Coma

The first time I'd come across this book was in a second hand bookstore and knowing its popularity I'd at once picked it up. But a rude shock was in store for me when, after flipping through first few pages I found that several of the pages were blank white sheets. Grossly dissapointed as I returned it to the store, no other copy was available of it. Though the story remained unfinished for me but the suspense had already been sensed. So when I came across the narrative a second time, I wasted no time but started on it voraciously. Being already  familiar with Cook's novels, from the very first page the story absorbed me fully and the thrill mounted in a monotone that was rather enjoyable but for the very climax that seemed too much abrupt. The medical terms that crowd Robin Cook's novel, never seemed, in this one, a botheration as the medical rationale was established at each instance. The bad thing was using the terms while describing the simplest of incidents where it seemed too much of an overhead. Though the thrill was very well equated with no compromise on the actual storyline certain events appeared too much of an oversimplification with coincidences playing quite a major part. But overall the medical mystery and adventure makes it a classic thriller.

The Case of the Velvet Claws

The 1st Perry Mason novel brings a rich client trying to save her name from being publicized. But just before she was ushered into Mason's room, his secretary Della Strait had a hunch about her identity and as she spoke her mind to Mason he employed the detective Paul Drake to tail her. Thus from the very initial chapters, suspense sets in and the chase continues throughout. The case, that had started innocently enough compared to what is matamorphosed into finally, takes an ominous turn at the murder of a business tycoon that posed a threat to Mason himself as he was implicated indirectly as being the murderer. As Mason was trying to pile up evidences against the implication, time seemed his only enemy. The alert Drake came useful more than once and Mason finally seemed to uncover the truth after some breaks whose coincidences may disappoint the reader but were very much a relief to the lawyer. As Mason extracts himself from the velvet claws of a very shrewd woman and turns the tide in his favour while revealing the criminals, he takes refuge to a web of aptly designed bluffs interspersed with truth. As the confessions come one by one and the mystery is solved, the author is to be complimented for his clearer understanding of human psychology that forms the basis of the events that he portrays. The consistency of the characters throughout the novel is another point to note which is very difficult to maintain in detective stories. The story is fast paced with several twists in the plot that ultimately reaches the peak with the startling climax. Though the final chapter is a bit on the romantic side but on the whole the entire narrative is filled with enjoyable thrill.

Hirer Angti

The story starts with the common thief Sasthi planning on robbing a stranger of his priceless diamond ring. But as he learnt that the person is would be guest of the revered and respectable Ratan Banerjee, he pauses for a moment in his endeavour. But the lust for the ring seemed to get the better of his self as he conspires with others to steal it anyhow. However, surprises seemed in store for him and his comrades as not only did they fail three times in a row, but each time their own possession changes hands. As the infuriated Sasthi, bent on revenge, enters the feared boundary of the Banerjee mansions he becomes witness to yet another revelation, that of a possible treachery and assassination. The adventures that follows him and the inmates of Banerjee mansion remains to be enjoyed by the reader, both old and young, but one thing is certain  - Shirshendu had once more penned an entertainer filled with thrill, wit, suspense and humour. Essentially categorized as children’s book, with a varied mix of strange characters abound, the story is crisp, compact and enjoyable with an underline message, beautifully conveyed for readers of all age.

The Secret Adversary

Tommy and Tuppence's first adventure is both a thrilling chase and comedy interspersed. Tommy's practical views and the intuition of Tuppence matches the villaniously shrewd brain of the antagonist as the Young Adventurers set upon to unearth a long lost secret threatening the future of an entire nation. The document seemed to have changed hands from a secret agent to a civilian but all traces to the latter apparently vanished with the sinking of the ship where both were travelling. Five years after as the Government tries hard to recover it the sinister Mr. Brown with his commonplace appearance seems to outwit the professionals at every stage. As Brown and his associates plans a coup it is upto Tuppence and Tommy to outwit the criminals. In this help comes from Julius Hersheimmer, the American cousin of Jane Finn, the civilian in whose possession the papers are allegedly kept and James Peel Edgerton K.C. But the young sleuths are not sure whom to trust and whom to not as murder happens in front of their eyes and each step they take seem to fall in one sort of trap or the other. As Tommy and Tuppence tries to uncover the true face behind each mask the countdown starts for the coup. An excellent twist, as always in these mystery novels, awaits the readers near the finale but the way it has been set up speaks highly of the master writer. Though the subtelity of her later novels is a bit missing but this one is sure to bring enjoyment to the readers. A baffling mystery with a touch of romance makes this story a welcome premiere for two new adventurers.

