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Arzee The Dwarf
Shortlisted for the Commonwealth First Book Prize 2010 ‘Arzee the Dwarf offers both a small, potent shot of narrative energy and a wide, vivid palette of human feeling. Choudhury shows that there is no one quite like Arzee, and yet there is an Arzee in all of us.’ Nadeem Aslam, author of Maps for Lost Lovers and The Wasted Vigil‘A delightful debut novel that combines exceptional art with a great story’ – The Tribune‘From the first page, this is a triumph of storytelling in what Chandrahas Choudhury chooses to reveal, and atwhat precise pace’ – Outlook ‘Remarkably different from anything else that has appeared in recent years in South Asian English fiction’ – The Caravan‘His writing is all his own, sparking with energy, and cultivated from the culture of this city’ – DNA ‘In Arzee’s perpetual flitting between rage, despair and hope lies the story of everyone’ – Indian Express Arzee the Dwarf brings you one of Indian literature’s most unusual characters: the small and feisty cinema projectionist Arzee. Arzee has a dream: to become ‘the king of the Noor’, and in this way to overcome his smallness from the high perch of the projectionist’s room on the top floor of one of Bombay’s most famous cinemas. But the world that Arzee loves is falling away, and it seems that if he loses his grip on it, he will also lose his grip on himself. As we float alongside Arzee through the landscapes of city, cinema and dream, we also meet a host of memorable characters – such as the gangster Deepak, the hairdresser Monique, and Arzee’s own long-suffering mother. Shot through with both laughter and sadness, Arzee the Dwarf is an intricately plotted and evergreen book. Arzee the Dwarf was selected in 2010 by the magazine World Literature Today as one of the ‘60 Essential Works of Modern Indian Literature in English’.
202 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
October 15, 2016
It is habitual for my speculative ponderings to move beyond the close quarters of a book, but seldom do these contemplations seek out characters beyond the fluttering scripted pages, prompting a vague attempt to affiliate the wonders of fiction to factual generalities. Life is betwixt and between the diametrical parallels of birth and death. The commonality of the ‘act of living’ is magnified through the eventful narratives of the people and by the people. The allegorical metaphors laced among the fabricated world of a novella resting on symbolic characterization similitude denoting that indeed living is the most laborious, a battle against myriad unforeseeable forces and yet it is promising, a hope lurking through the dream of a beautiful future. The nonsensical plan of seeking the presence of a silhouette amongst the animated mass of people came to a standstill when the disorderly traffic overwhelmed my irrationalities. Why was I keen on finding the presence of Arzee on the streets of Mumbai? The image of a man who walked through the lanes of Grant Road encumbered by the pessimism of his reality and the optimism of an impending future. A man who stood atop the Grant Road Bridge looking down as the Virar train came into the platform, the sea of little figurines alighting from its compartment , wondering if the morning buzz of the railway station was akin to a movie scene being played. For a couple of nights, at the slight echo of the radio humming , why did I ponder whether amidst the serpentine line of parked taxis, was there someone similar to Dashrath penning the dialogues for a Bhojpuri movie or scripting a poem underneath the flickering street light to the warm sips of a 'cutting' chai? Dreams waft through the scalding roads of Mumbai , the rays of hope colliding with the sun, the broken dreams of the past soaring into the humid skies beckoning an allure of a bright future, while the man walks in the present in the sweltering heat. "What I’m thinking is, do we live the life that’s given to us, or,’ said Dashrath, lifting his saucer up into saucer-skies, ‘do we really live a kind of dream life? We are to be found in the present, yes – walking, sleeping, working. But all the while, aren’t we really living in the past and the future?..."
Ergo, do we truly dwell in the ‘dream life’ or the expectation of a ‘dream life’? The life bestowed to us either by birth or circumstances, may take root in its mediocrity but living is neither simple nor easy. We stand firm, dance through the processions of troubles, are at loggerheads with our own convictions and our own impediments. Imagining our own future victories, we industriously strive through the present trying to achieve lost dreams of the past and create even better ones in the future.
The forlorn heart embarks on a flight of fancy oblivious to the old fears dwelling within it, the chimerical world leisurely shaping up the mental imagery. The proverbial castles in the air may not find a standing beyond the realms of its momentary pledges, still, the resourcefulness of a fantasy breathes vivacity within a humdrum life even if sways on the slippery perils. The deserving belief leans upon obscure laurels of deciphered mystical signs, taking a last chance on hope. The dream of his daughter’s wedding gives an optimistic father the vigour to go on working into his twilight years. The vision of his daughter decked up in an elegant wedding trousseau makes him forget the wretchedness of his depleted two room home in the corridors of the dusty chawl housing. The singleness of its purpose keeps Phiroz K. imagining his own little victories in the thick of the stuffy projectionist room. The aspiring thought of an imminent work promotion motivates Arzee to diligently walk towards the grandeur of the Noor. To face his fragilities when school children cross his path and on those disturbing days when Arzee knows he is much closer to the earth, the stench of a tar road reaching towards him sooner than the person walking next to him. Imagination gifts a sense of hope to the hopeless. It unshackles an individual from the woes of gulping the bitter pill of reality. Notwithstanding the risk of seizing the freedom from concocted illusion, the adorned metaphorical rose-tinted glasses seduces the lucid intervals of a rational mind, the doleful heart sheltered in its rosy shed of comfort.
“That’s right. Man is in chains everywhere!’ ……….‘The only thing that keeps him alive is his imagination. His feet are always shackled to the earth, yet he flies on the wings of his imagination. He is convicted by reality, and pardoned by the imagination."
