close_game
close_game

Review: The Portrait of a Secret by Tarun Mehrishi

BySaleem Rashid Shah
Oct 05, 2023 04:52 PM IST

A painter fleeing the Bolshevik Revolution, the Cold War, a dead Indian Prime Minister and a daring art heist... With a narrative that merges actual historical characters and events with fiction, this novel keeps readers guessing

Decked with one mystery after another, Tarun Mehrishi’s ’s The Portrait of a Secret begins with an act of betrayal by a man described as “the most dangerous mole in the history of Indian intelligence.” The novel’s timeline stretches from 22 November 1969 to 22 May 2010 and ranges over New Delhi, Mumbai, Himachal Pradesh, Russia, even Washington DC. Each place introduces a new aspect of the central mystery, unveiling layers of the narrative as readers are teased into a cathartic relief as the novel progresses. That many of the characters and the events are drawn from 20th century history keeps readers guessing about the veracity of the narrative, giving it a delicious touch of “what if this really is the truth?”

A vintage postal stamp of Nicholas Roerich (1874-1947) (AnilD/Shutterstock)
A vintage postal stamp of Nicholas Roerich (1874-1947) (AnilD/Shutterstock)

288pp, ₹299; Penguin
288pp, ₹299; Penguin

Beginning with the Bolshevik Revolution, the novel focuses on the Roerichs, who run for their lives from Russia to India. Their arrival in the country in 1917 is one of the dots that contributes to the overall plot. The reader is introduced to Nicholas Roerich in Petrograd on 15 December 1917. A talented artist and intellectual, up until then he had enjoyed a life of privilege as a painter of the nation’s glorious past and as a member of the ruling elite. Witnessing the decline of the Russian Empire and the suffering of the working classes, he became disenchanted with Tsarist rule and joined the provisional government seeking a new economic model. However, his ideology clashed with that of Lenin and the Bolsheviks, who overthrew the provisional government. Nicholas and his family fled the country, leaving behind most of their possessions. With the help of friends, including some within the Bolshevik Party, they escaped to India, arriving in Bombay in the winter of 1917. The chapter ends with the Roerichs establishing themselves comfortably in the country, unaware of the role they would go on to play in the future international intrigues that unfold later on in the novel.

Set in 1976, Chapter 5 features the death of the Prime Minister who leads the Indian delegation to Tashkent in USSR. Clearly based on Lal Bahadur Shastri’s ill-fated trip to the same city of the Soviet Union in 1966, this PM too is found dead in his suite. The circumstances surrounding the death raise suspicions among the members of the Indian delegation. Its security team immediately begins an investigation. All this action is happening during the Cold War when the air was thick with tension between the Soviet Union and the United States. In the end, foul play is ruled out and the death is ruled a natural one.

Author Tarun Mehrishi (Courtesy the publisher)
Author Tarun Mehrishi (Courtesy the publisher)

Cut to Himachal Pradesh in 2009. Suraj, an Indian expert operative, infiltrates a heavily-guarded building, replaces valuable antique paintings with replicas, and escapes undetected. They are to be handed over to the ISI. The chapter explores the ideas of loyalty, risk taking, and morality in espionage and showcases the skills and precision required for covert operations. The world of hidden documents, mysterious deaths, secret relationships, unsaid deals, and stolen artifacts pulls in readers as they follow Suraj, who must face the consequences of his actions even as he maintains a dangerous balance between duty and personal belief.

The time lapses and multiple changes of location occasionally make the narrative erratic but strangely, also makes this novel a page-turner. The unraveling of the many mysteries and completion of the puzzle when all the different strands come together, makes The Portrait of a Secret by Tarun Mehrishi a somewhat satisfying read.

Saleem Rashid Shah is an independent book critic.

rec-icon Recommended Topics
Share this article
See More
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Friday, February 07, 2025
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On