A Suitable Boy - Book Review

Some of the greatest novels that I have read and still recall fondly have one thing in common – memorable characters whose joys, sorrows, successes and disappointments seem very real and personal. A Suitable Boy sketches not one, but a multitude of characters, from a genius child of ten to an irascible doctor of seventy, whose contours start appearing as we are introduced to them, and who, by the time we finish the last page with a sigh, have taken an indelible shape on the canvas of our minds, and a select few of them find a way into our hearts.

A Suitable Boy begins with the wedding of Pran Kapoor and Savita Mehra, the elder sister of Lata Mehra, whose mother, Mrs. Rupa Mehra, vows to find “a suitable boy” for her younger daughter as well. The incidents span over a period of a year and the story culminates with the wedding of Lata almost a year later. During this period, Lata falls in love with Kabir Durrani, who, among other things, is a Muslim. The setting is a little after India’s independence and partition, and although secular Hindus and Muslims are amiable and even friendly with each other, inter-religion marriage is taboo on both sides. During the ensuing period, Lata is also introduced to two other suitors – Amit and Haresh, both of whom have strikingly different personalities and priorities. This is what the novel appears to be about, but it isn’t all it’s about. In fact, there are a host of other characters, some of whom I found more engaging than Lata and her story.

My favourite characters include Maan Kapoor, Malati, Savita, Pran and Amit. Maan is Pran’s younger brother who falls in love with Saeeda Bai, a courtesan who performs at a Holi celebration at his father’s house. At the start of the novel, Maan is a wastrel who loves to divide his time between Saeeda Bai’s parlour and his friend Firoz’s company. It cannot be said for certain that the Maan Kapoor at the end of the novel is any different from the Maan Kapoor at the beginning of it. Circumstances elevate him to the pedestal of a hero – when he saves his friend’s life, risking his own, during a communal riot – and denigrate him as a villain – when he stabs the same friend in a fit of jealousy. But his largesse shines through the novel and endears him to the hearts of the readers – the way he builds relationships with the villagers of Debaria fending off communal insinuations with light hearted repartees, the way his thoughts always turn to Saeeda Bai even when she artfully exiles him from Brahmpur, the way he castigates the mushi who is rebuking a poor old woman, his childlike innocence of all things evil and above all, his pureness of heart. Not once does Maan Kapoor entertain ill-will for anybody. His is a light-hearted character who takes life easy, who lives and lets live. Though not like me, he is my kind of a person.

I like Malati, Lata’s friend and confidant, for her independent and spirited nature. She is bold and follows her mind, unlike Lata who, for all her rebelliousness and romanticism, is a family-oriented girl and self-admittedly “follows her mother’s advice” in all matters, including the choice of a suitable boy.

Pran and Savita are one of those made-for-each-other couples, who have their differences, but are so compatible and like each other, that every small squabble resolves itself in no time. Pranvita (Pran & Savita) are not highly romantic, but their love is rooted in shared interests and pragmatism. It is an arranged marriage that has led to a perfect match, something that Mrs. Rupa Mehra is proud of and intends for her younger daughter as well. Whether Lata finds happiness in her choice or not we don’t know because the novel ends with her wedding (I won’t say to whom).

Amit Mukherjee is one of Lata’s suitors and the one I was rooting for, after Kabir since Kabir is Lata’s first and true love. Amit is a poet and a writer, and he along with his eccentric family form the comic brigade of the novel. I read somewhere that the character of Amit Mukherjee is fashioned after Vikram Seth himself. He is a typical creative person, sometimes lost in his own world, slow to take action but always full of thoughts. I felt he would have made a good match for Lata, his eccentric sisters Meenakshi and Kakoli notwithstanding.

Some minor characters who deserve a mention are Zainab – the daughter of the Nawab Sahib of Baitar – whose quick wit saves the family mansion from being appropriated by the government. As a woman my heart goes out to her as she silently suffers due to her husband’s many infidelities with the only hope that he will one day come to his senses. In those times and in that society, there is no other course available to her, and the thought of divorce doesn’t even cross her mind. I also feel sad for her being limited to the zenana or the ladies’ section of the mansion with no contact with any man other than her husband, brothers, father or sons. Another woman suffering a similar - although less severe fate - is Priya who is married in a family where women are not allowed to go out alone, except to the temple. Meenakshi and her husband Arun are the most obnoxious characters, one an infidel and the other a grouch. Varun, Lata’s brother, suffers abuse at the hands of his elder brother Arun throughout the novel, until the end when, as an IAS officer, Varun becomes the new eligible boy and his mother, none other than Mrs. Rupa Mehra, sets out on a mission to find him “a suitable girl”.

Apart from the endearing characters, I also loved the contextual themes which take the story forward and shape the characters bit by bit. The Zamindari or Land Reforms Act, the Hindu-Muslim relations, cultural themes and festivals like Holi, Muharram and Dussehra, English literature and dramatics, politics and the state of Congress, the intricacies of the shoe-making business, the Kumbh mela (renamed as Pul mela in the novel), friendship that transcends religion and political differences, the insidiousness of the caste system, political opportunism, infidelity and flippancy, high-society snobbism and the game of cricket form the canvas on which the characters are drawn.

Some of these themes are relevant in the Indian society even today, though to a smaller degree. The caste system for instance is much prevalent today in large sections of the society and I don’t know if this mindset will ever change. With certain political parties communalizing politics, Hindu-Muslim relationship is still a priority area for a diverse country like India. One of the best traits about Maan is that he sees the person Firoz, his friend, and not a Muslim. I wish people thought of people as human beings rather than as Hindus or Muslims or Christians or Sikhs. After all, how much of our personality and character is moulded by our religion? 5%? 10%? 20%? Yet, why do people not see the person for who he is, rather than his tag? I am digressing, but this is why I loved the novel. It shows the futility of communal bias and hatred.

The narrative is beautifully penned and is easy to read. Although the novel is gargantuan, the story grips you and draws you in surprisingly early. The novel is divided into 19 parts, each part usually focusing on one major character and his/her story, which makes it easier to read. It is a must-read for anyone who loves a good story. And I guarantee this novel will have you riveted from the first page to the last! I hope you enjoy the novel as much as I did.