In Hot Blood

by Karkaria

At lunchtime on 27 April 1959, the handsome naval commander Kawas Nanavati was told by his English wife Sylvia that she was having an affair with their flamboyant businessman-playboy friend, Prem Ahuja. Later that evening, armed with a revolver, Nanavati stormed Ahuja's bedroom and shut the door behind him. Three gunshots were heard going off inside. Ahuja was dead. Ahuja's murder set in motion an extraordinary public frenzy ֠thousands descended on the streets of Bombay chanting in favour of the hero Nanavati, and the jury, swept off their feet by the dazzling naval officer in the dock, returned a 'Not Guilty' verdict. This trial was the death knell of the jury system in India. It hurtled a judiciary keen on preserving justice into confrontation with an executive bending to the will of hysterical crowds and tabloids and Nanavati's powerful friends in the establishment. In this laboriously researched book ֠part thriller, part courtroom drama and legal history, and part social portrait of post- Independence Bombay ֠Bachi Karkaria gives a most comprehensive account of the Nanavati case and the Constitutional crisis to which it gave birth.

Genres: Nonfiction, Crime, India

262 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 1, 2020

Reviews

[Hrishikesh · Rating 1 out of 5]

Absolutely rubbish. I happened to watch that movie, "Rustom" some time back so decided to read this book. If you thought that the movie is bad, the book is much worse. The author's writing "style" is pretentious, loud and childish. It is obvious that she is more concerned with the dressing sense of the main characters of this drama, or what cars they drove. The book cover says that it discusses the legality involved, and the amendment of the Constitution. This is a great misdirection, that I unfortunately fell for. I have wasted good money on this book, and a couple of hours of my time before I decided to chuck it aside. All that I can say is that it makes complete sense for the author to be a columnist at the Times of India.

[Ashima Jain · Rating 5 out of 5]

This meticulously researched account of a crime of passion from 1959 reads like an unputdownable thriller, except that this is not fiction but true-crime. A case which shook the legal and political framework of the country; one where every rule was broken, inside and out of the courtroom, to save the handsome commander destined for great things.

The author narrates detailed events which trace the legal and political history of the country and how it eventually lead to the jury system in India being abolished. She recreates the social portrait of post-Independence Bombay and its impact on the case and the trial.

The bollywood film inspired from the case is just that: an inspiration. Most of the events shown are nowhere close to what actually happened.

In the book, on the other hand, the author has tracked down people who were directly involved with the case as well as those who watched and heard what was happening at the time, to put together a most comprehensive account of the Nanavati case and the Constitutional crisis to which it gave birth.

[Divakar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everyone is familiar with the ménage-trois story of the late 1950s : A cuckolded Commander Kawas Nanavati, his amorous wife Sylvia and the third angle of the triangle- a Mumbai arriviste Prem Ahuja. Cumulatively 3 Bollywood movies have been adapted from this real life drama. Ye Raaste Hai Pyaar Ke..in 60s, Achanak in 70s by Gulzar to the recent block-buster Rustom. As motion pictures, they took liberties with the real story to suit commercial and cinematic ends…and what the world knows is a duty and honour bound Nanavati who while confronting his wife’s paramour accidentally killed him in self defence.

We all heard of the story of a lonely British girl married to a Parsi Navy officer who went on long spells of travel in the service of the nation and how she was charmed and swept away by a rake who manipulated her loneliness and a libertine who was all things bad – a compulsive womanizer, A Sindhi automobile dealer who was a Johnny come lately into the genteel high society of the palm tree swaying South Mumbai which was the citadel of the oh…so…genteel Parsis. The famous American Professor also resurrected this story… Gyan Prakash in his now famous book ‘Mumbai Fables’ and a full chapter is devoted to the war of attrition between the two tabloid czars of those days…the flamboyant Russi Karanjia of Blitz and Dossu Karaka of Current and the stances they took on the case.
57 years later (I realize that the famous murder (accident?) happened before I was born)..Bachchi Karaka…. the Grande dame of Times of india more known for her witty articles on the editorial page does a first class job of reconstructing the story and dispassionately peeling the multiple layers of the famous story and all that happened later. I was slightly apprehensive that the fellow Bawi Karaka would go soft on her tribe…. and possibly give a one sided biased story and posthumously salvage the Bawa Commander…..but she does not. She is objective, has done meticulous research, spoke to some of the surviving individuals and presents a long forgotten story and the issues that it raised in a newly evolving India of the late 50s and 60s.