Proficiently, Choudhury underlines the essence of ‘imagination’ coupled with its consequential conundrum, generating a chain reaction to the vacillating dispositional idiosyncrasies. Imagination, as Dashrath asserts, is indeed wonderful, possessing the might of an exhausting mind, the waves of glittering hope navigating an ocean of emptiness. Still and all, when the rosy lens refuses to let go of its alluring abode, it shackles it creator, caged away from the winds of change, a diabolical tormentor. And, when finally the fated chains come off, does it set a man free or misplaces the sanctity of his sanity? Imagination then becomes a wonderful deceiver. Amid a modifying present, when the past becomes more powerful than the future, Man and his thoughts are stuck in the prism of time. The charms of the new avenues nauseate those left behind by the changing world. Arzee solely cared for the Noor Cinema; he did not care if everything else around him altered as long as the fate of Noor remained unaltered. The majestic Noor, becomes the ultimate symbol and a victim of a changing world and its citizens.
"My secret life grows bigger by the day, like a shadow in which I lie concealed. Ah, Noor! It was a great wall protecting me from abjectness, indignity – from the scraps thrown by the rest of the world. Let this night not end – let the day never come! But I know it will."
For Arzee, Noor Cinema was a world within a world. Noor with its Noorian quirks sheltered Arzee from all the worldly vulnerabilities, all his inbred bitterness towards life; the agony of a questionable love; it was a home away from home. In an enigmatic celluloid world of Noor auditorium, Arzee towered all mortals. It is here that Arzee looks down upon his audience with contentment. He no longer needs to stretch his neck to see another face in the crowd. The metaphorical world of Noor makes Arzee taller. It is here in the two weeks of Arzee’s journey, where I find my answer to my search of Arzee’s silhouette among the swarming morning Mumbai streets. Aren’t we all in search for a world of our own? A world where we won’t be subjected to the prejudicial reality; where our vulnerabilities won’t be our sole liabilities, don’t we yearn to take refuge in such figurative world, ephemerally? Dashrath found solace in his penned words, Phiroz and Arzee had Noor and as for me it is the world of books, the realms of literature.
Here and there, on a few odd occasions, a book from the domains of Indian literature grapple my reading faculties holding me under a spell of engrossing thoughts and indulging in cerebral speculations, making me a sitting duck to my own sensibilities. To say that Chandrahas Choudhury pens an edifying erudition of Arzee and the people around the said protagonist thriving amid unruly, undisciplined world of Mumbai, would be an understatement, indubitably. Choudhury ups the quotient of this novel by rewarding the unassuming commonplace life with the caricatures of audacious and promising characters with a touch of dark humour. .. He Saw this life was to be a journey and that there was no home for him anywhere except in the hut of his own crooked self”….. ‘Living’ as it is known, likely encounters the risk of an insipid journey steadily culminating into a null and void hollow journey. It is the people who make every effort betting upon the odds of a possible far-fetched dream and the probability of dreams crumbling into the vicissitudes of life; impart the momentous eminence to the magnitude of subsistence. The ambiguity of life edged on a fateful coin flip, a fair shake on one’s livelihood brimming with memories and taking fighting chances on facts of life being stripped of all illusions.
Of course, he was still small – that he could never do anything about. But…he wanted people to always find themselves up against that ‘but’ when they thought of him
Being small, a dwarf, was Arzee’s biggest burden. Its weighty multitudes surpassing Arzee’s three-foot-five humble stature. Arzee yearned to be bigger, taller, amassing odds and ends, paraphernalia of life emancipating him from the societal trappings. In a prejudicial world, Arzee longed for normalcy, a sense of self-confidence diminishing all the ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’ thrown in his way. In the quest of no more being labelled as an ‘outsider’, Arzee relentlessly explored ways and means to be like everyone else; to amalgamate into the gigantic sea of people. Along the periphery of a world where gradations of physical traits equates the measures of normalcy, the fractional chalk talk established on commonness uniformity, Arzee may be lone wolf. But when viewed beyond this myopic palpable flippancy, Arzee was no different from any man, any individual walking on the streets of Mumbai, who is convicted by reality and pardoned by imagination; desiring a paradise of a requited love. Arzee in some admirable way represented every man and yet, sadly, he was singular in his status quo.
March 7, 2022
gaaaaahhh!!!
February 27, 2024
Arzee’s overthinking, though the cause of his frustrations, was a joy to read. The writing is so witty and animated, I could relate to all of Arzee’s bitterness, excitement, and moments of introspection. The book also takes the reader on a journey through Bombay, where the Noor and other landmarks are as much characters as the many people Arzee interacts with. A really delightful book!
October 15, 2013
Bombay by Night
We all feel like outsiders at times, Arzee’s outsider status is just more apparent. He’s a dwarf. He’s also just like most of us in that he’s searching for a productive career and true love. When the story opens he’s the assistant projectionist at a revival cinema called the Noor. He has dreams of being promoted. He also has dreams of finding a wife. After his shift he wanders the late night streets of Bombay talking with philosopher cabbies, meeting his friends for card games and some bragging, stopping at dive bars and telling his life story to a stripper, oh and hiding from his bookie who’s demanding payment for a debt. He’s getting close to thirty and fears time is running out.
Choudhary makes the streets of Bombay come alive. A city teeming with life and energy with everyone obliviously bent on their own pursuits. Arzee is as well but he’s also a watcher, an observer. He necessarily sees things closer to the ground and, as a byproduct, closer to the heart. He insists on seeing himself as the exception but most of us are guilty of that. In this way he’s an everyman trying to make sense of his life but at the same time better his lot. Choudhary has a way of being philosophical without being esoteric. “Arzee the Dwarf” is an enjoyable book.
This review is based on an e copy provided by the publisher.
