Book Review #32 : "Azadi" by Arundhati Roy

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Honestly speaking, I didn’t think much of the fact that this “Azadi” is actually about India's major controversies and the realistic faces of Indian politicians. I generally avoid reading blurb about the book, especially those books which are written by one of my favorite authors. After reading “The God of Small Things”, Arundhati Roy grabbed my attention by molding the simplest thoughts into literary fantasies. And so, I just tried my luck with her famous “Azadi”, which turned out to be the outlier for my genre preference. 


“Azadi” is a tight slap on the many sideshows. Some are carried out in negligence and some are broadcasted with bracing up the best pose. 

I should say, this book is an extension of Roy’s book “The Ministry of Utmost Happiness” and some reference to “The God of Small Things”.  Also, she has referred many articles, written or encountered by her.


Everything is dredged up with uncommon events. Roy has underlined Kashmir’s issues, like how a dense military population is swimming on heaven's land, how unclear facts are stated to the Indian citizens which are totally unrecognized by Kashmiri citizens, how in the name of security people are suffering their independence, etc. 

She has also highlighted the uncanny bureaucracy against muslims referring to few real life examples of people and places. She has brought up one of the most controversial geographic conflicts of East Pakistan, how their people are still longing for their identity, how they were humiliated for equal rights, how there are uneven arrangements of commodities of Hindu, Muslims, and specially Mia’s community, etc.


Arundhati has scintillated sparks and flashes under Indian political momentum. She mainly ghettoized the ruling party BJP and their not-so-superlative decisions.  I was very surprised while reading that her books were considered as an indication of a ‘terrorist agenda’. Speaking up openly is a crime, is it?


She has also described the concept of war through words and viruses. In the time of pandemic due to coronavirus, how random actions were taken with no planning and how much it had impacted the lives of not-ever-socially-distant people of India, Roy has substantiated many actions of the very known Prime Minister.


So, if you want to go through some political columns of a consolidated newspapered-cum-novel, just go for it and have some insights on the Indian trends and events.

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