Book Review: Twilight of the Elites: America After Meritocracy by Christopher L. Hayes

Twilight of the Elites: America After Meritocracy by Christopher L. Hayes

⭐⭐⭐⭐✰ Worth Reading

“To see what is in front of one’s nose is a constant struggle,” George Orwell famously observed. So, what is it that American liberals and conservatives have missed?

Twilight of the Elites: America After Meritocracy is a 2012 nonfiction book written by Christopher Hayes. The book Twilight of the Elites: America After Meritocracy by Christopher L. Hayes explores the crisis of authority in America, attributing it to the failures of the modern meritocracy. Hayes argues that since the 1960s, as more diverse groups rose to elite status through meritocratic means, a new elite emerged that is marked by increased social distance, corruption, and institutional failure. This elite, embraced inequality, leading to widespread distrust in key institutions such as government, corporate America, the media, and even sports organizations. 

Today, the children of these elites enjoy outsized returns on capital and, increasingly, the concentration of large fortunes in a few hands. With blue-collar jobs disappearing and unionization dwindling, lower rung workers’ incomes have declined. Yet, elite workers receive not just rising wages, but also hefty stock compensation. Highly paid workers tend to marry one another, closing another door to upward mobility. Those from poor neighborhoods are exceedingly unlikely to move up the income distribution ladder.

Let me delve into the process of merit, social mobilization and elite class conscription. A key question to consider when discussing class and social mobility concerns the social processes that determine how children find their places in the economic and professional hierarchy. In a purely meritocratic society, institutional mechanisms identify high achievers and reward them with desirable positions. 

In contrast, a purely plutocratic society allows the wealthy to use their resources to secure privileges for their children, ensuring that economic power remains within their families across generations. Elites have contributed to society and played by the rules. The problem is that the rules are often skewed in their favour. In other words, income inequality stems from systemic flaws produced by meritocracy. 

There's no shortage of books raising the questions when it comes to the failed meritocracy, disdain for elites, and reshaping of the social system. Christopher Hayes raises important questions: Can we ignore traits like Widom, Judgement, Empathy, and Ethical rigor in the search for merit? Why American leaders are out of touch with the masses?

Hayes introduces the concept of "fractal inequality," a pervasive insecurity among elites about their status, which fosters corrupt behavior. The book asserts that the meritocratic system, while promising opportunity, has produced leaders disconnected from the public and unable to govern effectively, culminating in a broader societal crisis. The political and corporate leaders have failed to transform the institutions looking after interest of the citizens. Now, expecting anything from them is like asking the Pope to become Protestant. 

The book covers topics like mistrust in the institutional authority, missing potential working-class leaders due to meritocratic system, and mythical level playing field. The book might have had more impact if it would have delved deep into race questions and, criminal justice policies on social mobility. The book is a must-read social commentary for those who want to understand failed relation between citizens, institutions, society, and the state.

A civilization in growth peers into the future to create institutions and framework suitable for that era, based on their present experience. Civilizations in decline, on the other hand, looks back to and derive inspiration from past glory to evade from the uncomfortable reality of the present. An entire generation of young Americans—burdened with education loans, facing stagnant or low-paying jobs, and priced out of the housing market—is beginning to realize that owning a home and raising a family may remain out of their reach. 

The young Americans have expressed this desire for social justice through the political process. This can be seen especially relevant amid Mamdani’s recent victory and social justice debates. Society is unprepared for what this disillusionment might trigger: when a generation feels it has no stake in the system, its instinct may not be to preserve it, but to watch it decline and collapse.

Book Review: Return of a King: The Battle for Afghanistan by William Dalrymple

Return of a King: The Battle for Afghanistan by William Dalrymple

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Highly Recommended

Despite the significant failures experienced in Vietnam, the idea of American exceptionalism remained deeply ingrained in the U.S. national psyche till 2000.  Then, 9/11 happened. A focused military-intelligence operation targeting the perpetrators of 9/11 could have addressed domestic demands for justice. Alas, Bush administration launched a large-scale ground invasion of Afghanistan. USA withdrew ultimately from war scarred land of Afghanistan, marking the end of a twenty-year military presence.  They couldn't capture and run a dummy Afghan government. Sounds familiar ! 

The aphorism “History does not repeat itself, but it often rhymes” is evident in these events when the United States withdrew from Afghanistan in 2021, echoing past foreign interventions in the country. The rapid collapse of Afghanistan’s government and swift Taliban resurgence after the U.S. exit underscore the complex consequences of such interventions, mirroring historical patterns seen in other empires’ engagements in the region. 

Afghan historian Mirza 'Ata' wrote after 1842, and his words remain equally true today: “It is certainly no easy thing to invade or govern the Kingdom of Khurasan.” Long before, Americans and Soviets, the British learned this lesson. The exodus of the British from Afghanistan in 1842 was another horror show under British Generals. It is a travesty that history remembers outsized egos and oversized ambitions, even in the graveyard of empires.  In this context, William Dalrymple's masterful retelling of Britain's greatest imperial disaster is a very important book. This is a story of the First Anglo-Afghan War, Britain's greatest defeat of the nineteenth century.

The narrative of the book centers on the lives of Afghan rulers Shah Shuja Durrani and Dost Mohammad Khan, who were ensnared in the imperial rivalry famously dubbed The Great Game as the American historian David Fromkin observed, "no matter how far-fetched" such a British interpretation might be.  In 1837-1838, Qajar Persia, supported by Russia, besieged the Afghan city of Herat, a crucial grain-producing region historically claimed by Persia; British intervention and Afghan defense prevented Persian capture, marking a key event in the Great Game power struggle.

In the late 1830s, the British feared Russian expansion into British India through Afghanistan and the rising Sikh power under Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Governor-General Lord Auckland saw Russian envoy Jan Prosper Witkiewicz’s Kabul mission and Dost Mohammad Khan’s dealings as a major threat. The British chose to back exiled Shah Shuja Durrani, allying with the Sikh Empire to restore him to power in Kabul. In 1838, while Lord Palmerston, John Hobhouse, and Lord Auckland orchestrated the invasion with the East India Company forces, Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s Dal Khalsa only marched in the ceremonial review but refrained from active combat beyond Peshawar. The book details on precursor events and the beginning of the First Anglo-Afghan War, which was fought to secure British India against perceived Russian and Islamic alliances.

The book explores further how the British presence in Afghanistan incited profound discontent, rooted in disregard for the tribal cultural norms and economic strain on local communities, inciting rebellion. The book offers a detailed account of the calamitous British withdrawal amid brutal reprisals, capturing a cycle of resistance and retaliation that remains relevant to today’s geopolitical context. All the major tribes—Achakzais, Ghilzais, Durrani, and Barakzais—are present in the story, highlighting the complex tapestry of Afghan politics and society.

Afghans understood their topography, religious aspirations, and social fabric far better than the British. The British strategy of territorial conquest to secure boundaries ignited costly conflicts, resulting in significant sacrifices of both innocent and guilty alike. The narrative begins with stories of diplomatic tension and political maneuvering, featuring characters embodying deceit, friendship, chivalry, incompetence, and brutality. The story ends with death, plunder, rape, survival, and retribution. Dalrymple’s portrayal places these characters—both British and Afghan—at the center, either as instruments or victims of the war. 