I am not going to get into the morality of a mother of three cuckolding her husband and getting into a ménage trois with a charming and handsome man….this is the story that was…..what is interesting is all that happened post the shoot-out.

The subversion of law by the rich and famous (think of all the famous criminals in Tihar jail), which we read about every day, was existing even in the late 50s. The Naval commander evades police custody and stays in the relative comfort of the Naval custodial center…and every rule in the book is cast aside to let this continue till he is convicted.

After being convicted by the High Court and even later when the Supreme Court upholds the
conviction….out comes a constitutional proviso by which a convicted person can be pardoned…is exercised by then Governor of Maharashtra….Dr Vijay Lakshmi Pandit who is the sister of the PM – presumably on a nudge from the defence minister who was the PM’s confidante …and also possibly a good word by Dickie and Edwina who know the errant Commander….that is justice for you….and out walks out Commander Kawas Nananvati.

The story of the rich and mighty connections doesn’t end there….the venerable JRD flashes a job to aapro dikra Nanavati in Canada and the government goes out of its way to fast track his emigration…..and the cuckolded Commander and his straying wife…along with their 3 children…start life afresh….and they live happily ever after. T
The cast is star studded…..a large number of legal luminaries who were to straddle the Indian judicial system in later years as eminent lawyers, judges and AGs….make cameo appearances as junior lawyers at the beginning of their careers at various stages of the case. The irrepressible Ram Jethmalani now in his 90s and still roaring is a junior lawyer hired by Prem Makhija’s sister.

The original tabloid of India….BLITZ and its flamboyant editor…take up a lot of space when the author goes into the no-holds-barred battle that Blitz wages against the judicial system in support of his fellow Parsi. If anyone thought that the ‘breaking news’ phenomenon is an invention of the current lot of hectoring news anchor…. they are mistaken…the grand daddy of sensationalism was Russi Karinja and the current lot actually look like pale imitators.

To summarize…an ordinary criminal case of an cuckolded husband who shot his wife’s paramour…and who was finally convicted of his crime inspite of the best defence lawyers in the country…and while in Jail….was generously pardoned by a supportive government…..takes multiple turns and occupies the social and political narrative of a fledgling democracy still coming to terms with independence….and like in all modern day stories…..the rich and the powerful get away with ‘murder’. (Literally!).

Overall, a well written book…..and for those who have encountered this murder case in other non-fiction books in bits and pieces….this one fills in all the blanks…and written in a racy manner.
Not high literature…but a zippy book to read. This is non-fiction, which beats fiction. It ticks the boxes on all dimensions that you rate fiction: It has sex, adultery, crime/murder, patriotism, nationalism, whodunnit ….no wonder it got made into motion pictures…so many times

[K · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic book ! Bachi you have done an awesome job and thank you for such a brilliant read. Couldn't keep hands off the book, unstoppable.

[Reubyn Coutinho]

Fabulous

[Bookish Indulgenges with b00k r3vi3ws · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am afraid that this is one of those rare cases where I have watched the movie before reading the book. But then Akshay Kumar starrer ‘Rustom’ released in 2016, before the release of this book, if I am not mistaken.

I had to try and remove my impressions from the movie when I started with this book. Before reading the book or even watching the movie, all I knew about this case was that it was the last case where a jury trial had taken place.

Sylvia Nanavati’s confession of an affair with Prem Ahuja to her husband was followed by the murder of Prem at the hands of Kawas Nanavati. When the case was brought to trial, the jury returned with a ‘not guilty’ verdict which was then dismissed by the court. The trial had caused a media frenzy not only due to the status of the defendant or the nature of the case but also because of quite a few of whos-who of the country at the time were known to be friends with Kawas Nanavati. He was jailed after a fresh hearing but managed to get a pardon after serving his sentence for three years.

