Book Review: “Makhalashi”
Author: Shirish Kanekar
Language: Marathi
Genre: Comedy
Pages: 163
Cost: 125 Rs.
Publisher: Utkarsh Prakashan
First Published: July 1998
Shirish Kanekar is well known Journalist, critic, writer, performer and standup comedian at least in Maharashtra. He did his journalism with the newspapers like ‘Indian Express’, ‘Free Press Journal’ and others. He also wrote columns in Marathi newspapers like ‘Loksatta’, ‘Maharashtra Times’, ‘Lokmat’ and many others for years. He has good hold on Politics, Cricket, and Cinema in India. So whatever he writes is based on politics, cricket or films. He has more than 30 books published on his name. Comedy is his genre. He also does standup comedy shows like ‘Mazi Filmbazi’, ‘Phatkebaji’, and ‘kanekari’. He is in fact one of the pioneers of standup comedy in India. And today’s so called standup comedians bombarding TVs with their cheap and vulgar jokes. These guys should watch CDs of his shows and try to learn the art of standup comedy.
As for this book, it is compilation of various articles of Shirish Kanekar’s published in various newspapers in 90’s. So people who are followers of his articles find it familiar. In fact the book is compiled from the articles already published in books like “Chahatalki”, “Irsalaki” and “Chaplusaki”. Most of the articles in the book are based on politics, film, and cricket scene of late 1990 in India. So if you are not aware of the situations and people of that era the book is referring to, then it will be hard for you to enjoy the book. But if you know it then the book will be really humorous.
Shirish Kanekar has his unique style of writing and humor. You will find him humorously critical about almost everything. But if you have already read some of his books earlier, you will find him predictable and repetitive. If I have to rate this book I will give it 5 out of 10.
No comments:
Post a Comment