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Book Reviews
That Thing Called Love
by Tuhin Sinha
 Set
in the backdrop of the Mumbai monsoons, That Thing Called Love is an
offbeat romantic novel revolving around the dark side of love-
unrequited love, brazen betrayal, covert prostitution and the concept
that homosexuality is becoming a fad. The plot is full of bitter-sweet
ironies- the most predominant irony being that all the characters are
struggling with faltering relationships during the monsoons, which has
been traditionally considered the most romantic season.
Mayank, Anil and Vishal working with a leading matrimonial website
ironically are haplessly grappling around their own set of problems
around their own life partners. After having failed to find his life
partner from a matrimonial website, Mayank very reluctantly agrees to
get married to a girl chosen by his parents. This intensifies Mayank's
search for true love, which he, ironically, seems to find in a happily
married older woman Revathi. Vishal, a senior journalist, with the
matrimonial website who 'virtually rapes women with his eyes' doesn't
think twice before being physically infidel to his wife to the extent of
deriving strange pleasure by betraying in love. Anil's wife continuously
sheds her emotionally baggage from a past broken relationship of hers,
leading husband and wife to drift apart both emotionally and physically.
"But it must be difficult for a married man to live in this unfulfilled
manner," observes Anil's gay friend Akash as he tries to lure him into a
one night's stand of homosexual sex.
The novel explores relationships in the contemporary, urban set-up of
Mumbai against the backdrop of changing moralities. The preface says:
that an underlying consumerist streak has crept into the
post-liberalization era including personal relationships.
In the novel, couples are seen fighting over minor differences which
they deem irreconcilable differences and refuse to adjust to foster
harmony to their relationships. "Well it's just that my wife and I are
two very different people. She despises non-vegetarian food. I love it.
She loves dogs. I hate them. She is an extremely reserved person, and I
freak out in parties. With such disparities, it is but obvious that we
would end up fighting, which we do." Very true with what goes on in real
life.
In fact, an urban metropolitan reader may easily be able to relate to
the dynamics governing the rising complexities in relationships. For
instance, 'time pass' dating with women who could be friends and not
just wives is portrayed with verisimilitude. Misunderstandings which
arise when one gets close to a 'professional friend' leading a happy
family to become an unhappy one, is something many families may be
growing through. The demarcation between a 'friendship' and a
'relationship' are increasingly getting blurred in real life exactly as
described in the book.
The author uses some innovative phrases in his debut novel. Thane is
described as 'Mumbai's backyard'. One of the characters realize that his
wife is no more a 'virgin out of marriage'. A 'bachelor's den' seems to
aptly describe a venue where guys get together to have a blast- 'watch a
movie together, often an ex-rated one, and follow it up with drinks and
dinner.'
Indeed there's a film in this book. So it's of little surprise that this
newly launched novel is already in the process of being filmed. After
all, 'that thing called love' is something which all of us have
experienced in some form in our lives and can easily relate to.
December 3,
2006
That Thing Called Love By Tuhin A. Sinha.
Srishti Publishers & Distributers, 238 pages, Rs 100
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Book Reviews
The Week of December 3, 2006
India's Security Environment: Turbulent and
Uncertain by Dr. Subhash Kapila
Sensible Security Strategies by Gaurang Bhatt, MD
Nepal: Raising Hopes of Normalcy by Col. Rahul
K. Bhonsle
Lawless and Vibrant: Criminal Union Cabinet
Ministers by V. Sundram
It is Not Women Who Declare War by Mehru Jaffer
Living Among Enemies by J. Ajithkumar
The Fate of Mankind: Is the World Heading
Towards War or Peace? by TA Ramesh
Impact of Globalization on Indian Culture
by V. Sundaram
A Rebel of Innocence by Ashwini Ahuja
Trip to Heaven by Arya Bhushan
When the Sun Sets by Dr. Manasi Dutt
Meenaxi by Dibyendu Ghosal
Rinanubandh by Julia Dutta
A Country Deluged by VK Joshi
Food for Thought by Attreyee Roy Chowdhury
Skiing in Dubai by Rajesh Talwar
That Thing Called Love by Tuhin Sinha
The Witty Side by Melvin Durai
Mothers Feeling Blue by Rasana Atreya
'Silence is Complicity' by Elayne Clift
Dissent through Dance and Drama by
Deepti Priya Mehrotra
Concrete Threat to Goa's Beaches by Lionel
Messias
Imprisoned by Daylight by Swapna Majumdar
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