I was pleasantly surprised when our Strategy Prof. and tiger Prof. Prasad pointed to the book I was carrying and suggested the entire class to read it. The book was titled "A Train to Pakistan".
The book makes a decent read, with one draw back. It does not thread the fine line between a fictional story and commentary properly. However, its a great entertainer and a must see; For the photographs are awesome and are sure to make you ponder in melancholy, if not cry. For your information, the movie "Ghadar - Ek Prem Kahani" is a rough exaggeration of this novel.
Khuswanth Singh brilliantly captures the complex Indian psyche in the lead characters like the magistrate, the fiery Sikh, the Sub Inspector and the comrade. The scene where the magistrate rests in the government cottage by indulging in food, whiskey and illicit sex is funny. It reflects the wanton attitude of those in power. To all those fans of the old man, here too his fixation with the female breast continues. For those who don't know how the masses feel about the babus, this book is a perfect read.
Towards the end however, one can't help but feel there should have been more bloodshed, mayhem, heroism and melodrama. To an average bollywood addict like me, it appeared like gross injustice. May be it appealed well to others.
The book makes a decent read, with one draw back. It does not thread the fine line between a fictional story and commentary properly. However, its a great entertainer and a must see; For the photographs are awesome and are sure to make you ponder in melancholy, if not cry. For your information, the movie "Ghadar - Ek Prem Kahani" is a rough exaggeration of this novel.
Khuswanth Singh brilliantly captures the complex Indian psyche in the lead characters like the magistrate, the fiery Sikh, the Sub Inspector and the comrade. The scene where the magistrate rests in the government cottage by indulging in food, whiskey and illicit sex is funny. It reflects the wanton attitude of those in power. To all those fans of the old man, here too his fixation with the female breast continues. For those who don't know how the masses feel about the babus, this book is a perfect read.
Towards the end however, one can't help but feel there should have been more bloodshed, mayhem, heroism and melodrama. To an average bollywood addict like me, it appeared like gross injustice. May be it appealed well to others.
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