About the Author – Prayaag Akbar
Born in West Bengal, Prayaag Akbar is the son of well-known Indian politician and journalist M.J.Akbar and Mallika Joseph. The author himself is an Indian journalist and novelist, and formerly served as the deputy editor of Scroll.in. He also worked as a reporter for Outlook magazine. He has contributed to various publications, including Indian Express and Caravan, covering topics related to caste, class, and politics. His debut novel, Leila, set in a dystopian world, was shortlisted for The Hindu Literary Prize and went on to win the Crossword Jury Prize and the Tata Literature First Book Award. Additionally, the novel was adapted into a Netflix series starring actress Huma Qureshi in the lead role.
His background as a political commentator and journalist has given much depth to his writing in “Mother India”.
Prayaag Akbar currently lives in Goa with his family.
About the book – Mother India by Prayaag Akbar
Book Specifications
Title – Mother India
Author – Prayaag Akbar
Book buying link – Amazon.in
Pages – 184
Publisher – Harper Collins
Themes of Post truth Politics, Casteism, Toxic Nationalism
Prayaag Akbar treads a fine line when sensitively exploring the realm of current day politics fuelled by religious intolerance , caste based discrimination and twisted versions of truth.A very measured and balanced look at the atmosphere in the India of 2024 , the opportunities it offers its youth and how they will navigate their identities and fulfil their aspirations is the strength of “Mother India’.
Characters and Plot of ‘Mother India’ by Prayaag Akbar
Mayank Tyagi – Mayank lives with his widow Mother in Delhi and works for Kaushik as a graphics designer and media researcher. He is a simple boy who has to push his ideals to the back of his mind if he has to earn his living.
Nish Bisht – Hailing from the hills and working in a posh mall selling Dojuri brand of luxury chocolates , learning the psychology of selling aspirations as her boss helpfully taught her.Apparently people did not drop in to buy chocolate – they came to buy knowledge about the brand that they can show off later.
Kaushik – Kaushik is Mayank’s rich and unscrupulous boss who believes that creating content that divides people and creates rift is the only mantra to success of his Youtube channel and earning big bucks.
Their paths collide when Mayank , already smitten by Nisha after stumbling on her profile online ,uses her face for a graphic . The graphic depicts “Mother India” being threatened by a leftist student leader and Muslims.Here is the catch – Mayank did not ask Nisha’s permission before making her the face of a viral-hate-inducing video.What are the implications of this on their respective lives is what Mother India the book is all about.
Don’t go by the slim volume of this book.Every page and every line is nuanced and compels you to think.It is not just the story that hold your attention but also the minute observations by the author that keeps you turning pages.
On the flip side , the cover design and the title seem a bit dated and do not capture your eye or imagination.
Conclusion
“Mother India” by Prayaag Akbar is a thought-provoking and impactful novel that delves into complex societal issues prevalent in contemporary India. The author intricately weaves together the lives of various characters, offering a poignant commentary on work ethics, class divide, gender dynamics, and political unrest. Akbar’s narrative is engaging and rich in detail, giving deep insights into the art and ethics of survival in a city . The book’s relevance to modern-day India makes it a powerful and contemporary read for anyone seeking to understand the country’s intricate social fabric. With its well-crafted prose and engaging storyline, “Mother India” captivates readers from beginning to end, leaving a lasting impression long after the final page is turned.
My rating is a 4.2/5
Check out the books I have read and reviewed on my Goodreads profile
This blog post is part of the blog challenge ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla
in collaboration with Dr. Preeti Chauhan.
I was really disheartened when I missed out on this book in the Blogchatter review program, because the cover and the blurb looked so intriguing. Now your review just made me feel sad all over agaib. Nonetheless I am convinced of trying this book sooner or later. Thanks for the review and recommendation
Sounds like a read for serious times. I haven’t seen or read Leila, let me look that up as well, to get an intro to the author’s style.
I usually give a miss to books written by celebrities and journalists because more often than not, they tend to have a prejudiced view of the world based on their own upbringing and political perspective. I’m not judging at all. It’s just that they have either a leftist or rightist leaning depending on their upbringing and the circumstances they were exposed to. As a common citizen, I’ve learned not to fall for either side. Still, this book seems like an intriuging read, and I will definitely put it into my TBR.
Interesting! Not the story particularly but the political scenario that it is based on. That would make for some good reading. Btw, Preeti I like the title but not how it is portrayed in the cover. The cover design doesn’t complement the story line.
I read this book and this is my take: Prayaag Akbar has done a great job of intricately weaving the lives of different characters together. It helped to highlight the various issues Indian society faces even today. The portrayal of the struggles and successes of each character makes them look realistic and relatable. It makes the readers feel connected not only with the characters but also with the situation they face.
Seems like a book of the present times. Your review is very intriguing, indeed. I am not much into political discussions, but the changing societal values are so skewed that there should be more opinions and remedies for it.
I used to love MJ Akbar’s column so this goes right to the top of my TBR. Along with your succinct review, I can’t wait to read it. I am really scared how social media is misutilized like in this story.
Interesting… Characters and their struggles make it clear why the book is so thought-provoking. your 4.2/5 rating seems spot-on for such a detailed and relevant read. Thanks for sharing your insights.
Interesting… Characters and their struggles make it clear why the book is so thought-provoking. your 4.2/5 rating seems spot-on for such a detailed and relevant read. Thanks for sharing your insights.
I loved this book. It’s brilliant. The connections of all types of motherly behaviour and the end , when a sibling tries to snatch more and more because a mother can’t give enough, really hit me hard.
The book sounds interesting. A lot of people share everything about themselves online without realizing it can be used in the wrong way.
Sounds like an interesting book. The political weather these days is a bit of a mess, so a story written in these chaotic times would be fairly realistic and an interesting pov i am sure.
I like the cover of the book. Your review intriguing. I thought earlier it should be historical but it is based on politics and social issues. Which is not my type of book. I tend to live far away from these topics which disturb my mind. In between the book really look promising.
I have read Leila and watched it on Netflix too. Dystopia but could very well be a reality. I already have a copy of Mother India. another important book given the current times. Looking forward to picking it up.
From what I’ve gathered about Mother India, Prayaag Akbar weaves the lives of various characters together in a complex narrative. This approach seems to highlight ongoing issues within contemporary Indian society. The book’s detailed depiction of each character’s journey adds a layer of relatability to the story.
Such a nice review. I would surely give it a try and share my feedback too. The book sounds interesting to create the urge to read it.
Seems like a relevant book for current times, both politically and in the world of social media where identities can easily be faked or misused for harmful purposes. Will check this one out.
The plotline sounds very interesting and relevant to today’s times. I’m not familiar with this author, though of course I know MJ Akbar.