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Book review


Historical novels afford a large canvas for any writer: to research and recreate the old world for the youngsters, to imagine and fill in the gaps. N S Inamdar, who has penned 16 historical novels in Marathi, was successful in writing about the past and towering personalities, and then presenting them before his readers in flesh and blood, warts and all.

Rau, one of his most successful novels, was received very well when it was brought out by Continental Prakshan in 1972. The novel, now released in English by Pan Macmillan India, depicts the poignant love story of Bajirao-Mastani, which is far more impactful than Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s grandiose film project.

The film is based on Inamdar’s novel and so the text will not be entirely unfamiliar to those who have watched the movie. However, as it is with most cinematic adaptations of books, the latter provide a more linear graph of the plot and the characters. That’s the case with Rau as well, in which Kashibai, the wife of Peshwa Bajirao I, is given more heft. Her back story, the deals and the strained relations with her own family as also with those of her sisters-in-law — all bring out the conflict between the star-crossed lovers more clearly. As a result, the historical novel doesn’t confine itself to a period romance. The readers get a complete picture of the prevalent social and caste dogmas and the political hierarchy of the Peshwa era.

Bajirao’s romance or passion with Mastani is covered with a lot of feeling, but somewhere the courtesan/mistress has been given a touch of manipulation. Unlike the movie, where her relationship with the Bundel Raja is clearly shown, here it’s kept vague. No one knows where she comes from, where she first met the Peshwa and under what circumstances.

Rau, the titular protagonist, has been painted with all his weakness and glory in bright colours. And, it’s in his shadows that readers try to probe

Mastani’s character.

RAU
Author:
N S Inamdar

Translated by:
Vikrant Pande

Publisher:
Pan Macmillan India

Pages:
345

Price:
Rs 399

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