Of fist and fish

Manpriya Singh

What all can a wicked witty imagination achieve? For starters, it can serve the outrageous with the ridiculous. Shovon Chowdhury wasn’t driven to the wall but was rather driven by the headlines and the happenings around. “What else do you make of Asaram’s potency test making it to news paper,” he questions.

Argue or agree; you can’t overlook the agendas he rightly wraps around in sarcasm. “Right now, sarcasm looks like the only way of dealing with things and issues surrounding us,” he shares, during the launch of his book Murder With Bengali Characteristics, while in Chandigarh for a meet and greet event organised by Adab Foundation.

The murder mystery with comic elements, promises drones, clones and a girl you’ll never forget. “The writing part took about 18 months, while the research took about three-and-a-half years.” Speak of the challenges and he’s quick to revert. “What are you saying? I don’t know Chinese and am writing about Chinese people,” he adds, having earlier written The Competent Authority.

For every post on his blog, India Update, there are as many applauders and a few detractors. At the end of the day, they are just that, few and detractors. “When you deal with things through humour, people are a bit more sympathetic…It’s only when I wrote about Chitranjan Park during Puja that I realised my community is very sensitive about certain things. Otherwise, I have rarely been abused by anyone,” shares the blogger, columnist, author and the humourist.

Cover story

The cover calls for a moment of reflection; a sturdy hand clutching onto a fish. There he goes, “It signifies revolution and fish. Two very important things for any Bong. You see communism has noble objectives. Bongs like noble objectives.”

Witty would be an understatement. Wickedly imaginative is more like it. Any fear of opposition? “Just before the publication, I went and met my mother. So, I’m not going to Bengal any time before next six months. So they can oppose.”

Troubled area

On a serious note, he draws the line where it ought to be driven. “It’s hard to make fun of genocide. My sensibilities don’t allow that.” What else? “Narendra Modi. He has such devoted followers that you have to be careful about what you say of him unless you are making a very solid point.” Mention of Narendra Modi in split seconds lead the conversation to Rahul Gandhi. The wicked head re-appears. “He is a gift of God, really. For people like us. I’d like to dive for Sonia Gandhi’s feet, for an altogether different set of reasons.”

Issue based

There’s someone wanting to exchange a word or two on communism in China. “That’s such a brilliant question. It can take three hours but I’ll try to answer some of it in three minutes.”

There is a long list of several brilliant questions and issues waiting to be addressed. He’s promised to do more in Punjab. We hope once again it is with noble opinions and the characteristic sarcastic approach.

manpriya@tribunemail.com