(Disclaimer added as required by the FTC.)
We all feel like outsiders at times, Arzee’s outsider status is just more apparent. He’s a dwarf. He’s also just like most of us in that he’s searching for a productive career and true love. When the story opens he’s the assistant projectionist at a revival cinema called the Noor. He has dreams of being promoted. He also has dreams of finding a wife. After his shift he wanders the late night streets of Bombay talking with philosopher cabbies, meeting his friends for card games and some bragging, stopping at dive bars and telling his life story to a stripper, oh and hiding from his bookie who’s demanding payment for a debt. He’s getting close to thirty and fears time is running out.
Choudhary makes the streets of Bombay come alive. A city teeming with life and energy with everyone obliviously bent on their own pursuits. Arzee is as well but he’s also a watcher, an observer. He necessarily sees things closer to the ground and, as a byproduct, closer to the heart. He insists on seeing himself as the exception but most of us are guilty of that. In this way he’s an everyman trying to make sense of his life but at the same time better his lot. Choudhary has a way of being philosophical without being esoteric. “Arzee the Dwarf” is an enjoyable book.
This review is based on an e copy provided by the publisher.
(Disclaimer added as required by the FTC.)
October 7, 2013
"Arzee the Dwarf" is a quirky little novel which ended up evoking stronger feelings than I had expected. The subject is a man whose dream of glory, becoming the head projectionist at the Noor in Bombay, is snatched away. Just as the head projectionist announces his retirement, Arzee learns the Noor will close. I had anticipated a deeper experience of this corner of Bombay, but came away with some intuitive language on the human spirit. As Arzee's friend asks him, "Do we live the life that's given to us, or do we really live a kind of dream life? Are we really living in the past and the future?"
Arzee in fact lives his life in his next step. He fondles the purchases he will afford in his mind. He struts with pride in his new title. He anticipates " casting away some worthless notions and become newly open to others." Arzee is not really all that sympathetic as a character. One wants to shake him awake. His entitlement is wearing. The he does something lovely or dreams a stunning moment, and he engages the world again.
I got the look into Arzee's world that I had sought, but is got a glimpse at his soul as well. This quirky novel leaves a mark, and that is what I seek in a book.
Arzee in fact lives his life in his next step. He fondles the purchases he will afford in his mind. He struts with pride in his new title. He anticipates " casting away some worthless notions and become newly open to others." Arzee is not really all that sympathetic as a character. One wants to shake him awake. His entitlement is wearing. The he does something lovely or dreams a stunning moment, and he engages the world again.
I got the look into Arzee's world that I had sought, but is got a glimpse at his soul as well. This quirky novel leaves a mark, and that is what I seek in a book.
February 24, 2023
A commendable and balanced job of telling the story through a non-normative protagonist. It definitely adds a dimension to this already touching book.
September 1, 2009
The title of the book intrigues at a certain level. But then again, you wonder if you're going to empathise with a story of a dwarf, and whether it's only his peculiar life that the author could be bringing to the fore. But within the very first page of the book itself it is evident that Arzee - the dwarf is only a metaphor for the feeling of smallness and inadequacy that resides in all of us.
"He'd been too predictable earlier, too submissive, a soft touch. Each day in the world was a battle against the might and will of myraid forces, so then why shouldn't he change tracks and direction as it suited him? A man couldn't just be as he was, as he felt he should be - this world wasn't a place for feeling!"
This is Arzee's internal monologue, as he puts up a daily struggle to dignify his existence. His small, diminutive body is a perennial cause of resentment to him and the only way he imagines he can feel better is by having as normal a life as possible - a job and an adoring wife to sleep beside him.
When the novel starts, Arzee is in an elated state of mind. The head projectionist at the Noor cinema, Phiroze called it a day, so Arzee quickly assumes that the post will now come to him. Not being used to such windfalls, he cannot contain his happiness and starts dreaming of a hiked salary and a quick marriage possibly. He even boasts of it to his friends and pities their stagnant lives.
the rest can be read at my blog, http://sandyi.blogspot.com/2009/09/ar...
"He'd been too predictable earlier, too submissive, a soft touch. Each day in the world was a battle against the might and will of myraid forces, so then why shouldn't he change tracks and direction as it suited him? A man couldn't just be as he was, as he felt he should be - this world wasn't a place for feeling!"
This is Arzee's internal monologue, as he puts up a daily struggle to dignify his existence. His small, diminutive body is a perennial cause of resentment to him and the only way he imagines he can feel better is by having as normal a life as possible - a job and an adoring wife to sleep beside him.
When the novel starts, Arzee is in an elated state of mind. The head projectionist at the Noor cinema, Phiroze called it a day, so Arzee quickly assumes that the post will now come to him. Not being used to such windfalls, he cannot contain his happiness and starts dreaming of a hiked salary and a quick marriage possibly. He even boasts of it to his friends and pities their stagnant lives.
the rest can be read at my blog, http://sandyi.blogspot.com/2009/09/ar...
September 24, 2022
The style was quite interesting and enjoyable, even if it made some of the dialogue hard to believe. With the exception of Monique, who could've done with some more fleshing out, especially as she was so crucial, all the characters were very believable and realistic in how they worked and thought. I was going to give four stars, but a certain melodramatic plot point came out of the blue and seemed quite pointless? Not only did it not really affect the grand story, but dare I say an investigation into Arzee's relationship with his mother might've been more interesting without it? Overall, decent read, unique, and short enough to breeze through.
February 9, 2018
The story of a little man in one of the biggest metropolises in India. It is a surprisingly fulfilling and thought provoking read. A more detailed review can be read here: http://urbiblogs.blogspot.in/2018/02/...
