Partners in Crime

The happily married sleuths are back, now under the guise of what they really like to be - brilliant detectives, literally so as Blunt's Brillinat Detectives have been replaced by the Beresfords. While Tommy poses as the brilliant Mr. Blunt, Tuppence takes up the stance of the inconscupious secretary Ms. Robinson but in now way less inquisitive than him. As the pair tries to play the parts of master detectives of classics it is always that their super intelligence and sometimes few stroke of luck that they solve the problems posed to them while laying out the trap superbly for the ultimate villain for whom this elaborate hoax is played to the minutest detail. So the partners in crime or more correctly the partners in foiling the criminal activities takes us thru an exciting path strewn with intrguing plots solved by their master intelligence.

Batukburoro Chashma

The story seemed Golmaal revisited but with more pace and more fun. The characters too seemed more amusing. The sudden appearance of green beings (literally and figuratively speaking), initially in village gossips and then in the real seemed to disturb the peaceful lives of many. Showing superior intelligence and strength, the sapient beings (remember Avatar by James Cameron!) seemed to condemn destruction of flora and fauna. Their technology, science, philosophy seemed to dwarf that of the globe, yet their requirements are simple. So why did they come here? What do they want? Is there an evil motive? Why are they so keen to communicate? To know all these you must go through the novel which sometimes jumps sequences but remains exciting throughout with its lovable characters, each showing a curious trait.

Robertsoner Ruby

This is supposed to be the final Feluda story that takes the trio to a tour that originates as a holiday but turns to an adventure protecting a ruby of historic importance and immense value. Though it was published posthumously in the book form, the appeal of Feluda lingered in the first few chapters. But disappointment will be in store near the climax which has been diluted by not so logical conclusions and an incompleteness not meant for a novel. The story follows the descendant of a British soldier in whose possession was a ruby looted during the suppression of the Sepoy Mutiny and who wanted his predecessors to return it to its place of origin. So Patrick Robertson brings the ruby back home with his friend Tom who seemed to have some ulterior motives of his own. Along came many traders willing to buy the gem at a high price and strangers eager to help the tourists. As tension grips in Tom is injured in a covert attack and the ruby is stolen. But the climax is not during recovery of the ruby but in the way Feluda solves the identity of the criminal which again seems not so rational.

Nayan Rahasya

Feluda had been introduced to fantasy from Sonar Kella but Nayan Rahasya is not at all the same classic. True it contains the sharp intelligence of Feluda but fantasy and unrealism dominates more than anything here. Another point that fades its appeal is that evidently the three musketeers have aged, not in years, but in their maturity. So the conversations and justifications seem to get the better of the novel rather than the novel itself. The story can be considered a rather ordinary one but for two instances - the first being the adventure in the caves of Mahabalipuram and the second being the way he solves a murder. Theft within theft had also been a feature of the story but quite unlike Ray novels, the fate of at least one of the characters has remained incomplete. So in all this may be an item to complete a collection but it may not be a favourite past time for several readers.

Tirandaj

Sankar narrates two most contrasting tales in his unique style that captivates the readers from the very first page. Based on the socio-economic crisis of the Bengali middle-class, the most surprising element is the amount of surprise itself that is woven in the two stories titled

•  Tirandaj

• Lakshyabhrashta

Never before there seemed a social drama filled with so much thrill as these two, the first being a novel based on the life of Nikhilesh Sensharma, once a humble government servant turned an aspiring corporate manager who finds himself at conflict with the company's policy more than once. But will he succumb to the pressure or will he maintain his head high? That is the answer sought not only by the characters of the story but also by most of the readers, I have no doubt about that. The second story is based on the same crisis but is a refreshing relief of the intense tension of the first but in no way a lesser thrill awaits. Though I'll put this as more of a creative approach than approximating reality but it will no doubt captivate the readers. The genius Nibaran Mukherjee seemed to stumble at each corner of his career for the extreme shyness that possessed him. Is it only his modesty or is the cause more deeprooted, the readers have been given a ride through the intricate pathways that the human mind possesses. The novellete is no doubt a journey to the unknown realms of psychology.

Doshti Kishore Upanyas

This compilation for the young contains

• Gourer Kaboch
• Harano Kakatua 
• Golmaal 
• Chakrapurer Chakkare
• Chhayamoe
• Sonar Medal
• Patalghar 
• Haripurer Harek Kando 
• Dudhsayarer Dweep
• Bipinbabur Bipod

As obvious of Shirshendu's works, the novels consists of a conglomeration of weird characters, human and others, all weaved into adventures that will bring smile to the faces. Fun and frolick galore, all the adventures underlines pleasant messages that freshens the heart and appeases the soul. I'd already commented on Gourer Kaboch in an earlier post so won't go into any detail. Infact all the novels contains the same proportion of adventure and mystery combined with laughter and humour that makes these a treasure item. Especially I must mention Patalghar that I'd watched but I'll say that the story surpasses the film version by miles. Personally I feel Harano Kakatua to be a bit stretched but all the others had been just too good. Golmaal can be considered as a sequel to Bhuture Ghori. The next Chakrapurer Chakkare is a wonderful anecdote of a young man coming to terms with his heritage while Chhayamoe complements this storyline. The next Sonar Medal reunites an estranged pair. A quest for secret treasure is the central plot is Haripurer Harek Kando and the same quest continues but culminates in the classic sacrifice in Dudhsayarer Dweep. But the best climax is of Bipinbabur Bipod that along with the preceding story seems to be ideal short story in the volume.

