I just finished reading the book, “Show Business – A Novel” by Shashi Tharoor. Now before I do a Google search on the book and things I wanted to confirm, I want to give an unbiased review. Like Chetan Bhagat’s third book, I came across this book by chance. When I saw who the author was, I thought I will read it anyway. Besides it was a novel. So I was bound to follow it without a lot of hassle.

Shashi Tharoor's Show Business

At the end of chapter 1, I knew I was going to read the book till the end without a lot of pressure. I have defined a standard for my self – if you could read 30 pages in a book, then you could probably finish it as well.

So I proceeded. As chapters went by, and when I saw a mention of Amitabh Bachchan’s name, it struck me. Of course! It was all more familiar now. Ashok Banjara, the central character = Amitabh Bachchan. AB! And of course it was not just the initials.
Ok I guess I have to give an introduction here. The book is about the story of Ashok Banjara narrated by a number of characters including Ashok. I liked the narration technique used even though it was a little confusing in the beginning. It starts with Ashok narrating his entry into the film world. I listened to Ashok like listening to a simple story.

It didn’t turn out to be that simple I figured out soon. The chapters were an intermix of movie narrations in which Ashok starred in and plot narration of Ashok’s real life progress. For Ashok progresses from a novice who gets to act only because of his Father’s political influence to a super star and even makes it into politics.

Ashok’s and Amitabh’s lives spin around a few similar lines including the tall lean frame Ashok seems to have inherited from the real life hero. One, of course was movies and stardom. Two, the simple and humble wife. Jaya Bachchan is manifest in Maya Banjara. The women in his life do not end there though. Rekha’s part is played by a character called Mehnaz Elahi. As for the threes and fours, I am not fully acquainted with Amitabh’s life history so I cannot be a good judge of how far the author has succeeded in duplicating it, if indeed that was the intention.

But of course there is no need for me to tell the entire story. Shashi Tharoor has already done that. Through his strong vocabulary and amazing story telling skills, Shashi Tharoor has not curtailed his sense of humor which persists throughout the book in subtle versions of simulating the Bollywood embellishments.

Well now maybe I will proceed with my Google search and see if this is really what the book is about :-D