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| Charu Nivedita |
What deters readers from buying Charu's books is that there is a general notion that his books are vulgar or contain uninteresting page-fillers. When Dhegam was released, Mysskin called it a porn. When Exile was released, many bloggers scanned a page or two from the book in their blog and said it contains nonsense pages. In my opinion, those who say Charu's writings are vulgar- must have not read at-least a novel or two of pulp authors like Sidney Sheldon, Harold Robbins ( The Lonely Lady - which contains finer details of coitus, both homo and heterosexual), Arthur Hailey (Strong Medicine, The Money Changers), James Hadley Chase (Hit and Run).
Even The Hindu comes with articles on the Tamil editions of Mills and Boons. The Landmark stores have an exclusive section for both English and Tamil Mills and Boons. The sex in Charu's writings is a political statement and not merely porn. The sex in Charu's writings speak the politics of body, feminism and transgression; it speaks for the marginalized sections of the society; it speaks for the third gender.
And for those naysayers saying Charu's writings are uninteresting, they miss the fun. As Winston Churchill put it, " Let the sleeping dogs lie."
For those who say that they do not understand Charu's writings, come on people, haven’t you seen Inception (what do you think the climax is?) , Memento (who killed the heroine? ), Run Lola Run, 12B and the like?
From my understanding of postmodernism, which is there in Charu's fiction and the above films, the author / director, engages the reader / viewer in his work. The perception of this art is subjective. My understanding of Memento is that the hero killed the heroine and he is the villain. Some may think otherwise. There is nothing wrong.
Charu introduces good books and good music throughout his literary travel. I heard the names of Michel Foucault, Jean Genet, Sartre, Tahar Ben Jelloun, Nikos Kazantzakis for the first time only through Charu. I plan to read them in future. I plan to read Pattinathar, Devaram, Naalayira Thivya Prabandam in future.
Someone has to introduce you a better book, a better music, a better art. Charu, like a friend, pats on the reader's shoulder and says read this, hear this, see this. He teaches us to see the world.
I saw Inception and read reviews of Charu and S.Ramakrishnan and came to know about Hans Zimmer, penrose stairs, M.C.Escher. The beauty of films / novels like these is that it pulls you in, makes you understand and enjoy the art better and better each time you read / see it. I got mesmerized on hearing Wim Mertens' ‘Struggle For Pleasure.’
Read the tougher chapters again and again, you will understand the meaning. If not, ask your doubts in Vaasagar Vattam. We can engage in active discussion and understand and enjoy the text better.
It does not necessitate an ordinary reader to have read English pulp or to have seen Hollywood films, to understand Charu's writings. Get one of his book. Read it with no preconceived notions, no prejudices. Read it with an open mind. Reading, in general, is a pleasant experience. And particularly the writings of Charu engage oneself's mind and heart. Understand, the baseline of Charuism is - LOVE.
(Originally written on November 15, 2013 in Charu Nivedita Readers’ Forum, Facebook.)