Bagher Nakh

An ardent collector of Anandamela in my childhood days, I was enveloped in nostalgia when I came upon a short story by Adrish Bardhan from the pages of an old edition of Anadamela. It featured Indranath Rudra and his right hand Mriganka. Though this fast paced detective story is not so mind boggling but the charm of the old magazine freshened my spirit. A fine read it can be a good introduction to those not conversant with literary pieces of Bardhanbabu.

Nagchampa

A mystery story enveloped in a social drama introduced P.K. Basu, the lawyer sleuth of Narayan Sanyal. Also introduced in the same novel, were the Tommy & Tuppence of Bengali mystery story – Kaushik and Sujata. Infact, the story revolved more around Sujata than on anybody else with Kaushik playing a significant role in it. P.K. Basu entered the drama at a very later stage, that too in the capacity of an investigating lawyer with a client about whom the author remained curiously silent, though it can be logically concluded who it might be.

The story is about the civil engineer-cum-researcher Mr. Chatterjee, foster father to Sujata. Mr. Chatterjee made a breakthrough inventing a cheaper hollow block with a strength of the traditional blocks for construction. But a curious ailment took his life just on the very night he documented his research. It was the prudence of Sujata who could hide the documents from the clutches of the greedy industrialists and politicians but at a cost of being detained at her home. As she used all her wisdom to prevent the research papers from reaching the wrong hands a curious rush of events made all her calculations go awry. From then onwards the story takes a tremendous pace and the author’s magnificent way of story telling keeps the readers glued with climactic courtroom drama and a sensational revelation in an apparently social gathering.

But there are certain very disappointing aspects of the novel. The first is a very prolonged introduction of the story cluttered with poems that, though initially felt relevant but finally loses its implications. Second is among the several mysteries that remained unanswered, the most important one was the death of Mr. Chatterjee whose cause was not revealed at all. Thirdly was the extensive use of civil engineering terms that once again makes it shelved for its fullest enjoyment for a certain class of people.

Herbert

When you are going to read Herbert, it's better that you brace yourself with literatures like Fyataru, Masouleum, Kangal Maalshat, which I had fortunately gone thru earlier. So I was ready for Herbert and it indeed was a fine experience for me though at places the vagueness really keeps me at bay and eludes my humble wisdom, thus no doubt the novel gets all the accolades that it is due. Nabarun Bhattacharya's much acclaimed novel seemed a little less on the funnier side than the seriousness that it poses. It will be best for me not to elaborate lest the readers may be misled by my misjudgements but will always recommend the Bengali literature lovers to have a go at it.

The Guide

The Guide is the transformation of a corrupt and opportunist tour guide to a spiritual being. Starting his career without a heed to his father's business he gradually made a profit out of guiding excursionists to spots hitherto never hailed at all a place of sight seeing. Transforming places with only a trace of sceninc beauty just by the virtue of his story telling Raju had earned a regional fame around Malgudy. But unbeknownst to him, the Mempi Hills did really had a treasure of significant archaeology. Thus came Marco to explore the caves and with him came Rosie, his artist - the dancer of the Bharatnatyam genre. But it was not her dance that attracted Raju to her but something else made him lose his head completely. Then started the story of careful elopement that culminated in Marco and Rosie getting estranged. Raju, taking advantage of the situation gave Rosie a house but more importantly introduced her to the world of commerce. Rosie's dance, enthralling her audience wherever she went, soon catapulted them to a world of fame but not long before that Raju found himself thrown to jail due to a financial deal gone messy chiefly due to his ignorance in the legal and financial matters. But as he came out of jail, opportunities provided a remarkable transformation in him that, to me seemed to give him eternal peace.

An engrossing narrative that modifies the outlook of the reader as each page unfolds a new surprise this will hold you glued as long as it remains unfinished.

Bhooter Bhabishyat

http://calcuttatube.com/bhooter-bhabishyat-2012-bengali-movie-user-review/169894/

Aabar Byomkesh

http://calcuttatube.com/aabar-byomkesh-2012-bengali-movie-by-anjan-dutta-user-review/169891/

Brain

Robin Cook’s medical thriller again revolves around computers like the previous one and echoes Asimov’s concern about the power of machine that clouds the human mind leading them to a horrific extreme. Based on artificial intelligence, Philips Martin of Neuroradiology has conceived of an intelligent medical diagnostics but the machine seems to spell out too many details putting sinister forces at jeopardy. So as the enthusiastic researcher tries to corroborate the results the patients seem curiously to vanish or dead. Trying to cope up with the frustration in medicine and also in his personal life he stumbles upon a startling discovery all of a sudden. It seems that the patients’ disappearance is not a coincident but is a result of an obsessive secret research project. Filled with suspense the novel is again a gory reminder of the ultimate obsession of the researchers where human sacrifice is nothing but a routine procedure.