The book reminded me of how manipulative humans can be. What was a murder case was turned into about loyalty, patriotism and about community. At the same time, we are also reminded of the power of both our judiciary system and our media. On one hand, we see the media frenzy influencing people’s opinion and judgment and on the other hand, we see the judiciary system taking the matter into its own hands. But in the end, the influential people prevail by getting a pardon for Nanavati and enabling them to move abroad and settle down as a ‘normal’ family. What I cannot get over is the many faces of both Sylvia and Kawas. First, she has an extramarital affair with Prem and then she stands by her husband during the trial. Kawas, on the other hand, murders his wife’s paramour and goes back to living a ‘normal’ life with her.

The author has narrated the events in a simple language while creating a setting that comes alive through the pages. What was it like in India in 1950s, just after our independence? From the communal situation to the constitutional changes that India was going through at the time was captured well. This particular case turned out to be one of the last cases to be tried by a jury as the government abolished jury trials soon after.

The book does provide details and insights that google or Rustom doesn’t. But end of the day, even with all the sensationalism attached to it, the book doesn’t really make for a very fascinating read. So, would I recommend it? Yes, if you want to know more about the case but a very emphatic no, in case you are hoping for a distraction or entertainment.

[Astha Nain · Rating 2 out of 5]

For those of you who judge a book by it's cover, this will instantly appeal to you. It is a hardcover with a beautiful paper cover and an even dazzling bright white hardcover with "In Hot Blood" written in gold. If you are one of those who buy books not to just keep them on the shelf but to actually read them, well here is the fact for you........ this is a horribly written book but if you want to find a reason to buy it, it is this that the case it covers happens to be the most sensational legal battle India has witnessed so far, not to mention one of the most high profile. For those of you who rely on Rustom (2016) to get information about this case, let me tell you 'Rustom was a load of bullshit'. So read this book if you are actually desperate to know about how amazingly handsome Commander Kawas Nanavati looked when he entered the court, all 6 foot tall of him and how beautiful and timid (not to mention loyal) Sylvia was but if you expect anything more do not read this book. It is an absolute waste of money (Rs 700!! Can you imagine??)

[Reema Sahay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know what was I expecting from this book. I saw the book, connected with the very popular case and just decided I wanted to read this. I was bored for a considerable part of this book. It is not a pageturner in any case. It goes into the nitty gritties of how the case of fought by both the parties, how Nanavati managed to earn the sympathies of people, how people in power came to his succour, what worked in favour of Nanavati and what didn't in case of Prem Ahuja. What I wanted to know was how the couple were able to put this extremely publicized case behind them and went on to live a supposedly happy life, even if away from this country. Can that happen? Is it possible to get over the fact that something of this magnitude happened. There is nothing much on that part of their (Nanavatis') lives.

[GrabAsia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story behind the Bollywood movie Rustam released in 2016. Ms Karkaria has written a well researched & written book on a famous case in 1959 of a classic love triangle - wife, lover & aggrieved husband. The husband confronts the lover, ending in the latter's death. The husband is a decorated senior naval officer, and it seems the whole establishment comes together to protect him. After many legal ups and downs, and favourable treatment by the system, 5 years later, he is freed and migrates to Canada with his kids, and his wife.

What actually happened? Why did the establish rally behind the husband, accused by the state of murder? How was this portrayed in the press, almost 60 years ago in the days before even TV?

A great read. Even the difficult legal nuances well explained.

[Vedaant · Rating 2 out of 5]

It is well researched, has a jaw-dropping story, but it is very poorly written. The writing style is very verbose, uninteresting and has needless vocabulary and unwanted details. She misses the very crux of all of it.
It is very difficult to get through the book, it doesn’t delve deeper into characters, it is a very superficial and shallow account. I think a better job could have been done with this, there is a lot that remains unexplored. Wanted to read this for a long time, but this book disappoints big time.
I had to force myself to read it, and I admit I did skim through the last chapters.
I have given an extra star just for quasi-decent research.

