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Jamal Shaikh, National Editor, Brunch and New Media Initiatives, picks his favourite read of 2020
Spotlighting capability over patriarchy
As a guy from Bombay who lives in Delhi, I’m happy to note that pretentiousness as a personality trait of people from the capital is on the wane. Unfortunately, another pet peeve of mine is not: Delhi’s love for politics!
I’m as apolitical as they come; I keep abreast of developments, never miss a vote, and — amused as I am with arguments that are increasingly pitch black and stark white — I rarely proffer an opinion… unless occasionally, when looking for perspective. Which is probably why I enjoyed HT Brunch columnist Seema Goswami’s debut novel Race Course Road as much.
Call it a political potboiler that appeals to Delhiites, or a masala-tempered story that’d rival a Bollywood blockbuster, the book tells the story of India’s political leadership after a prime minister has been assassinated.
The introduction of the character I’d call the protagonist of the story piques the imagination. Asha Devi is shown jogging to the gym in her tony London neighbourhood, while brooding over a failed relationship. Not a setting we’d imagine an Indian politician’s half daughter calling home, leave a lone a lady with “devi” as her last name.
In times to come, this devi will change into crisp saris, address rallies in rural India, and rival the popularity of her older half brothers — sons of the assassinated PM — and spotlight capability over patriarchy, as she toes the line of dynasty.
The spin doctoring mechanism of opposition leaders is dramatically documented, as are family feuds, power games and petty prejudices. Seema’s writing is easy to read, her personal interactions as a journalist with families in power contributing its own as she takes us into the residence of the Indian PM (situated on the erstwhile Race Course Road), and turns us into gleeful voyeurs.
The star point of discussion for my Delhi coresidents would undoubtedly be the “who is who” references in the story, as Seema creates fictional characters that are uncomfortably close to those in real life.
On the other hand, the question my Mumbai buddies would ask is the one I’m as keen to have answered: When will Race Course Road be converted to a web series on OTT? (Pssst… a picture of the book on filmmaker Farah Khan’s desk set off some rumours. Feel free to add fuel to the fire!)
Jamal Shaikh, National Editor, Brunch and New Media Initiatives.
