LOVE & OTHER THIRSTS

On a second rereading of Ismat Chugtai’s A Very Strange Man on the turbulent life and times of Guru Dutt, I’m inclined to believe the book is as much as an exposition of dark human also has a misogynistic streak.

- JITESH PILLAAI

So Guru Dutt is Dharam Dev, Waheeda Rehman is Zarina Jamal, Geeta Dutt is Mangala. One of Dharam Dev’s close confidants keeps referring to Jamila in a derogatory manner, even Mangala is shown as conniving and foul mouthed despite being vulnerable. Make no mistake it’s a very readable book and Tahira Naqvi who’s translated it from Urdu to English has done a commendable job. But certain transliterations jar a lot. The similar problem I had with Naqvi’s english rendering of Chugtai’s Masooma.