September 8, 2020
I never expected this to be such an enjoyable read. It's surprisingly thought-provoking, and the action never slows down long enough for you to get bored.
September 26, 2021
The writing has wonderful doses of description and dialogue that, when I imagined being said by my own relatives, left me chuckling as I read.
September 15, 2023
The lyrical prose … met the author loved the book
June 28, 2024
A very engaging effortless read. We find our thoughts reflected often in Arzee's ruminations and our situations in his. I was in fact reminded of Levin's brooding in Anna Karenina by Tolstoy.
September 2, 2015
The book, as the name indicates, about a part of the life of a dwarf called Arzee. Arzee lives with this mother and brother. He works as a projectionist at an old Cinema hall alongside a senior projectionist who is an old Parsee gentleman. He knows that he has a daugther, but in so many years has never been to his fellow projectionist's house.
He gets a new that the Parsee gentleman is going to get his daughter married and he is to retire soon after the marriage. He is thrilled beyond works as he would now be sole or at least the head projectionist of the theater. As he wallows in this good news and spreads it around amongst his friends he gets a call from the manager of the theater and he is told that the owner has decided to shutdown the theater. This shatters him thoroughly and he comes crashing to reality.
To add to his woes the goon set after him to collect a long overdue misinformed loan catches him and tells him that he should better start returning the money. After initial discord they get talking and Arzee states his misfortune. The goon tells him that he can return the dues in parts instead of as a whole which is what was being attempted so long. He asks him to come over to his house the next day and hand over the first installment.
Arzee tries to come to terms with his misfortune and decides to go to the goon's place and start returning the dues from his savings. When he goes to the goon's place he finds that only his comely wife is at home, who asks him to hand over he money. Arzee hands over the money and tells her that he would wait in the neighbourhood and if the goon comes over she should call him.
Arzee realizes that the Parsee projectionist lives in the vicinity and decides to pay him a visit. There he ends up having a chat with his daughter who is hidden in a balcony. He soon gets a call from the goon saying that he has come back home. As he leaves the Parsee projectionist's house he realizes the fact that his daughter is blind and that is the reason why it had taken so long for the projectionist to find a match for his daughter.
He goes to he goon's place and relates how earlier in his life he and been fortunate enough to fall in love and be accepted by a hair stylist, but was misfortunate to be not accepted by her father. In the argument he and her father end up slapping each other and the relation comes to an end as the father takes her away to Goa. The goon had been telling that he could find anybody from any corner of the world, so Arzee asks him to find his lady love for him. The goon says he will do so. The goon also tells him that he will find a job for Arzee so that he can repay his dues.
Soon Arzee is calling him up everyday and asking him for some news. This irritates the goon to no end. In the meantime Arzee's mother throws another googly at him saying that he is not really her son and that she and her husband had found him abandoned and they had adopted him as they had not had any child till that time.
Arzee is completely shattered. He takes up a job given by the goon which involves going from place to place dressed as a softdrink bottle. The company had launched the soft drink in a smaller bottle and Arzee suited their purpose to promote the smaller packing. He hated the job but since it helped him pay off the goon he does the job. But he refuses to do any further job after having paid off his dues.
As plans to leave the city, after the wedding of he daughter of the projectionist. He gets a call from the goon saying that he has found his lady love. Arzee is thrilled and gets in touch with her. She is still in love with him and her father has passed away now. He promises her that he would come immediately after the wedding.
When he goes to the theater he finds a stranger sitting in one of the seats and exchanges a few words with him. The stranger is grateful for the kind words. He turns out to be the owner and he then resolves not to sell the theater. Selling the theater had been the idea of his children who probably wanted to split the money between themselves.
Arzee realizes that his life is going to become brighter as he boards the train to Goa soon after the reception at the wedding of his fellow projectionist's daughter.
An OK read.
He gets a new that the Parsee gentleman is going to get his daughter married and he is to retire soon after the marriage. He is thrilled beyond works as he would now be sole or at least the head projectionist of the theater. As he wallows in this good news and spreads it around amongst his friends he gets a call from the manager of the theater and he is told that the owner has decided to shutdown the theater. This shatters him thoroughly and he comes crashing to reality.
To add to his woes the goon set after him to collect a long overdue misinformed loan catches him and tells him that he should better start returning the money. After initial discord they get talking and Arzee states his misfortune. The goon tells him that he can return the dues in parts instead of as a whole which is what was being attempted so long. He asks him to come over to his house the next day and hand over the first installment.
Arzee tries to come to terms with his misfortune and decides to go to the goon's place and start returning the dues from his savings. When he goes to the goon's place he finds that only his comely wife is at home, who asks him to hand over he money. Arzee hands over the money and tells her that he would wait in the neighbourhood and if the goon comes over she should call him.
Arzee realizes that the Parsee projectionist lives in the vicinity and decides to pay him a visit. There he ends up having a chat with his daughter who is hidden in a balcony. He soon gets a call from the goon saying that he has come back home. As he leaves the Parsee projectionist's house he realizes the fact that his daughter is blind and that is the reason why it had taken so long for the projectionist to find a match for his daughter.
He goes to he goon's place and relates how earlier in his life he and been fortunate enough to fall in love and be accepted by a hair stylist, but was misfortunate to be not accepted by her father. In the argument he and her father end up slapping each other and the relation comes to an end as the father takes her away to Goa. The goon had been telling that he could find anybody from any corner of the world, so Arzee asks him to find his lady love for him. The goon says he will do so. The goon also tells him that he will find a job for Arzee so that he can repay his dues.
Soon Arzee is calling him up everyday and asking him for some news. This irritates the goon to no end. In the meantime Arzee's mother throws another googly at him saying that he is not really her son and that she and her husband had found him abandoned and they had adopted him as they had not had any child till that time.
