An Indian
Loser by Uzma Hameed is a beautifully written contemporary novel that mirrors
the grim realities of Indian societies. Through this story the author has
concerned the voice of many and put in a lot of efforts to show as how our
societies treat losers and winners. The psychology behind is very simple: if
you are a winner, you sail smoothly; and in another case of being a loser, the
people around you provoke you mercilessly. On losers, the society endlessly
throws tantrums.
Coming to the
story, the novel is built around a story of a loser (from a society’s point of
view). Here, we see Peeyush as the lead character of the story. Well, more than
being a loser, it is about as how he became a loser. When the story kicks off,
we see that Peeyush is an exemplary character with too much anticipated
success. Can success be anticipated too much? It is a sin to anticipate
success. Hold your nerves until you become the achiever. Same happens in the
case of Peeyush, he is good at studies. His family and neighborhood are sure
that Peeyush has a bright future. He will crack competitive exams for
engineering and then get a good job and possibly marry a girl of his dreams.
However, there is factor of destiny that many ignored. Things are not what they
seem or we think of. An unexpected turn steers him away from everything – from
his family, friends, moral values, and of course the society he came from.
Peeyush
becomes a loser at an early age, just before passing his 12th examinations. The
story is staged against Kanpur and many other parts of North India. For
encouragement, he has nobody except his friend Mustang – a simple and
unpretentious person, according to Peeyush. When Peeyush loses his engineering
dream, he goes berserk mentally and runs away from his native place. Next, he
is collected by his friend Mustang and they study in the same college. Peeyush,
heartbroken, prefers to opt for B.A.
Though Peeyush
has slumped mentally, well he is obsessed with success. It’s his stubbornness
to become a winner at any cost. He doesn’t realize when and how he gets into
politics through one of his acquaintances Chunnu Bhaiya. From here onwards, the
novel takes an interesting political stance and Peeyush keeps his ‘struggle for
win’ alive.
As the events
unfold one after another, the saga of win vs. lose turns heated and packed with
action. The battle becomes fierce. The more Peeyush tries to emerge as a
winner, the more he loses the confidence of his near and dear ones. Is he going
right in the field of politics? Are his mentors really wanted to see him as a
popular figure or just wanted to use him? As the novel advances, so many
propositions get along the way and readers are thrown deep into the abyss of
thrill and suspense.
Would Peeyush
see glory in success, or destined for another failure? It is a time-tested
story of resilience and resurrection. Well-written and well-edited, Uzma Hameed
is a promising literary talent, and her literary excellence is lollapalooza.
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