Ram C/O Anandhi by Akhil P. Dharmajan (Author), Haritha C.K. (Translator)
My take on the book:
Sriram aspired to direct movies and write novels; he shifted to Chennai from Alleppey and joined a film school. He stayed with his friend’s brother Bineesh and his roommate Kiran. At the film school he met Vetri and Reshma who are half-siblings, and Anandhi who worked as a receptionist.
Ram encountered Anandhi again at the house Vetri stayed as a paying guest. Vetri lived in Paatti’s house, but he and Reshma did not have a normal relationship with Paatti as landlord. Paatti who was lonely after her husband passed away considered Anandhi, Reshma and Vetri as her own children; soon Ram also became part of Paatti’s family.
However, his relationship with Anandhi started on the wrong note as Anandhi is a feisty girl who did not tolerate anyone misbehaving with her or breaking rules at the film school. Anandhi is only focused on earning money by working on multiple part-time jobs. Ram had a similar experience with Malli, a transgender whom he came across during his daily train commute to the film school.
Initially Ram had trouble adjusting to Chennai and its residents and their quirks but soon he created his small world consisting of Malli, Vetri, Reshma, Paatti and Anandhi. When Reshma tried to find the truth behind Anandhi’s secret meetings, all hell breaks loose. Will Ram and his friends find the truth of Anandhi, will Malli find the acceptance she craved from her family forms the rest of the story.
The story traces the journey of Ram in a new city, speaking a new language, understanding a new culture, adjusting to a new set of people and blending into this new world slowly. The author uses Chennai as a character of the story and not just for monuments or landmarks. The characters are very relatable and like those we typically encounter while travelling across any city in India. The unexpected kindness and bonhomie of strangers is well brought out by the author.
Malli’s story as does Paatti’s are heart touching and showcase the grim reality of life. However, Anandhi’s backstory, though we read and heard a thousand similar ones, makes the reader emotional. The journey to Alligramam is intriguing with multiple twists while the author uses this subplot to bring Ram and Anandhi closer.
The realistic portrayal of characters is the USP of the story and the author succeeds in building a fictional world with contrasting characters. Though this is a translation from Malayalam, the translator Haritha does a wonderful job in bringing the story to wider audience while retaining the soul of the original by occasionally throwing in Tamil and Malayalam words.
My only complaint is about the ending of the story as the route Anandhi takes sounds illogical; the risk she takes up without any proof of whom she was embarking on this journey for does not gel with the character of Anandhi the author established till pre-climax. Other than this minor hiccup, I personally found the story to be a breath of fresh air in Indian fiction writing where literary fiction mostly deals with serious issues and romances tread cliched paths.
If you always wanted to read a story that showcases Indian nativity and society in a realistic way, then this is a must read.
My rating:
4/5.
This review is part of the Blogchatter Book Review Program.