William Dalrymple’s book is lucidly written, although it sometimes digresses from the core narrative and adopts a chatty tone. However, this stylistic freedom is understandable given the painstaking research underpinning the study. Dalrymple draws extensively from Afghan sources, including Dari and Persian accounts, which enrich the narrative beyond the usual colonial perspective. This approach brings an intimate, nuanced view of the First Anglo-Afghan War, showcasing the voices and experiences often overlooked by traditional histories.

 

The great Palestinian, Edward W. Said’s observation resonates here: “Every empire, however, tells itself and the world that it is unlike all other empires, that its mission is not to plunder and control but to educate and liberate.”   Yet, history has repeatedly shown that empires and foreign military adventures often leave behind a place worse off than when they found it.

Explore India’s Rich History: Top Book Picks from The Seen and the Unseen Podcast

"The Seen and the Unseen" is India's premier long-form podcast hosted by Amit Varma. The podcast, which has been running since 2017, features long-form conversations with intellectuals, writers, economists, historians, and thought leaders from India and around the world.

I am only sharing the books recommended related to Indian History: 

Post-Independence to Contemporary India (1970s–Present)

1. India after Gandhi — Ramachandra Guha
2. 1971: A Global History of the Creation of Bangladesh — Srinath Raghavan
3. Emergency Chronicles: Indira Gandhi and Democracy’s Turning Point — Gyan Prakash
4. India Moving: A History of Migration — Chinmay Tumbe
5. Jugalbandi: The BJP Before Modi — Vinay Sitapati
6. The Paradoxical Prime Minister — Shashi Tharoor
7. The Generation of Rage in Kashmir — David Devadas
8. Atomic State: Big Science in Twentieth-Century India — Jahnavi Phalkey

Independence and Nation-Building Era (1940s–1970s)

1. VP Menon: The Unsung Architect of Modern India — Narayani Basu
2. The Man Who Saved India: Sardar Patel and His Idea of India — Hindol Sengupta
3. Gita Press and the Making of Hindu India — Akshaya Mukul

Colonial and Pre-Independence India

1. Gandhi Before India — Ramachandra Guha
2. Gandhi: The Years That Changed the World — Ramachandra Guha
3. An Era of Darkness: The British Empire in India — Shashi Tharoor
4. Gods, Guns and Missionaries: The Making of the Modern Hindu Identity — Manu Pillai 
5. Age Of Pandemics (1817-1920): How they shaped India and the World — Chinmay Tumbe

Ancient to Early Modern India

1. Early Indians — Tony Joseph
2. The Great Indian Novel — Shashi Tharoor
3. The Discovery of India — Jawaharlal Nehru
4. Rebel Sultans: The Deccan from Khilji to Shivaji — Manu Pillai
5. False Allies: India’s Maharajahs in The Age of Ravi Varma — Manu Pillai

Book Review: Maus (Complete Part I and II) by Art Spiegelman

Maus (Complete Part I and II) by Art Spiegelman

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Highly Recommended

How difficult it is to write the review of a book acclaimed worldwide by critics? It is the only graphic novel to have won a Pulitzer Prize.  Between moral weight and artistic expression, one struggles to find words that do justice to a depiction of quiet lives being lived alongside a loud and brutal sweep of history.

"The struggle of man against power is the struggle of memory against forgetting," - Milan Kundera 

“A human being survives by his ability to forget. Memory is always ready to blot out the bad and retain only the good.” - Varlam Shalamov

Both these quotes hold profound significance in understanding the dynamics of power struggles, history, and human agency. Yet some memories refuse oblivion; they persist through narrative as a warning and a plea to the humanity. This memory has been itched in a book touching the lives of many and showing all the importance of bearing witness through art. History has shown that it does not start with concentration camps or mass murder, or civil war or genocide. It always starts with words: stereotypes, cliches, tropes. The fight against dehumanization, therefore, also needs to start with words. Stories. This is where Spiegelman’s Maus stands—using the intimacy of storytelling to resist erasure of the unimaginable suffering.

Maus is a graphic novel in two parts and it’s autobiographical written by Art Spiegelman. Maus I: My Father Bleeds History tells the story of Vladek Spiegelman’s life in pre-war Poland and his survival through the Nazi ghettos and camps. Maus II: And Here My Troubles Began continues Vladek’s story with the death marches, liberation from Auschwitz and the aftershocks of war. Through his parents (Vladek and Anja’s) experiences, the author depicts the horrors of the Holocaust, trauma of the survivors and tortured relationship with his aging father.

Set against the devastated landscapes of wartime and postwar Europe, the story offers an unflinching portrayal of survival, resilience, and the generational legacy of the Holocaust, blending personal memory with historical narrative. Through Anja Spiegelman, Vladek's wife, exhibits a different kind of heroism marked by emotional resilience and mental stamina. The novel also explores the complicated nature of heroism by refusing to idealize its characters. Through Vladek’s character, Spiegelman captures both the ingenuity that ensured survival and the lingering psychological scars that shadow life long after liberation. 

In Maus, last part of the narrative unfolds in 1970 at Rego Park, New York, centering around Art Spiegelman’s strained relationship with his father, Vladek who is portrayed with flaws - difficult personality, frugality, and moments of bitterness. The most remarkable and unexpected page in the graphic novel was the reaction of Vladek with fear and racial slur towards a Black Man. Spiegelman portrays a painful irony: a Holocaust survivor, once persecuted himself, now exhibits prejudices similar to those that dehumanized him. Maus teaches the readers a critical lesson on how discrimination persists universally, transcending both time and place.

The graphic novel’s layered storytelling merges visuals and text to evoke a powerful emotional and intellectual response. Spiegelman’s minimalist black-and-white art style that contrasts innocence and brutality effectively. Through its first-person perspective and the seamless interplay of image and language, it offers a profound exploration of both the graphic novel form and Holocaust memory.

In Maus, the symbolic use of animal allegory- Jews as mice, Germans as cats, Poles as pigs, and the French as frogs—functions as a striking visual metaphor that exposes the constructed nature of racial and national identities. This also sparked criticism in Poland, where some readers perceive the depiction of Poles as pigs as perpetuating negative stereotypes and oversimplifying complex historical realities.

Beyond its artistic merit, “Maus” stands as an example of the power of art to document the genocide and offer commentary on the horrors of the Third Reich. The allure is not so much to do with history as it is to present human, where flawed ideas of racial supremacy lead to genocide as cautionary tales to the readers. Maus is an essential read that tackles both private memory and historical horror.