[Reha Chakroborty · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book is a perspective on the Kawas Nanavati case, where Kawas shot Prem Ahuja who was having an affair with his wife. Instead of making Kawas the hero, the author tries to show the philandering wife, the lover and the husband in different light. The author also judges the case from modern day lenses where relationships are more fluid. However Kawas Nanavati and his wife did end up successful and in a happy marriage as they got another chance in making things work.

[Nishant Bhagat · Rating 4 out of 5]

The famous affair of the early 60’s brought to life by an accomplished author. I have been a fan of Bachi Karkaria’s writing so this just added to the fandom.

She has managed to strike a superb balance between elements like - gossip, cultural sensitivity, understanding of the society, legalities and the lives of the people concerned.

I would recommend this book highly to anyone. It is a master class in writing a non fiction book but still weaving a story to keep the reader interested.

[Delson Roche · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book because I got my hand on an author-signed copy. Well, I found it very interesting- a legal trial with jury, in India just after independence. Well, times have changed now (whether good or bad is debatable) and perhaps the case would have a very different outcome today. The book is a very easy read, well presented and although based on a true story, felt like pulp fiction. Best of all, I dont have to sit and watch through a movie, to know about the story.

[Malini Chaudhri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very impressive journalistic narration of a story of epic historical value. The author has done a great job of conveying the community, lifestyle, grandeur, and judicial mix of the time. The book conveys an excellent style of writing and use of English language, specific to top Indian writers.

[Vineet · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a brilliantly researched written book! Kudos to Bachi!!!

[Indu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Infidelity, Murder, Patriotism - Not Guilty Vs Guilty

[Steve Castley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is wonderfully researched and presented in a quirky readable way. I enjoyed Bachi's telling of this story.

[Varun Bhakay · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is a case oft-spoken about, even though close to six decades (or one whole grandparent) has passed since the incident that triggered it. It was a case like no other in India’s history, one that figuratively finalised the “death sentence” passed against the jury system months earlier, one that pitted not the prime actors in it but two of Bombay’s many ethnic groups against one another. It featured the likes of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, then Prime Minister of India, then Chief of Naval Staff Vice Adm. R.D. Katari, future Navy Chief Cmdre. S.N. Nanda, “Nehru’s evil genius” and then Defence Minister V.K. Krishna Menon, future CJI Y.V. Chandrachud, J.R.D. Tata and Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit. There was also an unofficial member of the prosecution, then a young man in his mid-thirties who is today one of India’s sharpest and most acclaimed legal luminaries: Ram Jethmalani.
When up-and-coming Naval officer Cdr. Kawas M. Nanavati shot and killed his friend and his wife Sylvia’s lover Prem Ahuja on the afternoon of 27th April 1959, few would’ve guessed the prominence the incident and the legal proceedings that followed would acquire. Though Nanavati was acquitted by the jury, the judge found the verdict incorrect, dismissed the jury and referred the case to the Bombay High Court, which sentenced Cdr. Nanavati to life in prison. The Supreme Court dismissed his appeal in 1961 and yet, just three years later, Mr. Nanavati (he had been dismissed from the Navy by then) was pardoned. He emigrated to Canada with Sylvia and the children, leaving behind a case riveting enough for a seasoned writer to want to bite into its various layers and put out the details for the literate all and sundry. Bachi Karkaria, with her 2017 book In Hot Blood, does just that.
Karkaria’s research is fantastic. She has gone to great lengths to ensure the authenticity of facts, whether it is through newspaper archives or personal accounts. She manages to put it all together seamlessly. She also must be commended for wanting to examine angles within the case: she writes about each of the three protagonists with some amount of depth and clarity. Then there is the trial at the sessions court, followed by Bombay HC, the controversial pardon by Governor Sri Prakasa, a mini-constitutional crisis over the governor’s role and finally the Supreme Court of India. She also addresses the class and ethnic issue that was at the heart of the murder and the trial, as well as the tabloid war between Russi Karanjia’s Blitz and Dosu Karaka’s Current. The book is a cocktail in the sense that in its short length of 304 pages, it manages to cover all of the case and more.
Karkaria goes the whole hog by bringing in Krishna Menon and Pandit Nehru, both of who are said to have influenced and ensured Nanavati’s quick release from prison. There is the mention of a ship-buying scam that Nanavati may have known about, which would’ve put the government in a fix. Reading the book makes you realise that this is perhaps one of India’s most extraordinary cases. After all, Prime Ministers and Defence Ministers don’t find routine mentions in books detailing the murder of a businessman.
The only real complaint I had with the book was the narrative style Karkaria adopts. I found it overly-stylised and over-the-top. Had that been toned down, the book would’ve made not only for a better read but also for a shorter one.
In Hot Blood had the makings of a great book, but its fatal flaw makes it only a good one. Read it if you wish to examine the complicated layers of the murder of Prem Ahuja and the case of K.M. Nanavati vs the State of Bombay/Maharashtra.

