‘Elephants in
the Room’ is a debut novel of Suraj Laxminarayanan and it looks like pièce de
résistance. The length of the novel exceeds 600 pages, but while reading you
may delve deep into the plot and feel drawn to the intricacies of the
storyline, thus after a point length hardly matters. You must have seen great
Hollywood movies based on bank robbery, like The Italian Job and The Bank Job,
etc. However, the prominent thing about these movies or novels is that their
ending becomes predictable after a certain point. Well, with this book the kind
of stance you get towards ending is not only nonplussed but also mesmerizing.
In the bank
robbery there are three gangs; one of them is more of terrorists. However, the
author has given much weightage to one gang as they are the people who collide
with the other two gangs. Initially the novel runs on their back. They are six
in number, their usual business is pickpocketing or to carry some errands for
money. They aren’t professionals, but friends who meet up regularly. One funny
guy is Nari and another one is Vel who sings death songs.
Unlike most of
the bank robbers who think that one perfect crime can settle down their lives,
well they are different. Why do they need to rob a bank, as according to their
level they can come up with some shop robbery or can do away with stealing cars
or bamboozling jewelry? The reasons are personal and differ from one member to
another. Whatever it is, the crux is that they all need money. Well, they need
it badly or casually, only you can tell after completing the story?
Suraj has
invested a considerable amount of time in building the backstage for Nari and
his team for the bank heist. Even for bank robbery they need money for
arranging basic equipment and guns and of course that red van with a useless
driver. Being novice, they arrange things for the heist according to their
tenacity, which goes like a movie, and it will definitely leave you chuckling.
You may have that gut feeling for these characters that they are far from
reality and consultation is never made up for them.
Another
interesting aspect of the novel is the backdrop of Chennai, the author
describes this city as he knows it like a back of his hand. Till the time they
get into the bank, you may feel bit pulled up and slightly exhausted but the
moment they are in for the heist, a hell lot of commotion and confusion begin
playing its role. After this point, understanding gang members require a bit of
effort and brains. The real momentum of the novel starts thereafter and you
will be lost for some time to get back to Nari and his team.
Inside the
bank, you may discover that there are three gangs. One is of Nari and second of
Dhanta and third gang is actually not a gang of robbers, rather they are
terrorists. They are Bhambaris, notorious for terrorizing people and state
authorities, for them status matters. Even the police fear them. Now the
question is who is going to come winner and alive from the bank. Mind you, the
bank robbery is taking place in the broad daylight and the bank is full of innocent
people.
The police
manage to come outside the bank and succeed in setting up communication with
one of the gangs inside the bank. When three gangs are inside, it is sure that
things will be botched up. So, how will they find out each other, how will they
manage each other’s demand or in the worst case, as we see in the movies, will
they kill one another and let the police take up the whole credit. To get all
answers, you need to get inside the bank with the robbers and the trapped
hostages.
Being a debut
author, Suraj has done an exceptionally good job by planning and writing such a
lengthy novel that too on a bank heist, otherwise people go for simple love
stories or a collection of stories. The novel is well-written and well-edited,
and optimum humour keeps the novel away from unrequited melancholy and
melodrama.
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