Book Review: Private India by Ashwin Sanghi

About the story: The story starts with the Marathi character names and Mumbai which are more than enough for me to read it in one stretch. If I say it is just a serial murder story then it will be an understatement. The story is way better than any detective series on USA TV channels. The story is based on a investigation agency called Private India which is the Mumbai division of world’s finest investigation agency Private on which you will find eight more novels based in different countries.

Santosh Wagh, head of Private India who is neither close to Sherlock Holmes and way better than Indian CID series character ACP Pradyumn has a rocky past. The flashback is not that interesting compared to the story going on. It is even annoying some times. But we have to give credits to both the authors that all the murders are beautifully written. You will start guessing the murderer based on the evidences he left behind. One more very beautiful and mentionable thing about the story is Mumbai is aptly explored and used in the story. The murder victims are smartly chosen and the Private India people can’t easily find the connection between them but the readers know that they have met somewhere or they are connected somehow which will give you goose bumps time to time.

Though the fact that you are guessing the murderer all the time which is very interesting but authors have planned the story such that you will feel shocked from toe to head at the end. The idea of setting up a Private India employee in the story is brilliant and it steals the show. One more plot goes on in the sideline which starts with a bang but ends with a disappointment and you won’t see any need of that plot which may have been placed only to distract the readers or making the main story more complex but it is bearable and you won’t care about it after a nail biting and spine-chilling main story. The introduction of the murderer at the starting of the story is written with such smartness that you will forget the character until its one more introduction at the end of the story which can take your sleep away. The climax which includes the name and introduction of the murderer is not without a doubt brilliant but there is one easy catch in the story in the middle which is not at all considered which will make you a little disappointed. But overall the story is close to be called as one of the best suspense thriller in Indian English literature.

My Review: It may look like the main character of Santosh Wagh is loosely based on the main character of very popular TV series called House MD and Sherlock Holmes. The character of Santosh Wagh’s boss who is the founder of Private has no super powers or he doesn’t add any surprising magical factor to the story. When the plot is at its peak in the end, when the murderer is about to get revealed the story takes a weird turn where Santosh Wagh is attacked because of its past which makes you angry. Apart from these two-three negatives the story is just awesomely thought and smartly showcased. You will get a feeling that the story can’t be an Indian English literature which is the biggest achievement. I was reading Ashwin Sanghi’s book for the first time and I am sure that all his books must be as awesome as this. I definitely recommend Private India to each and every fiction lover.

Rating:  4/5

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The Diamond Rings: A Short Story

Last year I learnt a lesson of my life. It was a very happening year for me. I got the promotion news with New Year wishes and also a shock at the same time as they decided to transfer me to the head office at Bangalore. It is a replica of heaven for Indian coders. Their actual heaven is somewhere in U.S.A. But it wasn’t an excuse for a Mumbai lover to leave his place. I accepted the promotion after having some words and a promise to get back here in two years. I packed my parents’ bags also as this promotion would become a punishment for me!

I remember that day, a beautiful and work free ‘Bangalore Sunday morning’ in march, when we had gone to a prominent jewellery showroom in Bangalore to buy a worthy and wealthy gift for my mother. After all it was my mother’s birthday. There were many good looking girls came with their parents and my mother was showing me each one of them and embarrassing me each time. One girl, hardly 25, of them caught my eyes. She was naturally beautiful and looking mature at the same time. She was arguing with fiery words with a manager of that jewellery shop. My mother gave me an eye signal not to look at her. But I was interested to know the topic of argument as we headed towards the counter for a bill. I interrupted in that argument spontaneously; my unintentional and unnecessary act deeply surprised my parents.

That girl had received a diamond ring through a courier from that shop without a name of well-wisher. I sensed one more victim of e-shopping. But she got a same ring on the same day last year. I convinced her not to argue with the manager as he was an innocent in that matter. She thanked me when we were leaving the shop. My mother did not forget to take her phone number by speaking some ‘meethi baatein’. I got bored of my parents’ ‘find a girl and marry’ mission, I also wanted her contact number though. I controlled myself and contacted her after three ‘long’ days and asked her if she was able to find out the mystery behind those diamond rings. I talked with her some more time and ended with inviting her for a coffee. So I went to meet her again on our ‘coffee date’. I was surprised when she came as she was refusing in the beginning. She had worn an Indian outfit and forced me to feel love at first sight. Later we discussed on many topics, from her job to popular places in Bangalore to hang out. We met several times for a coffee or dinner after that day. But every time I sensed some stress behind her friendly and loving nature. Her strained smile did upset me few times and requested me to share her burden. I was feeling a growing closeness in our friendship.