[Pankaj · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well Written. Bachi has done superb research to bring to fore so many facts.

[Rana Preet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this book recently. Writing a shot review of the book.. In Hot Blood( The Nanavati case that shook India) by Bachi Karakaria

"An accused is presumed innocent till proved guilty, and so doesn't normally offer himself up for the kill"

The book is based on a real life incident that took place on 27 April,1959 when a Parsi Naval officer Kawas Nanavati shot dead her wife Sylvia s lover, Prem Ahuja, a Sindhi businessman. An open and shut case of moral turpitude,deception and matrimonial discord that was turned from an ordinary to an extraordinary level by public frenzy, political connotations and religious lines.This case was one of the most talked and highlighted events of the sixties that brought forth the influence of print media and public sentiments on judiciary.

Kawas Nanavati, a decorated naval officer had links with the mighty and powerful ,the likes of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, his sister Vijay lakshmi Pandit nd the then defence minister of India V.K. Menon. These were some of the most pivotal persons who rallied behind the commander. Not only the mighty and the powerful but the entire naval force nd the parsi community rallied behind the accused. The articulate lawyers fighting the case portrayed him as a "seasoned naval officer and an honourable man ready to give up his own life - and his wife- provided her lover was prepared to take care of her and their children."

This book is full of interesting facts ,statements - like this one where the lawyer tries to raise the public consciousness by pitting this as a case of civil v/s defence." Here is a man of the defence forces who went out for days and days taking all risks. If these are the very men whose homes and wives are to be toyed with ,what more is left?"

Every resort was used to portray Nanawati as a righteous soul, putting him on a pedestal, an upright officer, an acme of idealism who committed no crime but did the heroic deed. Even comparing him with Lord Rama who saved his wife from the clutches of evil.

At the first trial, the jury let Nanawati go scot free but the judgement was later reverted.After this case the jury system was abolished in india. After spending few years under naval custody and later on in Arthur road jail under all the privileges that were bestowed upon him, he was pardoned in 1964. Later he migrated to Canada with his wife and kids. He passed away in 2003.

Sylvia Nanawati was a blonde beauty who married the dashing naval officer. She was very shy and well spoken and took good care of their kids when her husband was away on naval voyages. She s portrayed in a good light in the novel. Confessing her misdemeanours to her husband, she s unmoved through the whole trial, not even once succumbing to the easy way out she could have opted by choosing to return to her home country. Infact she stood rock solid, a pillar of support, making amends with her husband and her in laws and moving on in her life. She s still alive, leading a peaceful life somewhere in Canada with a brood of grand children.

The culprit, Prem Ahuja who was believed to have cast an evil spell on Sylvia was a charmer among the female folk, was a rich, affluent Sindhi businessman.The clandestine affair is corroborated in the form of letters, a few meetings nd not much is written about it.

This case proved to be a fight between Parsis v/s Sindhis, Civil v/s defence, public sentiments v/s judiciary. It has influenced lot of movies the latest being Rustom. The major part of the book s a courtroom drama with real anecdotes, it depicts the settings and trappings of judiciary in 1960 s. Some bits and parts are boring and seem irrelevant but over all a readable book that keeps you entertained.