Arzee is completely shattered. He takes up a job given by the goon which involves going from place to place dressed as a softdrink bottle. The company had launched the soft drink in a smaller bottle and Arzee suited their purpose to promote the smaller packing. He hated the job but since it helped him pay off the goon he does the job. But he refuses to do any further job after having paid off his dues.
As plans to leave the city, after the wedding of he daughter of the projectionist. He gets a call from the goon saying that he has found his lady love. Arzee is thrilled and gets in touch with her. She is still in love with him and her father has passed away now. He promises her that he would come immediately after the wedding.
When he goes to the theater he finds a stranger sitting in one of the seats and exchanges a few words with him. The stranger is grateful for the kind words. He turns out to be the owner and he then resolves not to sell the theater. Selling the theater had been the idea of his children who probably wanted to split the money between themselves.
Arzee realizes that his life is going to become brighter as he boards the train to Goa soon after the reception at the wedding of his fellow projectionist's daughter.
An OK read.
January 29, 2014
The best laid plans…
Despite his lack of inches, Arzee is on the verge of achieving the two things he most wants out of life – to become the head projectionist of the Noor Cinema and to find a wife. But, as the poet tells us, the best laid plans of mice and men gang aft agley. And Arzee’s dream is about to be shattered when the owner of the run-down cinema decides to close it. This is the story of two weeks in Arzee’s life as he faces a future that has suddenly become dark and uncertain.
Light on plot, but long on characterisation, this is a deliciously bittersweet little comedy. Arzee has been happy in the Noor, nestled in the womb-like darkness of the projection room. He counts the images of the Bollywood starlets whose posters line the walls of the cinema as friends and is proud of being in charge of the machine that projects the magical beam of light onto the screen. He might now be relying on his mother to bargain for a wife for him but he has known the joy of true love – a love lost when his prospective father-in-law objected to the match. And he hopes to rediscover some of the sweetness of that love with his new wife, once she has been found. But when the cinema closes, he will lose not only his job but his hopes of marriage. It is time for Arzee to reassess his dreams and try to take control over his own destiny.
“Languorous music would be playing on Monique’s stereo – some French Edith woman with a last name full of huffs and puffs, her delicate syllables overlaid with the sound of pigeons cooing in the skylight, and the silences between words sometimes filled in with sounds from the neighbour’s television set to create a new Indian mix.”
As we follow Arzee through the streets of Bombay (not Mumbai in this book), we meet a host of characters, each brought vividly to life; Arzee’s mother, always favouring Arzee over his brother because of Arzee’s dwarfism, a staunch and sometimes overbearing protector; Deepak, the not-very-hard hardman pursuing Arzee for a small gambling debt – the two of them locked in a cat-and-mouse game where it’s not at all clear which is the mouse; Dashrath, the taxi driver who dispenses philosophy as he drives; and Monique, Arzee’s beautiful and rather nebulous lost love.
The characterisation of Arzee himself is excellent. The narrative is third-person but always seen through Arzee’s eyes. While we get to see the difficulties and mockery he’s had to face as a result of his height, Choudhury neither makes Arzee an object of pity nor does he portray him as a hero. He’s just a flawed man - bombastic, prone to self-pity and annoyingly talkative; but he’s also a dreamer who, even at the darkest moments, clings to his dreams.
“The mirror made it seem as if there were two of each of them, and this was true in a way, for (Arzee thought about this carefully) she was both the Monique that she was and the Monique he took her to be, and these two were similar but not the same, and he was both himself and the Arzee who belonged to her. And in the gaps and linkages between these real and reflected beings, all kinds of meanings and suggestions seemed to be lurking.”
Choudhury’s prose flows smoothly throughout, with some beautifully phrased imagery, while the dialogue between Arzee and the various other characters provides much of the humour. Bombay is vibrantly portrayed – the Bombay of ordinary people leading ordinary lives. Though there is depth and even some darkness in the story, the overall tone is light with almost the feeling of a fairytale to it. I found I became more and more enchanted with the book as I read and by the end was fully invested in Arzee’s hopes and dreams. Something of an unexpected delight, this is one of those rare books that makes me smile each time I think of it.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, NYRB.
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Despite his lack of inches, Arzee is on the verge of achieving the two things he most wants out of life – to become the head projectionist of the Noor Cinema and to find a wife. But, as the poet tells us, the best laid plans of mice and men gang aft agley. And Arzee’s dream is about to be shattered when the owner of the run-down cinema decides to close it. This is the story of two weeks in Arzee’s life as he faces a future that has suddenly become dark and uncertain.
Light on plot, but long on characterisation, this is a deliciously bittersweet little comedy. Arzee has been happy in the Noor, nestled in the womb-like darkness of the projection room. He counts the images of the Bollywood starlets whose posters line the walls of the cinema as friends and is proud of being in charge of the machine that projects the magical beam of light onto the screen. He might now be relying on his mother to bargain for a wife for him but he has known the joy of true love – a love lost when his prospective father-in-law objected to the match. And he hopes to rediscover some of the sweetness of that love with his new wife, once she has been found. But when the cinema closes, he will lose not only his job but his hopes of marriage. It is time for Arzee to reassess his dreams and try to take control over his own destiny.
“Languorous music would be playing on Monique’s stereo – some French Edith woman with a last name full of huffs and puffs, her delicate syllables overlaid with the sound of pigeons cooing in the skylight, and the silences between words sometimes filled in with sounds from the neighbour’s television set to create a new Indian mix.”
