Mama Samagra II

The content of this book is

• Shasti
• Baromamar Swapna
• Sob Bhalo Jaar Shesh Bhalo
• Gharei Jamai
• Shiulir Gandha
• Meghamallar
• Tadanta
• Kheyal
• Baikuntha
• Mirjafarer Chata
• Baromamar Ashirbad
• Nitaikaku
• Sadhak Baromama
• Gandhari
• Ajnyatabas

In one word, the book can be said as beatifully written as any other adjective doesn't seem to describe it fully. A lighter read, sometimes tending to become philosophical and often becoming monotonous yet you cannot complain haughtily. But problem will be for those readers who had bought the book based on the 1st volume. The humour of that volume seems to be curoiusly lost in a major way and also the continuity is very much affected when we find the name of Baromama has changed from Sudhanshu Mukherjee to Bimal Mitra while that of the Maashi remains unchanged. This seemed so unnecessary a change and could have been easily avoided. Also the philosophical and sometimes abrupt endings will not make a deep impact to the reader's mind. But the signature style of the author to wander away from the introductory theme, though may feel irritating initially, but sometimes it has made the stories finish with a nice note.

Gourer Kabach

In my childhood days, the story "Gourer Kabach" used to fascinate me due to its queer mix of comic incidents in a tragic backdrop, the matter-of-fact way in which the eccentric people are introduced, the simpleness of the protagonist Gour and finally the good prevailing over the bad. Maybe I would have felt the same had it not been the fact that certain points came to my notice this time. The most prominent being the overwhelming amount of printing errors that have marred the entire novel and is very much irritating for an avid reader. Next is the abruptness of the final chapter that also doesn't seem to satisfy the minds that are a bit more oldish among its target of young readers.
But apart from these two the story will continue to attract the young minds for the fantastic adventure of Gour and his friends. Magic, hypnotism, action combine to produce exciting moments throughout and will bring smile to the reader's face. Also strange characters abound, the novel is filled with comic incidents that makes the most serious moments equally enjoyable. Ghosts also find their proper place but are not so prominent as are the humans with their super powers.

Icche

http://calcuttatube.com/ichhe-2011-bengali-movie-user-review/153173/

Delhi Belly

The adult comedy with just that much adult touch as necessary is a hilarious ride through the capital's dingiest of lanes, the poshest of hotels, the messiest of bachelor's establishments and the scummiest of the underworld enterprises! And the cause of all these - a collection of smuggled diamonds that gets replaced with a stool sample.

Well saying these I don't think it will be no short of a spoiler to elaborate the rest that takes you through a riotuous ride where the life of three young men is held between the guns of the goons, unpaid rents, cheat traders, daring journalism, the perennial water problem and a stomach that never seems to get well.

The crisp package directed by Abhinay Deo, written by Akshat Verma and produced by Amir Khan et al focusses on the concept rather than the character and thus produces a fascinating drama of fun and action. Beautifully edited by Huzefa Lokhandwala the film promises enjoyment to the fullest. Vijay Raaz (the smuggler Somayajulu), Paresh Ganatra (landlord Manish) gives their performance the realistically comic touch and the protagonists in Imran Khan (Tashi) and Kunal Roy Kapur (Nitin) backs it up with the most restrained yet professional performance but my personal favourite is Vir Das (Aroop) whose expressions of the warm-hearted and obstinate friend, the cheated and frustrated lover, the annoyed and irritated employee and the daring but comical adventurer easily calls for applause.

The Mystery of the Stuttering Parrot

Have you heard of a parrot who stutters? If you haven't, then you must read this one. Add to this is a treasure hunt with a trail of riddles and the trio named Jupe, Pete and Bob. The second in their series and turning mature at every step of crime solving the three investigators will take the young readers through a frightful yet enjoyable ride of mystery and secrecy. Clues held by avian allies, the trio launches on a terrifying ride dodging art thieves to reach the place where the treasure is hidden. The feathery friends talk in riddles and it is upto the research and intel of the three friends to solve the puzzle. Full of mystery and suspense, this is one of my schooltime favourites that is intensely enjoyable and is full of twists. The most important part is that coincidences are so tactfully handled that the readers will not feel themselves cheated of the suspense and will no doubt love these adventures as do Worthington, the chaeuffer who misses the mystery a bit.

