The Legend of Laxmi Prasad

By Twinkle (Mrs Funnybones) Khanna

Twinkle Khanna for the second time brings anecdotal stories inspired from her own life experiences. She also writes about stories she’s come across in her daily life, which is very simple but have a certain tasteful flavour of humility and simplicity. This quality to her writing and her books make them a quick, enjoyable, ‘i finished it in one day’ kind of a read. 

The Legend of Laxmi Prasad begins with the legend of Laxmi Prasad, a young village girl with all the smart pants they need for being progressive. It starts out as a typical Indian story where the in-law family of the first daughter rejects her for dowry reasons. Learning from her sisters misfortunes and her parents despair Laxmi devises an idea that revolutionises the way the village think and treat their daughters.

The story about Elisa, is one that will make you think in all sorts of directions, from women empowerment to, the right of making one’s own choice. The free-will Elisa is a strong, make-my-own-mistakes-and-learn girl who will make you strongly believe in living life on your own terms is the way of life! She makes decisions and pays for them in the most classic ways. Her story is narrated by her sister who seems quite in awe of her strength and will to do as she pleases.

 

After this inspiring story comes the very delicate, heart warming story of Noni Appa, who is affectionately friends with her yoga teacher – Anand ji, a man having a typical family life where the wife is loud and extreme. This story is the one that really pulled my heart-strings and made me want more. I am a sucker for simple stories that are warm, humble and charming, they need not be romantic. Although this one is, the story begins with Noni Appa’s visits to her sister –  Binni who is a free will. Their yoga classes with Anandji eventually grow into friendship and then adversity strikes. Adversity in the form of old age hospitalisation of Noni Appa. 

 

The story after this delightful one is a disappointment. Now don’t get me wrong, I am not talking about the language or the story in it self. I am a big fan of original stories especially, those inspired from true stories or true stories in itself. This one about Bablu Kewat, Padman as we know him is very similar to the movie Padman starring Akshay Kumar. It is dramatised to differ from the true story and the movie, I suppose, but that’s where it gets tricky for me. I am not a fan of stories that have been already spoken of in the media, unless the story offers a perspective that was never looked at or thought of. This came across like a movie script.

 

Now I understand that the author has large influences of the glamour world but this story covers almost half of the book. I stuck through it and it indeed was a good read, it would have been even more enjoyable had it not been announced as a movie and had its marketing not reached me already. 

Either way, Twinkle keeps her writing close to her identity as a columnist and I am very keen on reading more of her books and giving me more Sunday reads as this and Mrs Funnybones, which I salvaged like I was hungry for days. She definitely is on my list of authors I’d keep in my library collection. Full marks for her simplicity and keeping her stories real life. She for all good reasons reminds me a lot of Sudha Murthy who is my favourite Indian author.

If you haven’t picked this one yet, I promise you it is worth all your Sunday afternoon and your first salary! Go ahead and read it. 

If you have read this book, I am eager to know what you thought of the book and if it had the same effect on you as it did on me.