"Uttar-rang (उत्तररंग)", a Marathi book by Narayan Dharap. This book is published by Samanvay Prakashan. This edition was published in 2012 and has 232 pages.
Vimal Atre is a beautiful and attractive widow in early fifties. She has raised her children after sudden demise of her husband at young age. Now she lives alone. A chance encounter introduces her to Sanjay Upadhye (Nana).
Will this chance encounter end there? Is she happy? How will the family members look at their friendship? Will there be acceptance?
Vimal stays alone. She has a son and a daughter who live in the same city, take help of their mother for granted but don't think it necessary to ask after her regularly or ask her to take rest. Sanjay (Nana) has a son but has asked him to live in a separate house due to behaviour of his daughter in law. He visits them often but they don't. His other son lives far away in north India.
Both are lonely. Both don't have money problem. They are both good looking. Both of them have made themselves busy but there is still an emptiness. An emptiness due to lack of companionship. It does not take long for the spark to ignite. A decision to live for themselves rather than for others and children is a revolutionary decision.
It's a story of well to do upper middle class people, so money is not a concern. The issue that this story handles is loneliness in old age. But when an alternative arises, new options open up and are explored. Although there is a tension of generation gap, its not the main subject.
The story progresses nicely. It goes through the natural cycle of admiration, liking, proposing, resistance by children, marriage, dissolution of resistance and finally complete acceptance. But reader feels that the bad element is missing. Author introduces a bad element to add uncertainty. However it is short lived.
Basically everyone in the story is a good person, except one. Some behave badly due to apprehensions but come back to their natural good selves eventually. It's a family drama that has no extreme tension, no melodrama, no thrill and no action. It is still a pleasure too read.
The story chronicles life of Vimal and Nana from the day they meet to the day their families becomes one. The story is on slower side but there is no slack in it and the readers are not distracted. Rather, they are interested.
Author has portrayed the thoughts, feelings and transformations in Vimal's life beautifully. She comes out as a sensitive but capable lady who also wants support in her life. Nana is a quick decision maker. He is capable and successful businessman. At times he takes decisions for both of them but Vimal likes it. If I have to write a sequel of this Book, I will use this as the seed.
Book cover shows a male hand placing ring on the finger of a female, mehandi decorated hand. However, the hands appear to be of a young couple rather than old. It speaks a lot about the story.
Narayan Dharap is known for his horror stories, mysteries and science fictions. This book is one of his very few that do not fall in the fantasy genre. He demonstrates that he can excel in this genre, when he is out of his comfort zone, too.
Why did I read this book? Non fantasy from Natayan Dharap.
What I didn't like? Too goody goody.
What did I like? Story and writing.
A good book. Recommend reading.
No comments:
Post a Comment