4th Letter to Teen Taal (तीन ताल को चौथा ख़त लिखा )

तीन ताल के सभी साथियों को जय हो, जय हो, जय हो! मेरी चौथी चिट्ठी आप सबके मानसिक स्वास्थ्य को समर्पित है! किसी तीन तालिये  ने कहा था "तीन ताल के घाट पे, भईया, बकबक की भीड़, गपशप के लिए जुट गए, राजा, रंक, फकीर" ! राजा, रंक, फकीर के साथ इस बार कुछ लिबरल्स ने तीन ताल को सुना। उनको बहुत बहुत साधुवाद। यह विविधता हमारे समाज की जटिलता को दर्शाती है, जहाँ हर आवाज़, चाहे वह राजा हो या आम आदमी, संवाद की साझा धुन में एक साथ जुड़ती है।

आज मैं बात करूँगा उस चउतरफा चर्चा की, जहां मानसिक स्वास्थ्य की व्यथा और चिंतन ने ताऊ-वादी दर्शन और उदारवादी विचारों के बीच टकराव को जन्म दिया!  कमलेश ताऊ, आसिफ़ ख़ांचा और कुलदीप सरदार मेंटल हेल्थ पर चर्चा कर रहे थे  और  ताऊ ने  दीपिका पादुकोण को भारत की पहली मेंटल हेल्थ एम्बेसडर बनाए जाने पर तंज कसा कि यह सब एक बड़प्पन दिखाने का तरीका है, और थेरेपी को अमीरों का स्टेटस सिंबल बताया। इससे सोशल मीडिया पर लोग इतने खफा हुए जैसे किसी ने रंगदारी नहीं दिया हो! लिबरल्स ने शर्मनाक घोषित क़िया, एपिसोड कैंसिल कराने और बायकॉट की धमकी दे डाली। फिर भी कुछ  हुआ नहीं। तीन ताल के सुनाने वाले ठसक से बड़े और मिजाज से प्यारे  होते  हैं  इसलिए वो ताऊ के साथ खड़े मिले । जन जन का नारा है, तीन ताल हमारा है का उदघोष सोशल मीडिया पर गूंज उठा।

पहले तीन ताल की मूल भावना हास्य रस है और ये बैठकी ग़ज़ब का मंजर है! एक तरफ़ गांधी जी की गंभीर फोटो, दूसरी ओर मर्लिन मुनरो की मुस्कुराती तस्वीर, और बीच में तीन ताल पॉडकास्ट का स्टूडियो — जहाँ विचार ऐसे टकरा रहे हैं जैसे समोसे की प्लेट पर चटनी और मिर्च। गांधी जी के पीछे लिखा है "सादा जीवन, उच्च विचार", और मुनरो की तरफ़ से झलक रहा है "ग्लैमर भरा विचित्र संसार". बीच में होस्ट लोग बैठे हैं और तीन ताल का ध्वज-पताका ऐसे फहरा रहा है मानो विचारों का स्वतन्त्रता संग्राम चल रहा हो।

तीन ताल, सादा जीवन और बिज़ारे विचार का तुग़लक़ी संगम है। ताऊ-वादी दर्शन हर समस्या को तुगलकी विचार से सोचने के नाम है ! और ताऊ-वादी विचारक विरोधों से अपनी दिशा नहीं बदला करते। और जो हर रोज़ रुख़ और तवज्जो पलटते रहते हैं, वे ताऊ-वादी विचारक नहीं होते। ताऊ का सोशल मीडिया पे अपने विचार पे अडिग रहते देखना अच्छा लगा, एक एक जुमला याद आया, "वो उसूल ही क्या जिसकी कीमत ना चुकानी पड़े! 

जब  फ्री स्पीच  का  ध्येय  रख  कर  अति गंभीर से लेकर अनौपचारिक तक सब पे बात हो रही  है,  ये है रुदाली रुदन क्यों ! रूढ़िवादी कहते हैं धर्म पे व्यंग्य न बोलिये और लिबरल्स बोलते हैं मेन्टल हेल्थ पे व्यंग्य न बोलिये। आज लिबरल्स हों या रूढ़िवादी — दोनों पक्षों ने विचार को नारे में बदल दिया है। जब भाषा केवल दलीलों का हथियार बन जाती है, तब स्वतंत्रता मर जाती है। असली बोलने की क्षमता वही है जो किसी खेमे में रहते हुए भी उसके झूठ को पहचान सके। सोशल मीडिया पर कितनों को मैं सूरज समझ बैठा था, बाद में मालूम हुआ वो तो महज़ दिया निकले। कभी रंग बदलते हैं, कभी रुख़। मूल बात यह है कि कुछ लोगों की नैतिकता ऐसा आईना बन गई है, जिसमें हम स्वयं को चमकदार और श्रेष्ठ प्रदर्शन करते हैं, पर दूसरों की खामियों को ही देखते हैं। बाकी मेरा आपका जीवन समाप्त हो जाएगा, आउटरेज ख़त्म नहीं होगा।

वैसे  देश में मानसिक स्वास्थ्य पर बात करने पे हिचक है I मेन्टल हेल्थ को नकार देनी वाली बातें अक्सर आकर्षक लगती हैं, लेकिन उनके असली मायने और वास्तविकता करीब जाकर ही समझ आती है यहाँ हर समस्या का समाधान है — थोड़ा पॉज़िटिव सोचो और चाय पी लो। विशेषज्ञों की जगह अब मोटिवेशनल स्पीकर बैठेंगे, जो हर तीसरे वाक्य में कहेंगे, “तुम्हारा मन कमजोर नहीं, तुम्हारा वाईफाई स्लो है |

बुजुर्गों ने कहा है... चिंता चिता समान है! — बस फर्क इतना है कि अब ये चिता वाई-फाई से जलती है। लोग सुबह उठते ही अपने “स्ट्रेस लेवल” को फिटनेस बैंड की तरह ट्रैक करते हैं, नींद नहीं आती तो मेडिटेशन ऐप डाउनलोड कर लेते हैं, और फिर उसी ऐप की रिव्यू पढ़कर और चिंतित हो जाते हैं। ऐसा लगता है मानो मानसिक स्वास्थ्य अब कोई आत्मिक यात्रा नहीं, बल्कि सब्सक्रिप्शन प्लान हो गया है — महीना दो, चिंता लो, चिता स्थगित!  

ऊपर से विज्ञापन के तौर पर ब्रांड एंबेसडर बनाए जाने के मुद्दे पर व्यंग्यपूर्ण और गंभीर चर्चा को भी कुछ ज्वलनशील लोगों तटस्थता की जगह उग्रता से ले लेते हैं |  तीन ताल का अनुभव, मानो अंतर्मन की नदी में प्रवाहित एक सतत संवाद है, जिसमें  हर विचार्रों की  हर लहर — चाहे वह गंभीर हो या चुटीली, पवित्र हो या सांसारिक, सतही हो या गहरी, आपके दिमाग को  स्फूर्ति देती है | ऐसा सुनना सिर्फ बातें सुनना नहीं, बल्कि उनकी सोच और महसूस को समझना है।  जब हम ताऊ को ध्यान से, लंबे समय तक सुनें, तो ऐसा लगता है जैसे वो हमारे मन में उतर गए हों।  

यह संवाद, अपनी विविधता और गहराई में समृद्ध, सिर्फ बातचीत नहीं बल्कि सहानुभूति और समझ का जीवंत आदान-प्रदान बन जाता है। इस चौथे खत के अंत में बस यही कहना है कि आप लोगों की जुगलबंदी शानदार हैं। आने वाले एपिसोड में हाथ जोड़कर अनुरोध है कि आप हिंदी क्षेत्र से दूर देश बिदेश में  रह रहे हिंदी भाषियों के जीवन-संघर्ष और मानसिक स्वास्थ  पर भी प्रकाश डालें—क्योंकि बहुत से तीन तालिये दूर- सदूर से आपको सुनते हैं। तीन ताल के सभी साथियों को मेरा कोटि-कोटि प्रणाम।  जय हो, जय हो, जय हो! 

--- यायावर  ( टीटी स्टाफ)

Book Review: The Silk Roads by Peter Frankopan

The Silk Roads: A New History of the World by Peter Frankopan

⭐⭐⭐⭐✰ Worth Reading

“The age of empire and the rise of the west were built on the capacity to inflict violence on a major scale. The Enlightenment and the Age of Reason, the progression towards democracy, civil liberty and human rights, were not the result of an unseen chain linking back to Athens in antiquity or a natural state of affairs in Europe; they were the fruits of political, military and economic success in faraway continents.”

