Man of a Thousand Chances

by Tulsi Badrinath

Harihar second-generation north Indian in Madras, museum curator, indifferent husband, indulgent father – and thief. Desperate to meet his beloved daughter’s wedding expenses, the otherwise honest Harihar steals a rare gold coin minted by Mughal Emperor Jahangir and pawns it, with every intention of returning it after the wedding. But when he finds himself in a position to redeem it, he learns that it has been melted by the pawnbroker. What follows next forces Harihar to readdress his place in the world, and in his own marriage. Beneath the deceptively simple surface of a story about an ordinary man in a rather extraordinary fix, are questions about the workings of karma, causality and the power of art, that offer profound matter for debate.

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[Laalithya · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing style is refreshingly Indian. The takes off with a bang and continues an upward trajectory; the connection of the story with the painting of the pregnant deer was very interesting. But towards the end, the story got sluggish with unwarranted lengthy discussions on Karma. The depiction of the joint family politics and middle child syndrome are painfully accurate. The repeated reference to Ratan - the son who went missing, proves irritating since it serves no purpose in the story other than to add clunk. Overall, the main story itself and the writing style make it a compelling read.