As we follow Arzee through the streets of Bombay (not Mumbai in this book), we meet a host of characters, each brought vividly to life; Arzee’s mother, always favouring Arzee over his brother because of Arzee’s dwarfism, a staunch and sometimes overbearing protector; Deepak, the not-very-hard hardman pursuing Arzee for a small gambling debt – the two of them locked in a cat-and-mouse game where it’s not at all clear which is the mouse; Dashrath, the taxi driver who dispenses philosophy as he drives; and Monique, Arzee’s beautiful and rather nebulous lost love.
The characterisation of Arzee himself is excellent. The narrative is third-person but always seen through Arzee’s eyes. While we get to see the difficulties and mockery he’s had to face as a result of his height, Choudhury neither makes Arzee an object of pity nor does he portray him as a hero. He’s just a flawed man - bombastic, prone to self-pity and annoyingly talkative; but he’s also a dreamer who, even at the darkest moments, clings to his dreams.
“The mirror made it seem as if there were two of each of them, and this was true in a way, for (Arzee thought about this carefully) she was both the Monique that she was and the Monique he took her to be, and these two were similar but not the same, and he was both himself and the Arzee who belonged to her. And in the gaps and linkages between these real and reflected beings, all kinds of meanings and suggestions seemed to be lurking.”
Choudhury’s prose flows smoothly throughout, with some beautifully phrased imagery, while the dialogue between Arzee and the various other characters provides much of the humour. Bombay is vibrantly portrayed – the Bombay of ordinary people leading ordinary lives. Though there is depth and even some darkness in the story, the overall tone is light with almost the feeling of a fairytale to it. I found I became more and more enchanted with the book as I read and by the end was fully invested in Arzee’s hopes and dreams. Something of an unexpected delight, this is one of those rare books that makes me smile each time I think of it.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, NYRB.
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May 5, 2016
Convicted by reality, pardoned by imagination
Arzee is a dwarf working the projection room of the once great but now declining Bombay theatre called 'Noor'. As one of his poet-philosopher-driver friend memorably says, he is 'chained by reality but pardoned by imagination'. He imagines himself being thought of as a special person despite his height, imagines working as the head projectionist at the Noor some day and dares to imagine marrying and settling down too. He is a thinking man who ponders about people, god and life, even as one of the other characters derisively calls his mind a 'theater of emotions'.
But too often reality jolts him like a thunderbolt. His dreams for the Noor come crashing down as the owners want to sell off the loss making theatre. He is hounded by the betting cartel to whom he owes money. The girl he loves is wrenched away from him by her father and finally he gets to know of a family secret which makes him so despondent as to appear as a 'dissident' to happiness. Arzee finally manages to somehow get out of these difficulties and attain some kind of closure when the book ends.
Chandrahas Choudhury has created a character in Arzee who reflects all of us who have some kind of inadequacies. Arzee's inadequecies are externally manifested in his dwarfness which forces him to 'talk to the asses and crotches of the world' but many of us too suffer inadequacies internally and we like Arzee try to overcome them throughought our lives with varying degrees of success. Arzee's anxieties are the same as ours - a decent job, someone to love and a life of happiness. These are our anxieties too and this makes Arzee a very relatable character despite his dwarfness.
The novel also is a quintessential 'Bombay novel' where the city is as much a character as the others. The cast of characters with their varying backgrounds and thoughts could only have been assembled in the great metropolis. There is a wonderful description of the bustling train station which is a superb piece of cityscape writing. The great theater and the wonderfully evocative 'great beam' inside it can also be looked upon as a distinct character. The fascination with the movies and the effect it has on mass culture is beautifully depicted and is an ode to the charm of the erstwhile single screen theaters.
Although its a very good novel with lot of layers, it does have a few shortcomings. The ending seems a bit contrived and has an almost bollywoodish feel to it. Also a few characters could have been given a longer run , like Arzee's poet-philosopher-driver friend Dasharatji and the blind daughter of the head projectionist who light up the only scenes they appear in, an extended role for each of them would have given an added dimension. Nevertheless the novel heralds the arrival of another English speaking voice to the welcome cacophony that is Indian writing in English and we should all welcome it.
Arzee is a dwarf working the projection room of the once great but now declining Bombay theatre called 'Noor'. As one of his poet-philosopher-driver friend memorably says, he is 'chained by reality but pardoned by imagination'. He imagines himself being thought of as a special person despite his height, imagines working as the head projectionist at the Noor some day and dares to imagine marrying and settling down too. He is a thinking man who ponders about people, god and life, even as one of the other characters derisively calls his mind a 'theater of emotions'.
But too often reality jolts him like a thunderbolt. His dreams for the Noor come crashing down as the owners want to sell off the loss making theatre. He is hounded by the betting cartel to whom he owes money. The girl he loves is wrenched away from him by her father and finally he gets to know of a family secret which makes him so despondent as to appear as a 'dissident' to happiness. Arzee finally manages to somehow get out of these difficulties and attain some kind of closure when the book ends.
Chandrahas Choudhury has created a character in Arzee who reflects all of us who have some kind of inadequacies. Arzee's inadequecies are externally manifested in his dwarfness which forces him to 'talk to the asses and crotches of the world' but many of us too suffer inadequacies internally and we like Arzee try to overcome them throughought our lives with varying degrees of success. Arzee's anxieties are the same as ours - a decent job, someone to love and a life of happiness. These are our anxieties too and this makes Arzee a very relatable character despite his dwarfness.
The novel also is a quintessential 'Bombay novel' where the city is as much a character as the others. The cast of characters with their varying backgrounds and thoughts could only have been assembled in the great metropolis. There is a wonderful description of the bustling train station which is a superb piece of cityscape writing. The great theater and the wonderfully evocative 'great beam' inside it can also be looked upon as a distinct character. The fascination with the movies and the effect it has on mass culture is beautifully depicted and is an ode to the charm of the erstwhile single screen theaters.