Laal Sabuj

http://calcuttatube.com/laal-sabuj-bengali-play-by-chandan-sen-user-review/152639/

Bhuture Ghori

The story of an alien wristwatch that threats the existence of the world seems to be the key of the power struggle between alien forces. Shirshendu's traditional use of science fiction, ghost story and comedy are cleverly intertwined to present the young readers with a merry-go-round of adventure. A collection from my childhood days, the story is a plesant time pass as I read it now. Starting with the aged Haranchandra, a connoisseur in losing watches, the watch found its way to Jatai Tantrik, then to Haran's wife and finally to Haran's favourite grandchild Latu who seemed to decide on its rightful owner as both its creator and its master make their claim. The intense power field of the watch makes the ordinary clocks in its vicinity to go anticlockwise, helps its bearer to see in the dark, makes photography of any object except itself impossible and causes many other strange events. Puzzling the entire neighbourhood where it resides, the secret is finally revelated to Latu who seemed to understand the power of it and was left to decide on its final fate. Shirshendu's typical story telling will make this book an enjoyable read for the children and the funny side will also heighten its charm. The concept of alien technology is also another attraction but a bit more elaboration would have made it more interesting. The characters has their own peculiarity which makes most of them lovable to the readers. Ghost also is introduced in the narrative but doesn't play a prominent part but the rest is an enjoyable read no doubt.

Double Feluda

Some stories lose their appeal too soon, some doesn't at all but there are some that has an increasing appeal as we grow old. Ray's works are like that as the young readers in us miss certain details while reading it the first time and enjoys the adventure of Feluda stories while when it is read at a later date, since the mystery is already know the focus is on the other aspects of the story. The various characters that are introduced, how their true nature evolve in the eyes of the investigator, how coincidences become necessary for the writer to concise the converging events - all these are better appreciated. Double Feluda with its pack containing Apsara Theatreer Mamla and Bhuswarga Bhayankar was such a revelation to me especially the later one where the beauty of Kashmir has been revealed and the mysterious backdrop is created with the utmost care. While in the first one, the mystery involves threats, disappearances and murders of stage actors of Apsara group at Calcutta the second one centres at the picturesque Kashmir with murder happening at quite a later stage and the introduction part increases the appeal and the complexity by quite a great deal. The first case is one where Feluda's observation power seems to be established once and for all as he solves the crime just by sitting at his home, the sleuthing being mostly done by Tophse and Jatayu. But the other case sees the researcher in him as a he travels in Kashmir is search of information so needed to find the criminals.
Ray's penmanship once again portrays the characters with such precision that the situations evolve succinctly before the eyes. Only one point where my personal dissatisfaction lies was in the person in Feluda who sees murder to be a graver crime no doubt, but when it is done as a rightful vengeance then also he doesn't show mercy. So much different from Byomkesh maybe Ray did this as his target seems to be children and he took the utmost care to prevent any shred of doubt to creep into the young hearts as to the wrongfulness of murder. An enjoyable read no doubt, the latter part can easily pass as a travelogue as well.

Ranjana Aami Aar Aashbona

http://calcuttatube.com/ranjana-aami-aar-aashbona-2011-bengali-movie-user-review/152513/

Darjeeling Jomjomat

Feluda returns to the place from where he started on his first investigation but this time accompanied by Jatayu and on the invitation of the famed Bollywood director Pulak Ghoshal on his venture of picturisation of one of Jatayu's adventure novels. But as it always happens that adventure seems to chase the trio even on a supposed pleasant vacation to the hill station. This time it was homicide of the aged Birupakhya Majumdar on whose grounds several of the film shots were being taken. The motive seems to be many that includes the theft of a priceless idol of BalGopal, an unsolved crime of the past and a hushed up incident that Mr. Majumdar wants to keep to himself in a veil of secrecy. One of the servants, Lokenath also goes missing after the murder and the police suspects him to be the culprit. But soon Jatayu and Topshe stumble upon the servant's deadbody that again gives a complex turn to the mystery and the event also coincides with an attempt on Feluda's life. As the film company laments on the catastrophe that withholds their shooting and also limits their movements, Feluda, Topshe and Jatayu sets on the mission to solve the crimes amidst the picturesque backdrop of Darjeeling that has been so fascinatingly painted in words and sketches by Satyajit Ray. The final chapters are as expected, full of thrill and drama but certain points (that I now seem to observe, going through it after several long years) defies logic and puts question marks on the detection system. First of all though their was a hint of poisoning during the murder that never seemed to be clarified by the police and Feluda too doesn't seem to suggest forensics to clear the doubt. Also the second deadbody was found by sheer coincidence that is too much for an avid mystery reader. Thirdly the identity of a mysterious trespasser remains unsolved. Thus though the writing is freshening and the novel a classic one but as a mystery story this doesn't satisfy all.