The Silk Roads by Peter Frankopan challenges conventional Eurocentric narratives by revealing how global history, trade, and exchange formed the bedrock for the modern world.  This perspective challenges the notion of Western progress as an isolated or inevitable phenomenon, situating it instead within the interconnected histories of empire, trade, conquest, and genocide.  

The Silk Roads is a deceptive title for a profound book. While the title evokes images of ancient trade routes, the book encompasses far more. It places ancient global dynamics revealing the enduring interconnectedness of civilizations and the forces shaping our world. 

Initial chapters of the book focus on the origins of the Silk Road as ancient commercial and cultural networks. They further dwell into how religions, revolutionary ideas, alliances and beliefs traversed the Silk Road, shaping societies across continents. The book gives a glance on the rise of key cities like Minsk, Kyiv, and Novgorod adds a crucial dimension to The Silk Roads. Frankopan delves deeply into how "military might, careful administration, low taxes and religious tolerance created the bedrock of the Mongol Empire."

Peter Frankopan goes on to discuss the commerce that is against the concept of modern society i.e. the movement of enslaved peoples and the impact of slavery on societies. The word "slave" is historically derived from the ethnonym "Slav," referring to the Slavic peoples. In the 8th and 9th centuries when many Slavs were captured and enslaved by Byzantines, Avars, Germanic tribes, and other groups during medieval wars and raids, leading to their ethnonym becoming synonymous with "slave" in Europe. 

The book further analyses the fur trade, oil (black gold), agricultural trade, gold and silver trade’s influence on power, politics, and global economies.  This trade affected the rise and fall of empires fueled by Silk Road wealth and connectivity. The last chapters deal with the Silk Road’s role during modern geopolitical tensions and America’s involvement and via Silk Road-inspired connections. Silk Road was once world's nervous system with the strategic geolocation of the Countries of the Silk Roads (from the Western borders of China to the Mediterranean Sea) has a historical ring. The 21st Century Silk Roads is what BRI is all about.

The book is vast in scope, profound in insight, and deeply philosophical in its approach. It is not merely a must-read—it demands multiple readings. The immense canvas the author unfolds can be overwhelming, yet this remains one of the finest and most illuminating treatises ever written on the idea of the Silk Road.

Book Review: Ideas: A History of Thought and Invention, from Fire to Freud - Peter Watson

Ideas: A History of Thought and Invention, from Fire to Freud by Peter Watson

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Highly Recommended

The past is an inheritance, a gift and a burden. It can’t be shirked. You carry it everywhere. There’s nothing for it but to get to know it. - Jill Lepore

Crisis makes radical ideas relevant. Radical ideas inspire social movements. Social movements amplify crisis. In a crisis, shovel-ready ideas can win support quickly. History is full of deeply flawed ideas adapted rapidly by civilization and also burial ground of the ideas applied with the best of intentions. We must look at history and to understand that change never, ever, ever comes about in a brief period. It's the gradual accumulation of knowledge as ideas to historical change that lead to the historical changes.

All the current knowledge has been built on past insights, and a book is devoted for the cause. Ideas: A History of Thought and Invention, from Fire to Freud by Peter Watson, has covered the key intellectual milestones of humanity’s intellectual ascent. Central to the narrative is the theme that ideas—not war, politics, or economics—are the true drivers of history, which the author weaves with remarkable sensitivity. Watson crafts a sweeping intellectual history that traces how ideas evolve and have profound consequences. 

The book is a sweeping chronicle of how human beings have thought about the world and their place in it across cultures and centuries. The amount of knowledge condensed in a single book covering disciplines (science, philosophy, law, religion, the arts, music, economics, etc.), is astonishing! 

The reader will explore about the foundational scientific discoveries and their unexpected consequences. How great minds connect the dots across different ages and disciplines? Reader will delve into the major philosophical and religious movements that defined our ethical systems and societal structures, tracing thought from the earliest concepts of the soul to the complex theories of Freud.

Understanding how ideas evolved helps the reader appreciate the unique power of human thought and innovation. Watson’s methodology and narrative structure is exhausting for the reader as the book covers the depth and breadth of intellectual evolution. 

Reading the book is worth the effort. It's illuminating, but not without blind spots! The book is too Eurocentric, and it oversimplifies things for the experts. Peter Watson does acknowledge major non-Western civilizations (like China, India, and the Islamic world) and includes influential figures and concepts from them. However, their contributions are often subordinated to the narrative arc of Western intellectual development, especially from the Renaissance onward.

Bernard of Chartres, a medieval scholar, who said: "We are like dwarfs sitting on the shoulders of giants, so that we can see more than they, and things at a greater distance..." The phrase has come to symbolize intellectual progress built on the foundations laid by others. The trajectory of knowledge — from fire, to writing, to the internet — suggests that future breakthroughs will continue to reshape human life. Confidence in the knowledge that those before you have achieved wonderful things in past always help an individual or community to overcome doubt, hysteria and even conspiracy theories. Ultimately, the book is a celebration—and critique—of the complex history of ideas that shape our world.  

9 Must-Read Essays and Journalism Classics from The Seen and the Unseen Podcast

"The Seen and the Unseen" is India's premier long-form podcast hosted by Amit Varma. The podcast, which has been running since 2017, features long-form conversations with intellectuals, writers, economists, historians, and thought leaders from India and around the world. 

I am only sharing the books recommended related to Journalism & Media:

1.The New New Journalism — Robert Boynton

This book offers deep insight into the craft and practice of modern journalism. It features interviews with 19 leading journalists who bring facts to life in compelling ways, making stories engaging and impactful. It inspires journalists and writers to improve storytelling techniques essential for today’s media landscape.

2. The Power Broker — Robert A. Caro

This is a multi-dimensional portrait of American power and political influence. Through Robert Caro’s detailed biography, readers learn how power is gained, wielded, and its impact on ordinary people. It is a masterclass in political biography, journalism, history, and the nuanced study of power.

3. The Naïve and the Sentimental Novelist — Orhan Pamuk

This book explores the inner world of writing and reading fiction. Orhan Pamuk discusses the relationship between imagination and sensitivity, showing how literature creates alternate worlds for both writers and readers. It offers valuable perspectives for lovers of literature.

4. How Fiction Works — James Wood

James Wood’s book helps readers and writers understand the complexities of narrative art. It examines key story elements like realism, character, description, and point of view, providing a thorough understanding of how fiction is crafted. It’s useful for aspiring writers and serious readers alike.

5. On Writing Well — William Zinsser

This classic guide on nonfiction writing teaches clarity, simplicity, and effectiveness. It shows that good writing comes from clear thinking and offers ways to refine a writer’s voice. It is essential reading for writers of all styles and levels.

6. I Lost It at the Movies — Pauline Kael

Pauline Kael’s critical essays capture the experience of cinema and her personal relationship with film. The book is a deep dive into film critique with cultural and emotional insights, which is important for film lovers and critics.

7. Frank Sinatra Has a Cold — Gay Talese

This groundbreaking piece of journalism broke traditional rules, blending profile and narrative. It reveals Frank Sinatra’s world through a personal and cultural lens and showcases new dimensions in storytelling and journalism.