Although its a very good novel with lot of layers, it does have a few shortcomings. The ending seems a bit contrived and has an almost bollywoodish feel to it. Also a few characters could have been given a longer run , like Arzee's poet-philosopher-driver friend Dasharatji and the blind daughter of the head projectionist who light up the only scenes they appear in, an extended role for each of them would have given an added dimension. Nevertheless the novel heralds the arrival of another English speaking voice to the welcome cacophony that is Indian writing in English and we should all welcome it.
April 18, 2017
Arzee the dwarf, the refreshing little book from first time author Chandrahas Choudary is a good read. A small book, the hardback version comes in at less than 200 pages. However, the book could have been even better if certain cliches had been avoided.
Arzee is a small man. A pretty small one, or a dwarf to be more precise, living in Mumbai. He has been working as a assistant projectionist at the Noor cinema for almost a decade. The story starts off with Arzee playing cards with his friends, and telling them the news he has been carrying around in his mind for the whole day. The head projectionist, Phiroz, is retiring after more than 30 years at the Noor, and Arzee would, in all probability be promoted in his place. His life seems to be looking up, and he starts having dreams of a normal life like everyone else, including marriage, kids, the works.
However, the next day, he hears a piece of news which brings his world crashing down, and things which looked so rosy just a day ago, suddenly seem anything but.
The book is peppered with interesting dialogue and characters, like Deepak, the betting syndicate member after Arzee to get his money back, or Phiroz and his daughter, as well as Arzee's mom. However, certain things could have been done without. The hairdresser model girlfriend, who also seems classy, is just too much of a far cry to be believable. The way she falls for this dwarf who is hardly sophisticated, with barely anything said between them, does not make much sense. And the climactic melodrama could have been done without.
However, in spite of these glitches, the book is an arresting read, and should be tried.
Arzee is a small man. A pretty small one, or a dwarf to be more precise, living in Mumbai. He has been working as a assistant projectionist at the Noor cinema for almost a decade. The story starts off with Arzee playing cards with his friends, and telling them the news he has been carrying around in his mind for the whole day. The head projectionist, Phiroz, is retiring after more than 30 years at the Noor, and Arzee would, in all probability be promoted in his place. His life seems to be looking up, and he starts having dreams of a normal life like everyone else, including marriage, kids, the works.
However, the next day, he hears a piece of news which brings his world crashing down, and things which looked so rosy just a day ago, suddenly seem anything but.
The book is peppered with interesting dialogue and characters, like Deepak, the betting syndicate member after Arzee to get his money back, or Phiroz and his daughter, as well as Arzee's mom. However, certain things could have been done without. The hairdresser model girlfriend, who also seems classy, is just too much of a far cry to be believable. The way she falls for this dwarf who is hardly sophisticated, with barely anything said between them, does not make much sense. And the climactic melodrama could have been done without.
However, in spite of these glitches, the book is an arresting read, and should be tried.
January 4, 2014
Arzee the Dwarf
by Chandrahas Choudhury
This is the story of a dwarf. It is a book written from the dwarf’s point of view – how he sees the world, men, women and relationships. Arzee the Dwarf’s has a dream. He wants to make a success of his life. His dream has come true – he is to succeed the projectionist of many years at the Noor Bombay cinema where he has worked since he was thirteen. Arzee thinks his troubles are over and he can marry and settle down. Within the first few pages we realise that Arzee’s dream is not coming true and the reader follows him through day and night sharing his inner-world.
The brilliant narration brings to life the protagonist and the host of characters to whom Arzee turns. This is a book about human dreaming. It’s an easy read, with simple narrative style and a continuous flow of the story. The author bring alive the streets and surroundings of Mumbai.
The plot is short and the entire story is set in about a period of two weeks. This is the period of his life when he fears his loss of job, the flashback of his love story and a sudden revelation that changes the whole world around him.
I felt this was an excellent read and worth 4 ½ stars.
September 24, 2011
I always knew by gut instinct that Chandrahas Choudhury's book would certainly be readable. But how much so, I had no idea until now. Book is about trials and tribulations of a dwarf - more than that it is about anyone learning to survive in spite of our insecurities, deficiencies and low self-esteem.
Set in Bombay's daily life, feel of the city - that it does take back what it gives - in inherent in book's prose.
Arzee, the dwarf is a projectionist in an old, historic theater on verge of close down. He goes through various mood swings - from proud, happy and expectant to devastated to stoic-cum-heroic to crestfallen to eventually 'ok-we-will-see-what-comes-on'. Each chapter and a turn of event in the story is focussed on Arzee's reaction and attitude to it. There are long soliloquoys, indicative of his fears, thoughts and insecurities.
There are very few characters - Phiroz, Deepak, Mum - well-etched but only to support Arzee's story.
Nice story in a very appreciable, lucid language.
Set in Bombay's daily life, feel of the city - that it does take back what it gives - in inherent in book's prose.
Arzee, the dwarf is a projectionist in an old, historic theater on verge of close down. He goes through various mood swings - from proud, happy and expectant to devastated to stoic-cum-heroic to crestfallen to eventually 'ok-we-will-see-what-comes-on'. Each chapter and a turn of event in the story is focussed on Arzee's reaction and attitude to it. There are long soliloquoys, indicative of his fears, thoughts and insecurities.
There are very few characters - Phiroz, Deepak, Mum - well-etched but only to support Arzee's story.
Nice story in a very appreciable, lucid language.
February 11, 2017
An amazing journey into Arzee the Dwarf life, which each reader can find him or her self part of it.
