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ज़िददी [Ziddi]

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यह उपन्यास एक दुखांत प्रेम कहानी है। जो हमारी सामाजिक संरचना से जुड़े अनेक अहम सवालों का अपने भीतर अहाता किए हुए है। ‘जिद्दी’ उपन्यास में लेखिका का उद्भूत अभिव्यक्ति और व्यंग्य का लहजा बदस्तूर देखा जा सकता है। बयान के ऐसे बहुत ढंग और मुहावरे उन्होने अपने कथात्मक गद्य में सुरक्षित कर लिए हैं जो अब देखे-सुने नहीं जाते। इस उपन्यास में ऐसी कामयाब पठनीयता है की हिन्दी पाठक इससे बार बार पढ़ने का आनंद उठाएगा।

88 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 2019

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5 stars
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29 (34%)
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22 (26%)
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
Profile Image for Ravi Prakash.
Author 57 books78 followers
November 9, 2018
After Lihaaf, this is the second book of Ismat Chugtai, I came through and enjoyed it full. Actually a film has also been made on this novel. It genuinely portrays the drama of 70s or 80s Bollywood. Whereas about the writing style concerns, I would like to give it 5 stars on that. Looking forward to read her some others works as well.
Profile Image for Salman Khalid.
106 reviews86 followers
December 1, 2017
خشونت سنگھ کے ’’ٹرین ٹو پاکستان‘‘ کی طرح یہ ناولٹ بھی اپنے اختتام کی بدولت پڑھنے والے پر ایک دیرپا تاثر چھوڑتا ہے اور تین سے چھلانگ مار کر چار ستاروں تک پہنچ جاتا ہے۔
ہے تو ایک عام روایتی لوو سٹوری ہی، جیسے ڈائجسٹوں میں ہوتی ہیں۔ امیر ہیرو، منچلا، چھلاوہ جو اپنی نوکرانی پر فدا ہوجاتا ہے اور اسے پانے / نہ پانے کے گرد ساری کہانی ہے۔ مگر پلاٹ عام ہونے کے باوجود، جن الفاظ میں اور جس انداز سے ’ڈیلیور‘ کیا گیا ہے، وہ بہت غیر ڈائجسٹی ہے۔ یہ انداز بلاشبہ عصمت چغتائی کا اپنا ہے اور گرویدہ کرلینے والا ہے۔
حیرت انگیز طور پر عورتوں کو بجائے مظلوم گڑیا دکھانے کے، الٹا انہیں کو فضیحت کی گئی ہے۔ معاشرے کا گلا گھونٹ چہرہ تو خیر تھا ہی جس پر پوری کہانی مبنی ہے۔ کچھ بھلے وقتوں کے میلے ٹھیلوں کی بھی منظر نگاری ہے جو پڑھ کر ناسٹلجیا ہوتا ہے۔ رہا ’ضدی‘ کا معاملہ تو وہ نہ ہیرو پورن تھا، نہ ہی اس کی محبوبہ آشا۔ ضدی کون تھا، یہ معلوم کرنے کے لئے ضدی پڑھنا پڑے گا۔
Profile Image for Madhulika Liddle.
Author 22 books547 followers
September 22, 2020
Asha is a village girl whose grandmother dies, leaving Asha all alone in the world. However, because of her Nani's long service at the home of the local zamindar Raja Saheb, Asha gets a new refuge. The zamindar's younger son, the debonair Puran, who's come to be by Asha's Nani's deathbed, takes Asha back with him to the haveli. Asha becomes part of the household, not formally a servant, but treated as one.

... Until Puran falls in love with her.

Ziddi is an important story from the point of view of Hindi cinema; the screen adaptation of this film, made by Shahid Lateef (Ismat Chughtai's husband) in 1948, propelled its male lead, Dev Anand, to stardom. The novel does read so much like an early Hindi film, it's easy to see why it was considered suitable, for a film. The forbidden love between the high-born, well-educated scion of a princely family and the poor outcaste from a village. The ire of his family, their refusal to accept the relationship. The sacrifice, the emotional blackmail, the subterfuge and deception.

Where Chughtai excels is in elevating it to something beyond the average tragic romance of Hindi cinema. For one, her characterization is superb: Puran, especially, is brilliantly depicted as the young man who's so exuberant and irrepressible in the beginning, so brash and irreverent, that nobody is immune to his charm--and the way he changes, the metamorphosis he goes through as a result of his family's stubbornness, is heartbreaking.

That stubbornness, the zid indicated in the title of the novel, is left open to conjecture. Whose obstinacy is this? Puran's, who refuses to give up Asha? Aroop's and his wife's and his mother's, who refuse to let Puran marry Asha? Or eventually Asha's? But whether it's one person's stubbornness or everybody's, the way Chughtai shows the turn of events, how one thing leads to another, how one person's behaviour affects that of another... This is a storyteller who knows human nature very intimately.

I also loved her descriptions, brief though they are. The opening scene, when Asha's Nani lies dying while it pours rain outside, is memorable for its description of the rain, and there's another scene describing a fair, a mela, which is a series of fabulous word-pictures. Also, the similes and metaphors Chughtai uses to describe emotions and situations are very insightful and thought-provoking.
Profile Image for Shabana Mukhtar.
Author 82 books176 followers
June 24, 2018
I never considered reading Ismat chugtai's book. Primarily, as I have heard and read that some of her work was sued for obsenity. I heard about "Lihaaf". You never know about Afsaana, it may turn to something very disturbing. I know that since I have read some work of Prem Chand, Krish Chandra, and Manto. Nonetheless, I started reading it, and was pleasantly surprised.
While the entire book is a stand-out, "Thokar" and "Aag", these two chapters are best in describing emotions.
There is one scene where a kid "Munna" is not leaving Puran who is troubling him. How innocent! If I had this book in hard-copy, i would have underlined and highlighted almost all the lines. Yes, it is that good. Everything from dedication to the last word in the book, is worth quoting.




