaramer Dhandoulat

4. Lucknowr Duel

5. Dhumolgarer Hunting Lodge

6. Kheloar Tarinikhuro

7. Tollywoode Tarinikhuro

8. Tarinikhuro o Betal

To some, Ray’s Feluda belongs to the series of ‘Dada’s to which belongs Premendra Mitra’s Ghonada & Narayan Gangopadhyay’s Tenida, but to me Feluda appears to be Ray’s creation to meet the intellectual need of the Bengali youth. But Tarinikhuro, his other creation, can be more appropriately placed in the ‘addabaaz’ Bengali class and can be looked upon as an older version of Ghonada. Though the later’s exploits takes him around the globe but Tarinikhuro has always kept his adventures within the borders of his country. But that didn’t stop him from coming face-to-face with maneaters, ghosts, noblemen, murderers, actors, artists and men of various other professions as he claims to his audience comprising of the narrator and his four friends, Bhulu, Napla, Chatpati, Sunanda. According to him, much of his life has been spent touring the whole of India in pursuit of adventure for which he had to switch between various professions including that of journalist, model, production manager of a film company, personal assistant, personal secretary, private tutor and several others. And in almost every occasion he became involved in curious situations.

Eight of his exploits are penned by Ray in this book and he, as always had excelled in his storytelling ability and his brilliance in carving extraordinary stories out of an ordinary surrounding that is evident in 3, 4, 6 and 7. The other four are mainly ghost stories but here too the twists near the end will surely fascinate the readers.