8. Everybody Loves a Good Drought — P. Sainath

This book highlights rural poverty, drought, and social inequality in India through thorough field reporting. It offers critical insight into social justice and rural development, making it a vital reference for journalists and policymakers.

9. A Collection of Essays — George Orwell

George Orwell’s essays provide sharp and profound analysis on literature, society, and politics. He emphasizes journalistic integrity and authenticity, which remain relevant today. His writing exemplifies thoughtful clarity.

These books offer exceptional perspectives on journalism, storytelling, criticism, and social awareness, making them important reads for serious readers and professionals.

Book Review: Full Spectrum: India's Wars 1972–2020 - Arjun Subramaniam

Full Spectrum: India's Wars 1972–2020 - Arjun Subramaniam

⭐⭐⭐⭐✰ Worth Reading

In his book 'Assignment Colombo', J.N. Dixit argues in favour of India's strategic dilly-dallying, stating that adhering to absolute principles of morality is the safest and most non-controversial stance in foreign relations. This policy, however, rarely serves any purpose in the inherently amoral nature of international relations.  Today, national security and foreign policy of India have gradually represented the departure from the past. The story of evolving Indian stance in geopolitics can be usually understood at the level of the conflicts faced by India, while the primary bulwarks of defense—the role of military —get overlooked. Hence, "Full Spectrum: India's Wars 1972–2020" is a worth reading for a gripping exploration of wars and conflicts shedding light on strategies, operational steps, and political consequences. 

The book "Full Spectrum: India's Wars 1972–2020" by Arjun Subramaniam takes the story forward from the previous book India's Wars: A Military History, 1947-1971. The book offers the reader an account of wars, military operations, and security challenges in contemporary India over the past five decades. The book covers in detail on the Doklam standoff, Balakot Strike, Kargil war, Siachen conflict, Naga rebellion, Operation Blue Star, terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, and India's military action in Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Conventional wars have changed, and skirmishes are happening below the threshold of conventional structured war between nation-states. And the rise of non-conventional wars has led to Indian military either dealing with Hybrid war, cyber war, proxy war, border skirmishes, armed militancy, insurgency, and terrorism. 

The reading makes one realize that Indian military has also expanded its strategic horizon while dealing with the modus operandi of non-state actors.  The chapters of the book on India’s involvement with the LTTE in Sri Lanka, during the IPKF mission, makes for an interesting read. It shows how the Indian military faced a daring and locally supported adversary, and how this episode reshaped our military and foreign policy. Another insight from the book was that the absence of any active government machinery during insurgency in Punjab made Operation Bluestar more difficult. And compounded with it was often the fear and stigma of command failure, that prompted military leaders to persist with sub optimal operational plans.

The book features a gripping narrative but becomes dull in some places. These lapses in pacing make certain sections feel tedious, detracting from the overall impact.  Those who support the 'realist' argument of India's emergence as a potential global military power must read this book. The book is an invaluable resource for those interested in military studies, and the intricate interplay between war and political transformation.

In the end author asked for deep introspection within India's strategic community by sharing an old Thucydidian principle called the Melian Dialogue, which emerged during the Peloponnesian War prior to the siege of the island of Melios by Athens, which says: 'The strong will do what they can and the weak suffer what they must.'

Book Review: A Corner of a Foreign Field - Ramachandra Guha

A Corner of a Foreign Field: The Indian History of a British Sport - Ramachandra Guha

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Highly Recommended

Our inability to understand and tell sociological stories is one of the key reasons we are struggling with how to respond to social transitions. Without embedding social narratives, we miss understanding who benefitted, who was left behind, and what kind of society we were building. The idea that we could somehow eliminate casteist mindsets, religious differences, and racist discrimination by ignoring such identity question under the veil of secular cricket leads to formation of a veil of ignorance. 

Social history of Indian cricket suffers from one enormous disadvantage: that we as a people, have criminal indifference to written records. The history of Indian cricket is indeed amazing because it reveals much more than just scores and statistics. It reflects cultural exchanges, colonial legacies, social struggles, and identities across South Asia. The history of India, like that of any other country, has been a story of social inequities, exploitation of the common people, religious conflict, and so on. The history of the cricket in India is no exception to this.  

A Corner of a Foreign Field: The Indian History of a British Sport is a book depicting religious fault lines. A book talking about caste. A book talking about racism. Yet, the book is written for the lover of the game by a writer looking from the perspective of the history, sports, social transformation, and Indian Independence. The book is divided into four chapters—Race, Caste, Religion, and Nation—and features the experiences of the cricketers, politicians, and Maharajas making it an engaging and interesting read. The inherent values of cricket —fair play, competition, and endurance—resonated with the Indians under colonial rule thus attracting broad affection and embedding itself as a part of the national psyche.

The book captures the long journey of cricket in India—from its beginning as a game created by an alliance of imperial and Indian elites to becoming a sport for the masses. The book shows how Indians overcame the deeply rooted caste barriers in society and challenged the British notion of racial superiority in the game of cricket. Cricket tournaments like the Bombay Quadrangular and Bombay Pentangular were initially organized based on religious communities of Hindu, European, Muslim, and Parsees leading to widespread riots and political unrest. The book also ends with the origins of the Ranji Trophy and the formation of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Despite attempts to break free from the legacies of their forefathers and religious divisions, Indian history drags our cricketers towards a fate which led them in Independent India, as though along a river's course.

This book introduced me to Palwankar Baloo and his brothers, early Indian cricketers, and shared stories about famous players like C.K. Nayudu, Lala Amarnath, Vijay Hazare, and Vijay Merchant. The book delves us into first Test match of Indian cricket team in England, in 1932 symbolizing both achievement and aspiration for a modern nation. This is a must-read book capturing cricket history of India in an effortless and seamless manner

Book Review: Beyond A Boundary- C.L.R. James

Beyond A Boundary- C.L.R. James

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Highly Recommended

The essence at the core of culture, writes Byung-Chul Han, is ornamentation. Culture sits beyond functionality and usefulness. The ornament dimension, emancipated from any goal or use, is how life insists that it is more than survival. The book was written in an era when British have the illusion of the racial superiority even in the game of cricket while tradition and history of the game were part of the British culture.  

“Time would pass, old empires would fall and new ones take their place, the relations of countries and relations of classes had to change, before I discovered that it is not quality of goods and utility which matter, but movement, not where you are or what you have, but where you have come from, where you are going and the rate at which you are getting there."

This statement from C.L.R. James’s classic book shows role the game of cricket has played in the making of the history of Caribbean society. C.L.R. James, the historian and cricket writer, embarks on a biographical journey from 1910s to 1950s in West Indies, and England to prove the point. He invites us to look closely the complex ties between political struggles of decolonization through cricket and the long process of decolonizing his own mind from the gaze of the western civilization.  

Beyond a Boundary starts by focusing on wonder years of the writer in Trinidad and his observation on the intermingling of the race and class in the local cricket. During his teenage years, James became deeply engrossed in cricket and Literature which allowed him to examine Trinidad’s working class through the lens of sport. 

Two players he often highlighted in this context were Learie Constantine and W.G. Grace to argue that cricket is inseparable from the politics and social structures of its time. The idea of “leaving politics out of sports” is a topic of ongoing debate, but this book makes us aware that the injustice "beyond the boundary" ultimately impacts the cricket. The players are not islands of sportsmanship while being deeply engulfed into societal structures, systemic biases and burden of the history. 

