Book Review: Two and a Half Rivers by Anirudh Kala

Namrata reviews Anirudh Kala’s Two and a Half Rivers (Niyogi Books, 2021) and talks how Kala explores trauma and the long-lasting impact it has on the mental health of an individual through this book justifiably well.

ISBN ‏ : ‎ 978-9391125202
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Niyogi Books Pvt. Ltd.
Release Date: October 2021
Price: INR 395/-

The Partition changed a lot of things in many ways. It had different impacts on people living in different states, the impact of which we are still dealing with even after more than seven decades.

Two and a Half Rivers by Anirudh Kala is a story of insurgency in Punjab in the early 1980s. A state that derived its name from the five rivers that flowed through the state, was left with only two and a half rivers after the Partition. The title of the book derives its name from this fact. It further explores the connection between religion and terrorism. Author Anirudh Kala is a psychiatrist by profession. His experiences with patients living with mental health issues and their families are reflected in the way he carves his characters. This is his second book after Unsafe Asylum: Stories of Partition and Madness (2018).

Read the full review on Kitaab.

Movie Review: If by Tathagata Ghosh – A Tender Portrait of Love, Loss, and Possibility

If , a 26-minute short film by acclaimed Bengali filmmaker Tathagata Ghosh, is a sensitive, evocative piece of storytelling that lingers long after the credits roll. Set against the everyday rhythm of life in Kolkata, the film delicately unpacks the story of a lesbian couple torn apart by the weight of societal expectations and dares to imagine a different future, one where a mother's love might just change everything. What struck me first was the film’s raw, grounded realism. The characters feel like people we know, middle-class families navigating a complex world with quiet resilience. The world of If is filled with silences, glances, and stills, rather than heavy dialogue. Ghosh masterfully uses these moments to speak volumes, allowing viewers to sit with discomfort, interpret the unspoken, and feel deeply.

Book Review: Palestine Wail - Poems by Yahia Lababidi

In Palestine Wail: Poems , Yahia Lababidi creates a profound and unflinching exploration of the ongoing Palestinian crisis, drawing from his own heritage and heartbreak to reflect on a political and humanitarian catastrophe that has unfolded across decades. This collection, imbued with personal history, political outrage, and spiritual contemplation, serves as both a witness to injustice and a call to humanity. The work’s origins lie deeply in Lababidi’s own roots—his Palestinian grandmother, Rabiha Dajani, was forced to flee Jerusalem at gunpoint, a traumatic event that reverberates throughout Lababidi’s poetry. As an Arab-American writer, Lababidi is uniquely positioned to speak on the intersection of identity, politics, and human rights. His poetry, both personal and political, draws a clear line between the suffering of the Palestinian people and the complicity of global powers in perpetuating that suffering. Through his words, Lababidi eloquently counters the equation that Z...

Book Review: Butterflies of Success by Ranga Iyer

ISBN: ‎ 978-8196920951 Genre: Personal Transformation Publisher: Highbrow Scribes Year of Publishing: 2024 About the Book "Poverty is relative term" Lack of money alone cannot stop someone from succeeding in life. The social evil of poverty can be defeated with a determined mind, courage, mental strength, and education. Butterflies of Success follows the compelling journey of Mukta and Prem, a couple with four daughters who leave their village in search of a better life in Thakurli, near Bombay. Facing numerous challenges, including living in a small, unsanitary dwelling, financial struggles, and health issues, Mukta leads her family of six in a fight to improve their situation. She starts by selling boiled chickpeas and gradually expands to open a diner and a tailoring unit with Prem's help. As the business progresses, the family strives to educate and marry off their daughters, which brings new challenges, including mounting debts. Not oblivious to her parents' da...

Reviews & Musings

Search This Blog