Eker Pithe Dui

My favourite of Ray's assortment of a dozen short stories with horror, ghost, sci-fi, adventure and a mystery blended in the hardback. the content runs as

• Anukul
• Telephone
• Aami Bhut
• Kaagtarua
• Lakhpati
• Ganesh Mutsuddir Portrait
• Nitai O Mahapurush
• Kutum-Katam
• Nidhiraamer Icchapuran
• Raamdhaner B(n)ashi
• Master Angshuman
• Bosepukure Khunkharapi

The best part of the collection is the usual thrill of the twist at the climax is heightened by extreme fiction that has been masterfully masked till the finale. The stories include a humanoid robot with senses more like humans, a call from the land of the mist, narrative by a ghost that has been followed by a curious dream, the transformation of a proud soul, extraordinary skill of an artist, a horror adventure, a funny metamorphosis, a terrified ghost, a short adventure in Master Angshuman, my favourite in my younger age and the pick of the lot and finally the mystery surrounding the murder and the family of an opera artist. The stories are so designed as to keep its impression lasting for years if not decades.

Jonathaner Barir Bhut

Suchitra Bhattacharya weaves suspense as alleged poltergeist activities haunts an Anglo-Indian family. Shaking furniture and a host lot of other troubles terrorizes the infabitants and Mitin and Tupur enters the scene with the everdear Partha accompanying them. As Mitin searches up clues a new mystery evolves hinting to a lost treasure with a riddle left behind to solve it. The evil seems to lurk in the deep recess of the minds of the seemingly innocent ones and Mitin is determined to unmask them. A good story for the young minds with multiple plots never complicating the flow the writer presents a graphic narration of detection and mystery. Only one major complain that I noticed is during an irrelevant remark of Mitin whers she tries to relate a procedure with its digital analogue but the logic is so very erroneous that it leaves a scar on the intelligence of the detective.

Music with a Hope: Arindam Das launches album ‘Swapno Sambhab’

http://calcuttatube.com/music-with-a-hope-arindam-das-launches-album/156336/

K(n)aatae K(n)aatae - II

The second volume in the series contains three stories, one adapted from Gardner’s novel and the other two from that of Agatha Christie. These Indianised versions are nicely woven with the suspense kept alive till the very last chapters but the first two Uler K(n)aata and A-Aa-Kaw Khuner K(n)aata seemed to have ended very hurriedly and not at all like the third one Sarmeya Genduker K(n)aata. The way the first two plots unfold and the way the climaxes are reached are quite at different paces in the first and the second pieces.

Keeping the sleuthing and adventure part aside, which are of course as good as the originals and also the erudition of the narratives, there are certain features that are irritatingly monotonous. The writer, being and Engineering graduate and a quality scholar could not resist the temptation of using analogies that may only be appreciated by a few and this may exclude the most ardent lover of mystery. Without compromising on the mystery that may have been made more and more complex, if required, the writing could have been more easily refined. Secondly is the use of too much flowery language that shifts the interest to literature rather than mystery. Thirdly is some undue use of humour at places that again lightens up the thrill of the adventures. Finally but more importantly is the tendency of creating a British ambience everywhere. Starting from referring the mere elderly individuals as ‘Saheb’ to focusing on breakfast habits, after dinner drinks and finally making an entire story based on a Christian town - the basic idea of presenting an Indianised detective version of the Western counterparts, that the author stressed upon in the earlier volume, seems to vanish completely. The romance which is due to any detective story, here seems to be more artificially generated than that which naturally evolves in this genre. The characters are different as regard profession but the same sense of humour in most actually robs the narrative of reliefs. The characters seem only to differ in their sense of responsibility and intellect. Most of the individuals show the same degree of refined schooling. Also there is an aggressive use of historical accounts whenever a scope presents itself. Sharing of facts no doubt enriches knowledge but irrelevant sharing mars the actual reading. Let’s see what the other volumes have in store!

Badal Sircar ....... evang Third Theatre

http://calcuttatube.com/badal-sircar-evang-third-theatre/154251/

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.