Let me start with an honest confession. I would not have read this book if it were not written by a friend who was an ex-colleague and was my boss for a brief period. I still call him Sir due to that reason. IVJ Pradeep has always been fascinated by movies, script writing etc ( his father was a producer of movies and made a movie with the legendary Telugu actor NTR many decades back - it must have rubbed off to him early). Post voluntary exit from the corporate world, IVJ chose to pass time writing movie reviews. The inspiration for the book might have come from one of these reviews.
Operation Kamatchi is a book of collaboration. Written by my friend, his son, his daughter-in-law and some of their friends. The way the book segues smoothly from one chapter to another, you would find it difficult to believe that beneath the story lies a patchwork of creativity.
It has been a while I read a work of fiction - with so many self help, management and biographies seeking your attention, you would find it difficult to steer your attention to fiction. So, despite being informed about the new book, i gave it some time.
Am I glad I read it? Absolutely yes. It is a page turner. Once you start reading the book, you cannot leave it as the story build from many angles.
A heady concoction of tradition and technology, rituals and righteousness, the book scores in keeping the reader engaged.
You get to see the Chennai life from up close, with most characters sounding and looking real. The humour is crisp and timely, apt but not in your face.
Like a classical Telugu masala film - the film has its quota of characters - the smart youngsters, the devout leading lady and the scheming bad men who, like James Bond villains have mastered technology that can destroy peace.
It is a book that moves at a breezy pace and thankfully isn’t too long and does not go too much into detail (I refer to Dan Brown who kills you with over complicated explanations).
The book does have its weaknesses - you can sense a first time writer at quite a few places. Since it does not negate the flow, one can take it into one’s stride.
If you are looking for a few hours of entertainment and books are one of your go to routes, do give this book a try.
It might be an interesting few hours that you have spent.
