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HT Picks; New Reads
On the reading list this week is a murder mystery featuring two mismatched journalists, an autobiography that depicts successes and disappointments in the world of theatre, film and music, and a book on the life of a man whose name is synonymous with urban development in India
Murder and mayhem
Finally, an Indian murder mystery that’s truly fun and satisfying.
When DB, the mild-mannered editor of a Delhi tabloid, is poisoned, everyone is puzzled. He had no enemies. Who would possibly want to kill him? When there are more murders, the TV stations, the police — and the nation! — go into a frenzy.
Two mismatched journalists team up to solve the mystery: Mridula, a waspish, middle-aged misanthrope, and Monami, youthful and eager one passionate about detective fiction. As the bodies pile up, Mridula and Monami must go deep into the mind of a murderer.
Glimpses of a performer’s life
Ila Arun burst into public view with the controversial song from Khal Nayak (1993), Choli Ke Peechhey. But several years before that, she was already well known for her contribution to Rajasthani folk music.
Mumbai soon became her home, and it was in this city of glamour that Ila made a name for herself in every genre of the performing arts — film, television, music and playback singing — and also as a composer and lyricist. In the course of her creative journey of almost 50 years, Ila has been associated with several of the best-known names in this field — actors and directors, singers and music directors, classical and folk singers, who appear as characters in her story. Her passion however remains theatre.
A writer herself, with several original plays and many adaptations to her credit, this is her first book, an autobiography, which records her life from childhood to the present. It is an honest depiction of her successes and disappointments in the world of theatre, film and music.
Told in her inimitable style, with sincerity and a touch of humour, this is Ila at her candid best, sharing a glimpse into her life and experience onstage and backstage, parde ke peechhey.
A name synonymous with urban development
The saga of DLF is linked to the entrepreneurship of KP Singh, a man whose name has become synonymous with housing and urban real estate infrastructure in India. Born in the small town of Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh, he began his career as an officer in the Indian Army before circumstances nudged him into the family business. Starting off at the Qutab Stud Farm and American Universal Electric (India), he then helmed DLF, a real estate company founded by his father-in-law, Chaudhary Raghvendra Singh. Within a few decades, he had catalysed the transformation of a barren Gurgaon into a knowledge city. He persuaded Jack Welch of General Electric to explore and invest in India across multiple sectors ― locomotives, power, aviation, medical systems, and eventually BPOs. This attracted significant investment and positioned Gurgaon as a hub of innovation and growth for a number of Fortune 500 companies. Through captivating anecdotes and insights, Why The Heck Not delves into his interactions with industry leaders, policymakers, farmers and communities. A must-read for entrepreneurs and business enthusiasts.
All copy from book flap.
