Title: Salswabhavi Uthaman
Author: John Philipose
Language: Malayalam
Pages:169
About The Book
“Salswabhavi Uthaman – the deceptive title itself throws light into the characteristic of the protagonist and the plot in the novel. In Malayalam the name ‘Uthaman’ means an ideal man. This novel realistically exposes a false construct – Uthaman and the mutuality of such constructs and the societies. The novel reiterates that in a conducive environment evil flourishes like weeds in fertile soil. Uthaman is actually a silent villain, who exploited the weak and vulnerable ones and their emotions with knack of a wolf, but meets a tragic end, probably a deserving a fate.”
My review
Salswabhavi Uthaman by John Philipose is a short novel with an apt touch of humor. The title itself is capable to generate a curiosity around the main character, Uthaman. At the beginning itself, we could see that he met an accident and bedridden for a few days. But when I turn the pages, I realized that what makes him bedridden. The author presented this part of the story much humorously. The life of Uthaman is slowly unraveled and we get to know that who was he always.
He is not a hero. He is a villain who wears a mask and exploits the vulnerable. Through the loopholes of politics, he achieved what he wants. The important feature of this story is that the author is telling the whole story through Uthaman’s perspective. Uthaman justifies all his deeds perfectly. Sometimes he points to age-old societal norms, sometimes he uses his own familial connections to justify his deeds. But this accident was an eye-opener for him. How it happened and why it happened is another humorous part. But at last, he realizes his own mistakes but he has to pay for what he had done.
In the end, just like the floods, his sins purify him. The miseries made him think again, what is valuable and what not. This is also a lesson for everyone. The author has narrated an important thought through this satirical storyline.
Rating:4/5
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