The book has, in many places, swapped the two representations of "chhoti ha" and that strangely adds to the fun of reading it.

It is a heart-breaking love story. The spontanity, the openness of the dialect, the metaphors that Ismat had used - everything is lovely.

This is a master-piece.

Shabana Mukhtar
Profile Image for Sara Saif.
575 reviews243 followers
March 6, 2018

It was rather lovely until it turned savage.


Ziddi was a delightful surprise in so many ways. I had a goofy smile throughout and even laughed out loud at some parts. My heart hurt, I got pangs and even went into a 30 second shock.

First, I thought this was a collection of separate stories but they were actually short chapters of the same story.
Second, the book was not as dry or tedious as I had anticipated. It was warm and fuzzy and happy.
Third, I ate the book up so fast because the writing was incredible. I wish I had taken notes, it was quotable.
Fourth, there was a PLOT TWIST. It was straight up tragic.
Fifth, all characters were hindus but you couldn't really tell.


Pooran was adorable and his antics with Bhoola ki Tayi hysterical.

I didn't see any of it coming, the sweetness, the sadness, the madness. I've had a pretty good introduction with Ismat Chughtai.

Profile Image for Zeeshan Ahmed.
84 reviews82 followers
December 12, 2014
I am speechless. "Ziddi" is indeed the perfect title for this story. The story of Pooran and his undying love. The questions on the 'society' and 'traditions' are asked, and there's only silence heard. It's indeed a wonderful, hard-hitting story, with a conclusion that would leave you speechless. A must read. Bravo, Ismat Chughtai!
Profile Image for Ankita Chauhan.
178 reviews66 followers
August 4, 2019
More than a love story. After reading Tedhi Lakeer, it is an another gem of a book. Loved it. Recommended.
Profile Image for Shobhit Saxena.
24 reviews4 followers
May 15, 2021
3.5

عصمت چغتائی کی ناولٹ "ضدّی" پہلے پہل ایک عام عشقیہ افسانہ سی معلوم ہوتی ہے، لیکن اختتام تک آتے آتے یہ ایک نہایت فکر انگیز اور موثر داستان کی شکل اختیار کر لیتی ہے۔
کہانی کا زیادہ تر حصّہ ایک ام بالیوڈ فلم کی طرح نظر آتا ہے۔ اسی ناولٹ پر مصنّفہ کے شوہر نے اسی عنوان سے فلم بھی بنائ تھی۔ یہ کہنا تو ذرا مشکل ہے کہ اُس
زمانے کی فلموں کے حساب سے اس کہانی میں کتنا نیا پن تھا۔ لیکن آج کے دور میں تو کہانی کا ایک بڑا حصّہ جانا پہچانا ہی لگتا ہے۔

عصمت چغتائی بہت آسان اور عام بولچال کی زبان میں لکھنے کے لئے مشہور رہی ہیں، اور یہ سلسلہ اس صنف میں بھی جاری رہا۔ پورن کا بے فکرانہ اور شریر مزاج دل کو بھاتا ہے۔ آشا کے ساتھ اس کی پیار بھری چھیڑ چھاڑ بہت دلکش لگتی ہے۔ لیکن کہانی کی یو ایس پی کچھ اور ہی ہے۔ کس طرح لوگ خد غرض ہو کر دو عاشقوں کو ملنے نہیں دیتے، کس طرح سماج کے ٹھیکےدار اپنی جھوٹی شان کے لۓ کسی بھی حد تک گر جاتے ہیں اور کیسے کئ زندگیاں ان کی خود غرضی کا شکار بن کر برباد ہو جاتی ہیں، یہ سب بہ خوبی دکھایا گیا ہے۔ کہانی اپنے اختتام کی طرف مزہ دار ہو جاتی ہے۔ وہ حصّہ جب پورن اپنا دماغی توازن کھو بیٹھتا ہے، بہت دلچسپ ہے۔ کلائمیکس تو بالک غیر متوقع ہے۔
مختصر ہونے کی وجہ سے مرکزی کرداروں کے علاوہ دیگر کرداروں کو زیادہ اسپیس نہیں مل پایا ہے۔ لیکن یہ بات زیادہ کھلتی نہیں ہے۔
Profile Image for Arzoo Khan.
10 reviews
April 12, 2020
This book is amazing and it talks about all the social problems, this book deals with orthodox thinking of the society, old stereotypes followed from ages, spineless norms, and all the taboos of the society, it talks about illiteracy among people even if they are educated only; then also, among all of it, this story serves you a deeply intense love story of Aasha and Pooran. In this novel Ismat Chugtai discuss extensively on class conflict. Overall an emotionally ridden roller coaster which will leave you with very heavy heart at the end of novel.
13 reviews9 followers
August 7, 2022
The sheer amount of giggles that have passed through just at the joy of reading in Hindi and the narration feeling a little close to just listening your mom and aunts gossip, but mixed with sadness for what happened in the actual plot.
Zid, wilding red flowers into dark frozen blood like ash.
105 reviews54 followers
April 25, 2019
This is my first reading of Ismat Chughtai's novels. I liked it. The story is engaging. A touching love story of two lovers that reached an end in an orthodox society.
212 reviews
October 9, 2025
amazing heart breaking love story.
i really enjoy her style of story telling. she was a master.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews

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