The book also highlights the campaign for racial equality in West Indies cricket, including the appointment of Frank Worrell as the first black captain in 1960. 

The writer advocates cricket as an art form like Greek literature by observing the game not just as a sport, but as a craft with rhythm, beauty, and a narrative flow. The writer argues in the book that cricket was a form of resistance against colonial oppression, especially as Black players took on leading roles, challenging racial stereotypes and social barriers. 

The writer traveled to England and the exposure felt like awakening to him: Once the veil of the empire drops, he didn’t just “analyze” culture—he saw its webs working through you. From that point, C.L.R. James achieved a mental freedom, not only rejecting conditioning but also recognizing the interconnectedness of imperial power, cricket, culture, and resistance, which shaped his revolutionary outlook and deepened his commitment to black internationalism and Marxist theory.  

Today, C.L.R. James embodies a unique and compelling mixture of identities: a Marxist historian, an anglophile in initial years, a Black intellectual, and a passionate lover of cricket. The book is written through this multi-faceted perspective, that is as much about the identity, and struggle as it is about cricket.

Book Review: Time of Parting - Anton Donchev

Time of Parting - Anton Donchev (Alternate Reading)

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Highly Recommended

A nation is shaped by its shared memories. In literature, we can see the elements that make up a collective memory—often rooted in a common pain —that influence national identity. Newly independent countries often seek a fresh start, breaking away from their historical past. Anton Donchev's Time of Parting (Bulgarian: Време разделно, Vreme razdelno) dives deep into a time when a nation, Bulgaria, survived by enduring humiliation under Ottoman rule.

The Balkans, including Bulgaria, were subjected to centuries of Ottoman rule starting in the late 14th century, which brought significant social and religious transformation. Catholic powers (Papacy and Habsburgs) were often perceived as foreign and adversarial.  The Ottoman conquest and the subsequent division between Catholic and Orthodox spheres of influence in the Balkans gave rise to opportunities for Muslims to act as a unifying force in a divided region. While many apologists dispute a direct connection between religious violence and radical Islam, the nuanced history of Bulgarian religious life under Ottoman rule shows that society experienced both pragmatic coexistence and adaptation, as well as periods of institutional discrimination and social unrest. 

Set during the Islamization of Bulgaria in the summer of 1668 particularly in the Rhodope Mountains, the story doesn't claim to be an exact historical record. Instead, it reflects how those events shaped Bulgarian culture and identity. The theme of being forced to choose a side resonated strongly with the dominant ideologies of the polarized world. The novel has sparked ongoing debates about how the Ottoman period and forced religious conversions are viewed in Bulgaria. With the changing political landscape, Time of Parting continues to be a highly discussed and impactful piece of literature.

The book explores a painful choice for a community: whether to hold on to their beliefs and die for them or convert to a foreign religion to stay alive. The narrative is told in parallel by two witnesses: the French nobleman called the Venetian, and the Bulgarian priest Aligorko. This dual narration provides a layered, nuanced view of the cultural, religious, and personal conflicts. As the tale culminates, the relentless campaign of forced Islamization breaks the spirit and unity of the Bulgarian Christian community. This finale reflects the larger historical tragedy of the era — the erasure of cultural heritage through brutal force.The heavy loss of life, culture, and dignity leaves a haunting legacy of division and sorrow.

The movie "Time of Violence" (Bulgarian: Време разделно) released in 1988 is based on the novel "Time of Parting" by Anton Donchev (Антон Дончев). The portrayal of historical events is considered by few as biased leading to debates over historical accuracy. The Hindi book "बेला विदा की" (Bela Vida Ki) is a rendition of "Time of Parting" authored by Vimlesh Kanti Verma and Dheera Verma.

Book Review: India's Wars: A Military History, 1947-1971 - Arjun Subramaniam

India's Wars: A Military History, 1947-1971 - Arjun Subramaniam

⭐⭐⭐⭐✰ Worth Reading

A new generation of Indians are rediscovering their military history, realizing that the popular narratives often fail to reflect the complexities of the truth. Today, India's military remains resource-constrained, overstretched, and increasingly aware of the dual-front threat posed by China and Pakistan. Its strategy and preparedness are shaped by a mix of historical conflicts, and contemporary geopolitical realities. 

For anyone genuinely interested in understanding the historical wars with our Pakistan and China, "India's Wars: A Military History, 1947-1971" by Arjun Subramaniam is an indispensable read.  The book offers a compelling examination of India’s military evolution post-independence, with detailed accounts of pivotal wars, including the Indo-Pak Wars (1947-48, 1965, and 1971) and the Sino-Indian War of 1962. Battles into contested regions like Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (referred to as Azad Kashmir by Pakistan), Gilgit-Baltistan, Arunachal Pradesh (claimed by China as South Tibet) are meticulously explored, often accompanied by maps to provide clarity. While the historical narrative may pose a challenge for casual readers, the book is rewarding for those seeking the intricacies of battlefield strategies and political decision-making.

I have few notable observations as a reader:

• The departure of the British left India with inadequately demarcated borders leading to the territorial disputes.
• India has reliance on idealism and restraint that clashed with the pragmatic, force-centric approaches of adversaries like China and Pakistan.
• Unfolding of events in China India 1962 war is tragic tale for the Indians. Tragedy presents situations in which there is a desperate urge to assign blame. In all this chain of events, failure of intelligence and political decision framework hurts most.
• India's limited intelligence-gathering capabilities and the "fog of war" resulted in critical decision-making dilemmas. These inadequacies were evident in moments of crisis, often amplifying the challenges faced during conflicts.
• India captured the strategically vital Haji Pir Pass during the 1965 war but returned it to Pakistan under the Tashkent Agreement, forfeiting a key advantage in controlling infiltration routes into Kashmir.  
• After the Bangladesh Liberation War, India released about 90,000 Pakistani prisoners of war without leveraging their return for a resolution on Kashmir or territorial securities, drawing criticism for missing a major bargaining chip.
• Post-1971 victory, India did not negotiate for the transfer of border enclaves or land on Bangladesh’s side that could have reduced the vulnerability of the Siliguri Corridor (“Chicken’s Neck”), leaving the Northeast perpetually exposed. The Siliguri Corridor remains at risk due to inadequate geopolitical leverage post-1971 and greater China-Bangladesh collaboration.

Subramaniam also highlights a hard-learned lesson for India: in international relations, realism often trumps idealism. It took nearly 25 years for Indian leadership to move beyond the non-violent and nonaligned ideals of the independence movement and adopt force as a legitimate instrument of statecraft. This shift is at the heart of India's modern military doctrine, making the book an essential resource for understanding the evolution of its strategic mindset.

Books on Ideas That Will Make You Smarter — Curated from The Seen and the Unseen Podcast

"The Seen and the Unseen" is India's premier long-form podcast hosted by Amit Varma. The podcast, which has been running since 2017, features long-form conversations with intellectuals, writers, economists, historians, and thought leaders from India and around the world. 

