Thinking Aloud

by Jerry Pinto

Compelling essays that underscore the importance of inclusive storytelling in understanding our world.

In Thinking Aloud, Jerry Pinto writes on Bollywood, biography, translation and teaching with candour and empathy.

In ‘Bollywood and the Idea of the Nation’, Pinto examines the notion of Bollywood as a national cinema in a linguistically diverse India. He traces its evolution from early films like Kismet and Mother India—which contributed to national identity through its themes of sacrifice and unity—to later cinema’s male-centric narratives. Pinto argues that Bollywood's simplistic, good-vs-evil narratives have deeply influenced the public’s perception of their past.

‘Biography as History’ delves into the vital role of translation in bridging cultural and linguistic divides. Through his experiences of translating works such as Sachin Kunalkar’s Cobalt Blue and Daya Pawar’s Baluta, Pinto stresses the importance of biographies in providing personal insights into historical events, challenging monolithic narratives, and enriching our understanding of history through diverse, often overlooked, experiences.

‘Mothers and Others’ explores Pinto's unconventional journey as an educator. Reflecting on his reluctant start as a teacher at 14 and his innovative methods promoting the inclusion of marginalized voices, Pinto offers a poignant commentary on the transformative power of education. His reflections reveal how education can reshape privileged perspectives and foster a more inclusive society.

150 pages, Hardcover

Published March 22, 2025

About the author

Jerry Pinto is a Mumbai-based Indian writer of poetry, prose and children's fiction in English, as well as a journalist. His noted works include, Helen: The Life and Times of an H-Bomb (2006) which won the Best Book on Cinema Award at the 54th National Film Awards, Surviving Women (2000) and Asylum and Other Poems (2003). His first novel Em and The Big Hoom was published in 2012.

Reviews

[isaac⁷ · Rating 5 out of 5]

"history is often seen in terms of a grand narrative, but what it really boils down to is: what happened to people? and you cannot understand that unless you know how the people lived. to know that you construct a norm. this norm becomes the subject of history. a massive synecdoche is created, a part for the whole, and the part is an illusion, a composite picture. does this composite picture ever represent imelda mendes? or swadesh deepak? does this picture represent eknath awad, daya pawar or mallika amar sheikh?"

this is just one of the few insightful and lucidly conveyed nuggets from eminent translator jerry pinto's collection of essays on nationalism, identity politics, positionality, inclusivity and the education system. i first came across jerry pinto and his name when i read cobalt blue, translated into english by him; it's a story i think about until this day despite having read it years ago. and then i happened to randomly come across this book in my first-ever visit to kitaabkhana and it was an instant buy after i saw the blurb describing the beats of all three essays. i also ended up buying two other pinto books that day (unintentionally) 😂 good job (to me) on actually reading the books i buy instead of letting them collect dust on my shelves for years upon years 🎉🎉 (IT FEELS SO GOOD TO GIVE A BOOK 5 STARS AFTER SO LONG OMG)

this collection is barely 140 pages but it has so much to offer. sure, it says cultural studies/literary criticism on the back but i don't think that should let anyone deter them from picking this up. what i also love most about this collection (apart from its content and the copious amount of inspiration pinto draws from his personal experiences as an educator and translator to convey the importance of history, fiction and memoirs) is how accessible it is. typically, work of this sort is not something everyone can even read because of its high-brow language or sentence structures but this is fairly easy to read. which is also why i think you need to read this, especially if you're from india and/or are still under the notion that all the various -isms don't exist just because they don't directly impact you and your way of living.

for me, this book also now holds an extra special place in my heart because it also aligns with my (loose) plans for my further education.

i also happen to be the first person to review this book here and if that doesn't tell you more about how underrated this, i don't know what does. lwk essential reading and i'll be picking up more from pinto (the man does essential work).

[Hiren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Always admire whatever Jerry Pinto offered so far! My first introduction to him was that superb book on Helen which won the National Award for Best Book on Cinema. Then I loved his translation of Sachin Kundalkar's 'Cobalt Blue'. Years later he gave his first novel 'Em and Hoom' which was awarded Sahitya Academy Award. And then there are translations, poems and Journalistic writings. He is a truly amazing chronicler about the city of Mumbai, Hindi cinema and translating those deserving marginalized narratives of Marathi literature.

This latest mini book published by Seagull Books this year covers three of his essays (actually updated delivered lectures) on three territories he is really good at: Hindi Films, Translation and Being Mentor. I liked each of them in part and parcel and expecting more in each essay. It's a rewarding read if you are familiar with his writing style dipped with a critical sense of humour, intended and unintended pun and amazing play with words.