Different Beads Of The Same String By Sujay Malik

A rhythmic title, lateral view of a lingering man with an uncanny exposure of  black background reminds of American versatile artist  Kevin Spacey saying – “People have different reasons for the way they live their lives. You cannot put everyone’s reasons in the same box”. CA Sujay Malik leaves no stone unturned while weaving ten short stories from ten different dimension of life.

And Then She Found It Again: An adroit mother, a diffident cum ambitious daughter, a jovial teacher and certain intertwining incidents comprising them makes this story. Here one will endeavor Anahita who is lackadaisical and whimsical at one hand while ambitious and affectionate on the other. Her mother Karishma is a renowned lawyer with an estranged marriage. She tries to pacify her daughter’s misery by getting in touch with Sarang, who is a teacher by profession. Sarang leads a merry-go-lucky life. He seems to behave like a wave of hope and enunciation in the sea of darkness and gloominess of Anahita. There is a subtle difference between love and empathy which the story reciprocates in an amazing way.

HE, Pluto and the Incomplete Solar System: Striving in a cosmopolitan society, speaking of largest democracy but the actual hypocrisy in reality manifests the zeal of this story. A lavish-languish Muslim boy named Mansoor, his humanistic endeavor, charismatic personality, pluralistic mindset surrounded by 7 lovable friends and true love Swini deciphers through the story like the revolution of Solar System. His name is anointed as Pluto for his reclusive whims and Simi as Saturn for her exceptional glory. The story sights the proof of ‘virtual vitiligo’ in relationship between Mansoor and Simi. His last stated wish to be fulfilled by Farzana, his bereaved mother. Simi’s mixed reaction to his wish and so on. The story leaves an undercurrent climax whose thrill can only be perceived by reading the story more than once.

Feelijus: As the jumbled name suggests the story is itself a paradox. It speaks of mayhem with dismay, travesty with philanthropy. The story solves the impossible-making both ends meet. Two friends on the way of skipping classes gets entangled in a jigsaw puzzle punched with suspense and horror. At the end they got an unexpected message from anonymity. That message leaves an inexhaustible suspense and curiosity in their inquisitive mind which can only be deciphered after reading the story with apt attention.

Pushed into a Corner: India seeks Women Empowerment but peeves of women molestation and eve teasing. The story liberal author’s feminist point of view. Molly Kamson, an inhabitant of Imphal seems to be an impertinent in the cosmopolitan Delhi environment. Perturbed and pestered by local goons of Rana, her intermittent solace seems to be her friends Naina and Abhijeet. The story speaks of vociferous vengeance, self-defiance followed by self-defense leading to vindictive altercation. The feminist author motivates Molly to mollify the grudge which she beholds towards Rana in the most unpredictable way. The story speaks of a young woman’s stand towards her own dignity.

Genuine Protector: ‘Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans’ – John Lenon. This thought recollects my mind while reading the story. Creative author’s capricious paradigm gets reflected through this story. A thief and his accomplice tries to take the opportunity created as a result of communal tension. In doing so, the thief gets murdered by his accomplice. The thief was told to demean the statue of the Sahib of the locality. The story depicts the unusual side of humanity-serendipity which the thief goes through after his demise.

Converted Language: The choice of characters as assiduously chosen by the author weaves to form a story which any democratic denizen will cherish to dream of. Gandhali, Girija, Rameshwar, Mohsin and Sohail contribute equivocally to create a story whose analysis can convert blasphemy to harmony, communal to communism or grudge to goodwill. Gandhali whose voiceless voice is responded with love by semi-vocal Sohail, and despite every tension, apprehension, their mutual voice of love, sound of peace gives a mellifluous tune amidst gaga cacophony of mistrust, animosity and sabotage. The title ‘Converted Language’ means Language of Love and Affection bears no limit of cultural or social diversity.

Then and Now: The story is based on the life of a young farmer who becomes a successful justice in future. Justice Kadam’s journey is not set on the bed of roses rather it is set on the bed of rock and lava. Forbidden by luck and money his only compadre  seems to be ‘Jaga’ a buffalo whose life comes to a tragic end at the hand of local landowner Narendra, whose sole intention is to get hold of the land and property of Jagannath, putting end to his tireless striving efforts of paying the debt which his late father once borrows from Narendra. Bereaved Jagannath makes a desperate attempt to legally punish Narendra, and for that reason visits Justice Patwardhan’s house. The adroit justice is both stunned and spell-bound by the young lad’s striving comments on Indian Law and Constitution which consequently encourages young Jagannath to pursue a career in law. At the twilight of his career ‘now’ Justice Jagannath recollects his condescending journey towards  Inspector Patwardhan, son of ‘then’ Justice Patwardhan.   

The Missing Link: Every Director has a proclivity towards assiduous approach. Now Michelle ‘O’ Keefe is no exception in this regard. She is on her way to Bhuj, the earthquake devastated place in Gujarat. Her eyes fell on the miserable condition of an old man Kamal and his feeble wife Pramila. Bereft of food and water, their suo motu is to meet their son Nikesh, who is missing since the last six months. Will they be succeeded in meeting their son? Is it possible for Michelle to help them in their objective? Is Nikesh’s sudden departure is intentional ? If yes, is there a missing link? To know the missing link one has to go through the story. 

The Apt Time: Sujay Malik’s feminist cum liberal outlook gets focused through this story which speaks of a girl named Rajeshwari, her aspirations, adjustments, compromises with social bigotry, male supremacy, in-laws humiliation and finally her husband’s support against all the odds. Anjan and Rajeshwari gets married but does not enjoy certain conjugal happiness due to in laws superstitious intervention. Rajeshwari nee Saraswati is bound to hold her delivery pain due to an uncanny atmosphere of right/wrong time as imposed forcefully by her in laws. The story speaks of dilemma, endurance which is faced by both Rajeshwari and her husband Anjan. 

The Boy who uttered that Word: Every sophomore, citizen, corporate has a witty, quintessential school life.  The story speaks of CA author’s goodwill point of view. A visually-affected, docile and diffident Devang, a bold, pompous, boastful Annamalai, a merry-go-lucky, nonchalant Jaspreet and a scrupulous, strict, punctilious Hindi teacher will cover the nitty-gritty of the story. ‘Oh Shit!’ is a word which is not new to any urbane or cosmopolitan ‘Dorothy or Donna’. But in school, these utterings are scornful, blasphemous and atrocious. The story’s sharp streamlet like rhythm will definitely hover over one’s fastidious mind from curiosity to culmination, perseverance to pandemonium, and lastly from self-defiance to self-satisfaction. How does a myopic idea makes a silver lining over a cloud of myopia? This story speaks.

CA Sujay Malik proves his accountability with his series of short stories. Being a student of accountancy, the calculative author inculcates his creative ledger with various paradigms of life. 

This book has a versatile exposure over punctilious emotion which makes it different from other books. It is advisable that you should not miss out on an opportunity to go through such a little gem. So, place your order ASAP since the shelves have started to run out of stock already.

Book details :-

• About the Author

About Denizen of Dreamland

I am Denizen of Dreamland, born and brought up in cosmopolitan South kolkata. Since childhood I do prefer to make certain necessary and unnecessary changes in my day to day life as anything monotonous bores me a lot.my philosophy towards life is "Living it through moments without being too critical and skeptical towards it". I have an analytical and empathetic mind which helps me to understand and retrospect any situation or any individual in an unique way.