I am only sharing the books recommended grouped into broad thematic categories that align with traditional library and academic classification systems in philosophy, psychology, ethics, and literature:

Psychology and Cognitive Science

1. The Elephant in the Brain — Kevin Simler & Robin Hanson
2. Human: The Science Behind What Makes Your Brain Unique — Michael S. Gazzaniga
3. Thinking, Fast and Slow — Daniel Kahneman

Ethics, Morality, and Philosophy of Goodness

1. The Moral Arc: How Science Makes Us Better People — Michael Shermer
2. Better Never to Have Been — David Benatar
3. The Difficulty of Being Good — Gurcharan Das
4. The Expanding Circle: Ethics, Evolution, and Moral Progress — Peter Singer
5. On Bullshit — Harry Frankfurt

Philosophy and Intellectual History

1. Ideas: A History of Thought and Invention, from Fire to Freud — Peter Watson
2. The Hedgehog and the Fox — Isaiah Berlin
3. The Open Society and Its Enemies — Karl Popper
4. The Logic of Scientific Discovery — Karl Popper
5. History Of Western Philosophy — Bertrand Russell
6. History of European Morals — W. E. H. Lecky

Sociology, Social Psychology, and Mass Behavior

1. Crowds and Power — Elias Canetti
2. The Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind — Gustave Le Bon
3. The Argumentative Indian — Amartya Sen

Literary Criticism and Classics

1. Why Read the Classics? — Italo Calvino
2. Testaments Betrayed — Milan Kundera
3. Beyond Words: Philosophy, Fiction, and the Unsayable — Timothy Cleveland

The King Khan – Irrfan khan – A filmography (PFC Archive)

Note: The following post is taken from the archives of PassionForCinema.com, a much-loved platform for cinema enthusiasts. This is being republished here in the spirit of archiving, historical significance, and sharing important conversations with the readers who may not have had access to the original site. The author of the post is Kartik Krishnan  who published the post on  January 6, 2007 at 4:57 am. 

ok ok here is a post that was looooong due ….

Here’s a question – Who is the best khan in Bollywood ???? (meaning which one do u love the most)

Aamir-Lagaan and DCH being released in the same year might make you think that he is the best. Besides. He also is the ‘thinking Khan’

SRK - yeah …. sure ….

Salman – might be without his shirts off and if you are a female(or gay) that is.

Saif – post omkara, Saif has achieved a demi-god-ish status…

All are good but here’s the khan whose films I look forward to most eagerly…who sadly is not a part of the khan triumvarate (which is now also increased by Saif’s entry in it)

Irrfan Khan

For those who don’t know him (God help you if ever I see you guys), here’s an imdb on him

“Irfan Khan is from Jaipur, India. He was studying for his M.A. degree when he snagged a fellowship at (NSD) National School of Drama in 1984. After graduating in 1987, he moved to Mumbai. Theater and television kept him afloat till Mira Nair offered him a cameo in “Salaam Bombay”. But the role was edited out of the final copy.

He continued to dabble in television making impacts on various soaps and tele-historicals series. To break away from television Irfan featured in few main stream movies but none of them were a box-office success.

But things changed when Landon based director Asif Kapadia gave him the lead in “The Warrior”. An historical film completed in 11 weeks on the locals in Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan.

“The Warrior” stormed in international film festivals making Irfan Khan a noticed actor. His first Bollywood main lead role came in the movie “Rog”.

He is married to writer Sutapa Sikdar who’s also a NSD graduate and they have a son named Babil.”

I remember seeing him in a serial called Darr on Star, which was written by Anurag Kashyap. I saw one or two episodes and was scared in daylights. Irrfan as the maniac psycho – killer was terrifying. I also remember seeing him in Star Bestseller serials and Banegi Apni Baat. There was somehting about his eyes which struck me. Ironically, his eyes were scoffed at the most during his filmy struggling days. His dad used to say “Yeh aankhein yeh, ya pyaala ??” His bulging eyes and scary looks would make him look like a psycho. But trust me, there were somehting about his eyes. Anurag says acting lies in the eyes. For a proof look at Irfaan where he talks about his acting skills, roles and NSD.

Here’s my little tribute to him.

Ek Doctor ki maut – (The Death of a Doctor)

The film is about a Doctor-scientist who is trying to find vaccine for TB and succeds is his research, but is sadly failed, ridiculed and insulted by the system. The first of the realistic ‘man-against-system’ films I can think of. Pankaj Kapoor (yes u heard it right !!) played the protaganist and Shabana Azmi puts in a ’supporting role – arty’ performance. Acting with them as a minor-supporting character(a Biology student turned Journalist) must have been scary for Irrfan. Somehow, you see the film in hindsight and realise that Irrfan could’ve been given a stronger role, but nevertheless, the film is watchable more for Pankaj and Shabana, rather than Irrfan’s almost small apperance. He was strictly ok … nothing mentionable about him in that film.

Watch this film for pankaj kapoor and shabana azmi and a nice screenplay.

Ghaath – (Hurt)

A bollywood masala film about a wannabe cop (manoj bajpai), a corrupt cop (mukesh tiwari in a brilliant performance) and a shady/kameena politican/don – Mamu (Irffan). Irrfan was the side villan in this one, and the scene where he walks into Om puri’s house at night and offers him bribe …. is amazing … just from the dialogue writing and its enactment/execution point of view. That scene was the one which inspired me to try my hand at acting (with disastrous results however). The sheer audacity of Irrfan is noteworthy, the fact that his character is patronizing Om Puri’s character easily comes across. His ’seductive’ dialogue delivery, which was later to be explored in many other films … came into its full form in this scene !!! This film can be rented alone for this scene only. I must say everywhere else … he looks lame…possibly becuase the writers didn’t realise what a wonderful chance they had to explore Irrfan’s villany. Tabu, Manoj, Anupam and others … well the less said the better about them in this film. Mukesh Tiwari and Irrfan shine out. Although again, here, Mukesh Tiwari’s role (who had done a gabbar in Rajkumar santoshi’s Chinagate) was meatier.

Kasoor- (Fault)

This is such a shitty film that I don’t even want to discuss its story. As far as I am concerned, songs were good.. and Ashutosh Rana was pretty convincing as the sadist cop. Irrfan played the public prosecutor and I vividly remember the kool dialogue delivery wrt the accused “Abhi usko jaaney do… woh nahi bhagega … baad mein court mein dekh lengey” (Let him go now … he can’t evade prosecution …we’ll see him in court)

Another scene that I remember is where the main witness account is declared false..there is pandemonium in the court…and Irrfan is in two minds whether to raise an ‘Objection’ or not. He says it half heartedly..and that conveys his realisation that they’ve lost the case.

The Warrior-

A warrior for a feudal lord in rajasthan renounces violence in a moment of surrealism/realisation. He gives up his sword and tries to escape, but the warlord’s other warriors are after his life. He loses his son to them… and he cannot/does not want to fight back. A film of violence and redemption spawning over the intensely hot deserts of rajasthan and the serene hills of himalayas, the 100 minute film has barely 10 minutes of dialogue. Irrfan got the lead role as per Timangshu Dhulia’s reccomendation. The director, Asif Kapadia, was a UK based NRI shot to fame with this film. It got a BAFTA award and a whole lot of foreign awards but it was disqualified for entry into Oscars due to some linguistic considerations!! Irffan was called as ’sex-god’. From the horse’s mouth (from an interview here)

“What surprised me most after “The Warrior” was that people were talking about my looks and body language! I was even called a sex god when I was in London! This kind of critical pampering was new to me. I began looking at myself with new eyes. I’m indebted to Asif Kapadia for seeing a hero in me.

The character allowed me to convey everything from compassion to sensuality. People loved my big eyes, which were initially seen by some as a handicap. That used to hurt.”