December 29, 2011
First of all, I wonder why Goodreads spelled the author's name wrong. It's Chandrahas Choudhury.
Arzee the Dwarf, as the title indicates, is the story of a Dwarf. It's a book written from his point of view, how he sees the world, men, women, and relationships.
It's an easy read, with simple narrative style and a continuous flow of the story. I loved the bits where he describes certain streets/surroundings of Mumbai. He almost brings them alive with his descriptions.
The plot is a short one, the entire story is set in about a period of 2 weeks, but they're very important in Arzee's life. So, we get to see a glimpse of Arzee's life in this period, his loss of job, a flashback of his love story and a sudden revelation that changes the world for him.
Overall, worth reading. Not everyday do you come across such good Indian writers.
Arzee the Dwarf, as the title indicates, is the story of a Dwarf. It's a book written from his point of view, how he sees the world, men, women, and relationships.
It's an easy read, with simple narrative style and a continuous flow of the story. I loved the bits where he describes certain streets/surroundings of Mumbai. He almost brings them alive with his descriptions.
The plot is a short one, the entire story is set in about a period of 2 weeks, but they're very important in Arzee's life. So, we get to see a glimpse of Arzee's life in this period, his loss of job, a flashback of his love story and a sudden revelation that changes the world for him.
Overall, worth reading. Not everyday do you come across such good Indian writers.
May 9, 2014
Arzee is a short book, but it took me a while to get into. I didn't really DISLIKE it as much as I wasn't particularly struck by it in any way. But it grew on me. Chowdhury is a very talented writer and the book is rife with great sentences. I especially like that, unlike most Indian authors writing in English, the book is about lower middle class Bombay, their lives, their loves, without being patronizing or fetishistic in any way. Phiroz is a great character as is Deepak.
That said, sometimes I found the metaphors a little too overbearing, the plot a little too dramatic. I also could've done without the breathy monologues - I get that that is just arzee's personality but it is pretty tedious to read. In sum, I liked a lot of it. Didn't like some of it and overall, if CC were to write another book, I'd definitely take the time to read it.
That said, sometimes I found the metaphors a little too overbearing, the plot a little too dramatic. I also could've done without the breathy monologues - I get that that is just arzee's personality but it is pretty tedious to read. In sum, I liked a lot of it. Didn't like some of it and overall, if CC were to write another book, I'd definitely take the time to read it.
February 4, 2019
Es geht um das Anderssein und darum, dass man Glück nicht suchen muss, sondern finden kann. Die Erzählung ist humorvoll, melancholisch, warmherzig und voller schillernder Persönlichkeiten. Der Schluss kommt sehr plötzlich und bleibt völlig offen. Zunächst war ich darüber enttäuscht. Aber nachdem ich ein paar Tage lang gegrummelt hatte, wurde mir plötzlich klar, dass das Ende so einzig richtig ist: denn es spielt gar keine Rolle, ob der Protagonist sein Flugzeug erreicht oder es verpasst, ob er mit der Frau zusammenkommt oder nicht. Er wird auf jeden Fall glücklich sein, denn das Leben ist voller Möglichkeiten, und jederzeit kann es eine überraschende Wendung geben, die ihm ein Glück zu Füßen legt, das er sich noch gar nicht gewünscht hatte, weil er nichts davon wusste...
June 23, 2012
One of the best books I've read in a while. While there is a convenient arrangement of faiths followed by some of the characters, the book rides on the shouldres of Arzee the protagonist, his dreams, ambitions and complexes.A wee bit reminiscent of Rohinton Mistry - not for the presence of the parsi character, but the unique everydayness of every character.
Truly brilliant work by Chandrahas Choudhury.
Truly brilliant work by Chandrahas Choudhury.
July 19, 2014
What a wonderful novel! Welcome to a world full of characters worthy of Dickens, a story which has the reader gasping, cringing, and laughing out loud, and a whole lot to think about regarding the role of imagination in the choices we make and the dreams we allow ourselves to chase. Set in Mumbai, where life can deal one difficult reality after another, we meet Arzee the dwarf, whose disappointments, dreams, and adventures will keep the reader glued to the tale to the end.
March 22, 2014
2.5/5
Este libro nos cuenta la historia de Arzee, un entrañable enano indio cuya mayor aspiración en la vida es convertirse en propietario del cine en el que trabaja de forma incansable. Una novela entretenida e inusual, con una galería de personajes ciertamente curiosos que ayudan a profundizar en la personalidad de un ser maltratado por la genética y marginado a todos los niveles sociales.
Este libro nos cuenta la historia de Arzee, un entrañable enano indio cuya mayor aspiración en la vida es convertirse en propietario del cine en el que trabaja de forma incansable. Una novela entretenida e inusual, con una galería de personajes ciertamente curiosos que ayudan a profundizar en la personalidad de un ser maltratado por la genética y marginado a todos los niveles sociales.
February 26, 2013
When I bought it when it was released in 2009 I didn't go beyond the first chapter. I think what put me off was what I thought was a overuse of exclamation points(!!). But I always intended to finish it someday. This December (2012) I returned to it, less opinionated about what is 'good writing', and what a gem it turned out to be!
December 3, 2013
Touching story of an assistant cinema projectionist in Mumbai. Arzee wants to be liked and has some success with Monique. He is facing the closure of the cinema hall. His interaction with Deepakbhai, who he owes money, is excellent. This is short novel but well worth the time.
July 24, 2017
A lot of people rave about it ,it was good , it had moments but I won't rave about it. It's a little predictable in parts like a Bollywood movie and the pathos is also lost at times because too much is happening. Overall , ok...and a quick read. Pick it up if you have spare time for a light read.
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