Digi's Blog

It has been almost one and a half years now. I still remember the date. It was Valentine’s Day. After trying to contact them for several months, they had finally agreed. As I make way towards my destination, I get goosebumps. And then I finally reach their studio. The first thing I do when I reach their studio is ask them, “Can I put my phone in charging please?” They smile and say yes. It is not every day that you get to meet one of your favorite composers, singers, lyricists. But that day was very special. Jigar Saraiya and Priya Saraiya make such a cute couple. We talk about their upbringing, how they came into the music industry. They ask me how come a doctor like me is so much into music and movies. Then they show me their recording room, and I was like “WOW”. I still remember that big Apple monitor. So this is where all the beautiful music comes from. 18 months later, as I listen to “Wrong Side Raju”, I again remember that room and wonder, “So this i...

“Change” is a word that carries a lot of weight. It is a movement which takes a lot of time. 5 years ago, Cineman productions brought one such change in the Gujarati film industry. Actually, they rediscovered the film industry.  First came the witty “Kevi Rite Jaish” and then came the blockbuster “Bey Yaar”. And all of a sudden, as if all the doors of a dam were opened, there arrived a flood of films – ranging from downright horrible to just about average. Every film would proclaim itself to be “An Urban Gujarati film” and would ultimately be filled with mediocrity. “Wrong Side Raju” brings an end to this mediocrity. As I walk down the steps of the theatre after watching the movie, I am filled with satisfaction and pride that we are slowly but surely getting there. PLOT The film has a strong storyline, loosely based on the infamous hit and run case of Ahmedabad of 2013. Raju Bambani is a driver cum bootlegger who unfortunately gets involved in a hit an...

Romance is one genre that has been explored endlessly by almost all authors; and when a little bit of supernatural element is mixed with romance, the results are nothing but endearing. Author Vikrant Khanna’s latest offering “Secretly yours” is one such endearing novel. PLOT Set in the backdrop of the picturesque city of Shimla, “Secretly yours” talks about the life of Sahil, an orphan who lives with his brother, grandma and his uncle’s family. Things change when Anya arrives in his life. On the other hand, there is a serial killer on the loose who is wreaking havoc in the usually quiet hill station. Who is behind the killings? What is the mystery behind Anya and her friends? Vikrant Khanna weaves a thoroughly engaging plot with the right ingredients for a romantic as well a suspense thriller novel. There is a certain freshness in the plot which seems creative and yet highly believable. WRITING AND POSITIVES The writing is pretty simple and easy on the r...

Attempting a partially fictionalized account of the greatest saga of our country is indeed a brave thing. And to come out of it with flying colors is even greater an achievement. Debutant author  Aditya Iyengar joins the list of the authors who have tried re-telling the Mahabharata from different angles. Does he succeed in creating an engaging book? PLOT No one is unfamiliar with the plot of the Mahabharata; and yet Aditya’s unique narrative makes this book a lovely read. The story unfolds on the tenth day of the war in Kurukshetra, leading to the events that ultimately led to the death of Abhimanyu. The entire plot is narrated from the point of view of three key characters – Radheya/Karna, Yudhishthira and Abhimnyu. Out of the mammoth Mahabharata war, Aditya chooses to focus only on these 4 days that defined so many things and people. POSITIVES The simplicity in the language is one big plus point of this book. At times a bit more casual, Aditya’s st...

Making films on politics has always been the fancy of many directors. It is a genre which is loved by people. However when the same comes to books, it doesn’t always hold true. There are very few novels on politics which manage to remain gripping till the end. Most usually sink into deep depression and lose track midway. Fortunately, Kota Neelima’s latest offering “The Honest Season” manages to stay above all these clichés and turns out to be a page turning novel. PLOT It all happens in the city of Delhi where politicians reside, where the country’s most renowned news channels have head offices and where all the leading newspapers have their reporters vying to outdo each other. Amidst the rivalry, the novel focuses on the life of “Know journalist” Mira Mouli. Along with a detailed offering into her personal and professional life as well as her thoughts, we are also introduced to the two main male characters Sikandar Bansi and Nalan Malik. Both have their own...

Sometimes simplicity is all that is needed to touch the heart. The more uncomplicated a story, the better it penetrates within. Santosh Avvannavar and Shayan Haq pen this poignant short story called "SHE - EKLA CHOLO RE" which can be easily finished off in a single sitting of about half an hour and yet move you. PLOT Set in the 1990s, this story revolves around 2 characters- renowned Dr Rajendra Mukherjee and a female called Kusum. The authors delicately talk about homosexuality and gender changes and how stupidly the society reacts to such things. At one point, the authors write- "Real love and truth go together." I couldn't help but agree to what they wrote. The entire Bengali setup is very beautifully done. The overall plot is pretty simple - a man giving a lift to a lone lady on the highway. But what follows is very beautifully penned. There are simple things which touch the heart - Kusum getting reminded of her own mother on meeting Raj's mother,...

Not all works of nonfiction are dull. I admit I myself am not a very hardcore fan of nonfiction, although I do occasionally read some beautiful works. “LIFE MANTRAS” cannot actually be categorized under the category “Nonfiction”. It would be better to call it a book that teaches you a lot about life. There are so many things in our daily life which we all know, and yet we always learn something new about it from someone else. This book is full of such lovely examples. “SAHARASRI” SUBRATA ROY SAHARA talks about love, respect, admiration and all other virtues and characters of a human being with finesse. He talks about marriage, about a husband  - wife relationship, about hard work, honesty, truthfulness, trustfulness, about a mother – child relationship, and what not. The best thing however is that he cites hundreds of examples from daily life to prove his point – examples with which all of us can relate. He tells us that apologizing is NOT a bad th...