He also talks about the start-to-end schedule of the film and how it drained him completely here.

The scene where he brandishes the sword to the little girl’s neck and looks at her talisman and realises suddenly he is in the snow would’ve looked really unconvincing and almost comical… had someone else played it. Throughout the film… Irrfan talks to you through his eyes … you can relate to his pain…its almost as if he had become a warrior.

On side track – the director Asif kapadia is a man to watch out for… even his first student film – The Sheep Thief was pretty good… minimalistic dialogues – “show more and tell less” – ala Satyajit Ray (ok this is a far call)

A must watch !!!! Not just for Irrfan’s performance .. but also stunningly beautiful photography and how to ‘tell a story in pictures’

Gunaah – (Crime)

How many films have u seen where, camera work is bad… acting in general is stupid … script sucks … music is a pain to the ears … the story is cliched as a grandma’s tale … but just one actor rises above the film and makes your entire laborious journey of watching the film less painful. Irrfan as the sadistic-malevolent villanish cop Digvijay Pandey (what a loathsome name by the way) eats up everyone else with his lines and performance. The manner in which he tells a prostitue “Nangi ho jaa phataphat” (Hurry up and take off your clothes) or he berates the female cop Bipasha Basu – “Sir ab aurat ko yeh kaam dogey toh aur kya hoga ??” is simply jaw dropping for the sheer arrogance of the man. His performance comes across as sheer kameena to the core… and completely convincing. In a scene, he asks a friend to urinate on the face of a journalist…and then after shooting the journalist off …says audaciously to a stunned constable “Ja Kachra saaf kar ” …asking the constable to ‘clear out the trash’ referring to the dead body. That character is mean and mean just for the sake of being of mean ..without any apparent motivation. Again you can take my word and watch this film in fast forward mode… stopping and playing whenever he enters the scene !!!

Supaari – (Contract killing)

Again..this film falls into the Gunaah category… I will never understand why the main villan -Nandita Das and why her sidekick -Irrfan chose this film ?? Except for the good songs here and there… there was nothing else to watch for this film. Irrfan and Nandita were criminally ignored/underused in this film. Even their charactert sketches are as sketchy as they can get.

The scene where Irrfan gives Uday chopra (yeah he’s there in the film too !!!) a rose after Uday’s first killing .. is another one which could’ve been carried off by Irrfan only.

Strictly ignore this film. Despite Irrfan being in it .. I walked out a good 20 minutes before the end.

Haasil – (Achievement / Achieve)

This one and the next two films of Irrfan…. the more they are written about .. the lesser it is. Haasil is the first of the Irrfan’s ‘great films trilogy’. An award worthy performance which for some strange reason ..was ignored by the National Award comittee. This film is also the explosive debut of Timangshu Dhulia, manirathnam’s assistant on Dil Se (and also the dialogue writer of the film.. WOW !!!) Timangshu was Irrfan’s junior in NSD (National School of Drama) Here’s some info on Tigmanshu

The film is set in UP with campus politics and eventually state politics as its backdrop. A normal guy (Jimmy) falls for a normal girl next door (Hrishita bhatt). Meanwhile Irrfan who plays Ranvijay Singh, uses his own backward caste status to get into politics. Pistol killings, betrayl, love, run, handmade grenades, small theaters, kumbh mela, cycle rickshaws …. wow….. u fall in love with the mileu (Sehar is another must watch just for the reason that it ventures out of Bombay and is set in UP !!!) There are scenes where it almost appears that the film has been directed by Manirathnam... the razor sharp characters and the cutting lines are there.. eg: the father-son cold war between Jimmy Shergill and Tinnu Anand… especially when they going to purchase Shirts. 95% of the film is brilliant … take away the forced Qawalli and u have a gem of a movie …

Enough said about the film (and enough digressed) .. this is the film in which Irrfan revels ..and blossoms … in almost like a role of a lifetime .. Gabbar singh … Langda Tyagi and Ranvijay Singh … are all in the same league. Fantastic villans ..and fantastic performances… Additionally, Langda tyagi has his handicap – lameness, Ranvijay Singh has his own handicap/inferiority complex (especially when it comes to girls) – his eyes. He does say “Aisi aankhein dey dee hain bhagwan ney !!” (God has given me such eyes). And both these characters… are villanous .. perhaps out of their handicap ??? Shades of Richard 3rd (hunchbacked) ??? Both use people around them for their own ego-power satisfaction…. Both are downright villanous …usurping and power hungry. Both are trusted by around them ..

Memorable scenes of Irrfan which can be seen 10 times =

1.The very first scene where he is running from Ashutosh rana’s goons … and when he says (despite being hurt, outnumbered, out of breath and life) “Pandit humko maar do …aur agar hum ach gaye … tu maarney main deer nahi lagayengey” (Kill me … if i escape then I won’t delay in killing you)

2. his immidieate reaction after killing pandit where everyone around panics and he calmly tells his cohorts “Shambu talkies 9 sey 12″ (Meet at Shambu cinema haall for the 9 pm show)

3. his insanic response when he gets to know that his entire family in village has been masaccered by Ashutosh rana

“Tum log humko gauri shankar key taap sey bachaa rahe ho ..woh saala chinal hai sarkar ki…. Raat ko chupke sey aaya … aur chori sey maar kar chala gaya … gaay aurat bacchcha … ”

His visceral scream of “Gauri Shankar ………………… Pandey” with a pause in between. Wow !!! May God bless Timangshu’s soul for creating such a character !!!

The mad rush of anger can only be gauged by the fact that his cohorts TIE UP HIS HANDS SO THAT IRRFAN DOES NOT RUN ONTO KILL.. IN RAGE. They are even forced to shut his mouth with a cloth !!!

4. Who can forget the classic arrogant line before he has his revenge(when he shoots Ashutosh Rana) – “Netaaji Pranaam”

5. The scene where he shoots at Prithvi Zutsi .. and asks “Left haand pey maara hai… rightey haand sey khaatey ho na tum log bread aur butter ??” (Don’t worry .. I’ve only shot u on your left hand ..ur right hand is still free to feed you your bread and butter)

6. The curse – “Maarey Lappad tohar buddhi khul jaaye” (One slap and your brain will open up)

7. The scene where he beats the chief minister of the state with his slippers !!!! Which villan has ever done that ??

8. The confrontation scene with Sharad Saxena “Ladki badnaam thi …par humney phir bhi shaadi key liye haan kari. Aur yahaan hum subah sey tayyar baithey hain … Gaon bhar sey Dost-rishteydaar aa rakhey hain ..lekin aapse ho gayi galti ..aur ladki ho gayi phurr “ (The girl was infamous, and yet I agreed to the wedding..and now she is absconding !!!)

The threat – “apni bhaari aawaz sambhalo aur apni beti ko dhoondney mey lagao ..warna shaam ko toh hum aa hi rahein hein …aur aapki biwi ko hi utha ley jaayengey ..aur ganga kasam humein koi rok nahi sakta” (If u don’t search for the girl .. I will come and take my mother in law as my wife ..and nobody will be able to stop me !!!)

9. The climax .. where he tells the heroine -“Mein tumharey liye mar key dikhaonga aaj !!!” (I will die for you today !!)

A bravora performance and an Amazing ..amazing film ..highly under-rated classic… a film which Irrfan can gladly take to his epitaph when he dies (God forbid)

Contd. in part 2