Manaschakkhu

http://calcuttatube.com/manaschakshu-2011-bengali-play-review/151999/

Mama Samagra

This is another of my favourite collections that I bought only recently though most of the stories had been read by me at a very early age that again belonged to those that gave me the flavor of humour in literature for the first time. Mama Samagra, a collector’s edition elaborating the happenings in the bustling mamabari of the narrator with a whimsical doctor as Baromama, an equally eccentric Chotomama who is also a professor and the only sensible person in Mashima responsible for applying the reins to this crazy pack. Added to these are the scores of pets including dogs, cats, birds and cows and a whole lot of characters that either reside there or appears in a story out of nowhere. Baromama’s fantastic visions with underlying noble thoughts form the theme of most of the stories which ultimately opens the door to chaos and mess. Almost always ridiculed by his own doings, the ever optimistic Baromama carries on his endeavours unabated and in this he gets the support of the narrator much to the dismay of Chotomama and Mashima. Chotomama, almost everytime, forms the chief opposition to Baromama’s concepts and with his own fantastic logics defies his brother’s whims. But ultimately it is Mashima who puts the brakes to her elders and maintains discipline in the most rational way.

All said and done it must be mentioned that all the chief characters in the narratives are loving and inspires optimism in this increasingly cynical world and breaths freshness with each story. The collection contains

·         Morning Walk

·         Guptadhaner Sandhane

·         Bardar Beral

·         Ekada Ek Bagher Golae

·         T(n)etul Gaache Doctor

·         Nijer Dhak Nije Petale

·         Baromamar Mosha Mara

·         Baromamar D(n)aat

·         Utpater Dhan Chitpate

·         Avatar

·         Abishkar

·         Ghush

·         Baromamar Menagerie

·         Baromamar Cycle

·         Baromamar Beral Dhora

·         Mejoke Baror Juto Daan

·         Langarkhana

·         Gorur Result

·         Baromamar Bike

·         Physiotherapy

·         Bama Khepar Chela

·         Gomukhyu Goru

·         Saape aar Neule

·         Mahaprasthan

·         Bipashae Dui Mama

·         Rupor Maach

·         Baromamar Saap-Ludo

·         Sonar Palak

Though categorized as comedy but the stories markedly differ both in structure and presentation from Saape aar Neule where the themes turn from comedy to philosophy though it is never monotonous and always lively. Going through the pieces, I could not but guess that Sanjib Chattopadhyay’s recent bend to The Divine may have begun from the same time that he penned stories starting from Saape and Neule.

As to the structure of the presentation, a complaint is due to Pushpa publication that the pagination from Saape and Neule are a bit erroneous. But barring this the copy remains a cherishable collector’s item with a complimentary art support by Anup Roy, Debashish Deb, Sankar Basak and Pranab Hazra. It could have been made more orderly if the chronological order of the events had been followed as sometimes it becomes very much obvious that a story actually must appear late in the series while some may have come first. Also the author often changes the name of the narrator which doesn't look good once the characters are considered part of a continuous series.

Chalanta Chhaya

I always had the urge to read the fictions that first time introduced original detective stories to the Bengali readers. Infact one of my maternal uncles had a huge collection of Bishwa Chakra series but not being of age I didn't have the permission to read them during my visits there while I was young. Then as I grew old the deluge of Feluda, Byomkesh, Kiriti, Holmes, Father Brown, Poirot, Marple, Tommy & Tuppence, Parker Pyne novels seemed to erase me of the urge until very recently I chanced upon a site that was distributing free ebooks by Swapan Kumar. The dormant wishes seemed to get the better of me this time and I tried to gather as many of them as was available.

Now that I started with the 4th in the Bishwa Chakra series namely 'Chalanta Chhaya', I seem to be introduced to an entirely new age of detective fiction whose glimpses remained in Kiriti and Byomkesh. Set in the British India the adventure begins in the morgue of the Calcutta police where a deadbody was carried off by a cleverly planned scheme. That was the start after which a strange theft and several kidnappings raised a great hue and cry in the city. But these times, the society that carried out the operations left notes signed as Chalanta Chhaya. Soon private detective Deepak Chatterjee was summoned by police and he also receives a threat from the society Chalanta Chhaya both of which, no doubt, influences the investigator to carry on with the case with support from his freind Ratanlal. Then is the usual detective adventure though adventure gets the upper hand and there is nominal detection but the most notable part of the story is the fantastic concept that forms the main plot. The concept is fantastic enough if we remember the era when it was contrived and sitting at an age when adventure and mystery in fiction seemed to become synonymous with hollywood, I cannot but appreciate the originality of the plot that had, surely, hit the best seller category for the young readers.
Also the inside cover of the story bears a note of age restriction for the readers which is another revelation about the values and culture of that age.