Surprisingly one day she took me to her home when we had met for a lunch on one another Sunday afternoon. She had cooked food by her own and I was getting excited to taste it. But who knew that what was there in my dish. As we got into the house I found a little gorgeous and beautiful three year old girl playing with her toys. I got introduced to her daughter when I was feeling a jerk in my head. It was almost a year when I had met her first time but I never tried to know her personally. I was scared to ask about her husband. She chose to be silent. We had lunch and that afternoon ended with playing with her daughter. Her sudden move might be a signal for me to keep distance. I wanted some time to think on it. After that we talked on phone few times and it assured me that at least I hadn’t lost her as a friend.

On one fresh morning in the month of March I was sitting on chair thinking about her. And my mother was busy in searching new jewellery designs. Suddenly a thought came to my mind and I reached to ‘that’ jewellery shop. I was sure that she was going to get one more diamond ring this year. I requested deeply to manager to tell the truth. After some emotional punches that manager spoke out finally. Her husband was a military officer. He went for a secret mission with slender chance of returning. Before going he made a deal for those rings to send her one every year on their marriage anniversary. I asked him curiously about how much rings he had bought exactly and the number was unbelievable. I left the shop with a smile of satisfaction on my face as I learnt the true meaning of relationship!

The ‘Unforgettable’ Sunday: A Short Story!

It was first Sunday of June 2009. I had just completed a hectic year in TATA Motors after finishing my engineering. But I was enjoying my ‘not enough’ big salary. The people who believe in lavish spending have every weekend colourful and full of fun. So on one of those weekends I had decided to go for a movie with my girlfriend, friends and their girlfriends. We were four couples hanging out together from months. But tragedy happened a day before. I broke up. It was my third split (only) after school. Then also I went for movie because there was a rule that the weekend should not be spoiled at any cause.

We, a group of seven, reached to Raghuleela mall at Kandivali, a western suburb of Mumbai. We checked the movie list and decided by voting to go for ‘The Proposal’ for which my all friends voted yes except me. It was a romantic flick starring extra hot Sandra Bullock. We were waiting outside as our friend went to take tickets. That time I saw a girl (actually a woman) waving hand at me. First I looked back to search who was that lucky guy. But it was for me only. I froze at that place. My friends gave me a dirty look as if that lady was behind my break-up. She was coming towards me and still I stood there expressionless. She introduced herself. Her name was Vidya. I racked that section of my brain which is meant to store people, but it transmitted no reply. I recalled the names of all my friends and friends of my two (oh now three) exes. But there was no Vidya (Because all of my friends had modern names!). Then our introduction ceremony got over. We waited fifteen minutes to say her bye though we were getting late. But she never stopped talking. She was probably in early thirties. She had very astonishing figure. Definitely she had maintained it well. I thought of an option to hang out with her but that was impossible. After all I was only twenty three that time. Finally we went to box office again to buy her a ticket!

She sat next to me. That movie was nice. We were chatting in between the movie. She got a good humour. We had planned to go to Hard Rock Café to have some drinks and to enjoy some dance. But she asked me for a peaceful place somewhere. So my friends went to HRC and we headed towards Haji Ali rocks. We searched a comfortable rock to sit. Then I opened beer cans which we bought on the way. It was a most enjoyable weekend evening for me. We talked on every possible topic. She was the only woman I met when I really tasted the feeling of love. She felt safe with me. Then we had dinner at some stalls on the street. The street food in Mumbai is very tasty and popular, unhygienic though (but we don’t care). And then we were walking on the footpaths of Marine Drive when clock was showing the ending of our weekend. Suddenly a BMW passed nearby and Vidya called out loudly ‘Karim Chacha’. Surprisingly that BMW stopped and she got in it in such a hurry like I was going to kidnap her. And I froze second time that day with the same strange feeling.

Today it is a first Saturday of August, 2012. I was having my regular tea in morning with newspaper in one hand. And suddenly a report on front page got my attention. It was showing Vidya’s photo. Her real name was Sudha. Then why she lied to me! I read it further and got shocked on every line written in it. She was a wife of the owner of one of the most popular five star hotels in Mumbai. And she was suffering from severe psychological disorder from last five years. She was missing from the day we met. They just found her yesterday. I remember that Sunday very well. How can I forget that day! I never felt for a single moment that she was mentally imbalanced. I tried many times but could never find Vidya or Karim Chacha with BMW in Mumbai. What was she doing for three years then? She might have spent them with guys like me. If this is her way to live her life then what’s the imbalance in that. And a thought flashed into my mind. Tomorrow it is one another Sunday of my life. I headed quickly towards my phone to dial a number.

“Hello, Leelavati Mental Care?”