Obsession & Wild Pigeons

by Ismat Chughtai, Tahira Naqvi (Translator)

'She brought into the ambit of Urdu [writing] the hitherto forbidden terrain of female sexuality...she changed the complexion of Urdu fiction.'--Mushirul Hasan, Outlook
In the two bold and gripping novellas brought together in this volume, the inimitable Ismat Chughtai writes of subversive women--subversive in unexpected ways--as they experience romantic and sexual desire, defy societal restrictions, struggle, scheme and sometimes court tragedy.
Obsession (Saudai) , deals with one of Chughtai's favourite themes, the 'master-servant' romance--in this case, two brothers, sons of a feudal household, in love with the same orphan girl. And Wild Pigeons (Jungli Kabutar) --based on the experiences of a famous Bollywood personality--probes the theme of infidelity, dissecting the emotions not only of the partner who is betrayed but also the one who betrays.
In Chandni and Abida, the main protagonists of the novellas, Chughtai gives us two of the strongest women in Indian fiction--clever, self-willed, flawed and, in the end, far braver than the men in their lives.

162 pages, Paperback

Published March 10, 2019

About the author

Ismat Chughtai (Urdu: عصمت چغتائی) (August 1915 – 24 October 1991) was an eminent Urdu writer, known for her indomitable spirit and a fierce feminist ideology. She was considered the grand dame of Urdu fiction, Along with Rashid Jahan, Wajeda Tabassum and Qurratulain Hyder, Ismat’s work stands for the birth of a revolutionary feminist politics and aesthetics in twentieth century Urdu literature. She explored feminine sexuality, middle-class gentility, and other evolving conflicts in the modern Muslim world. Her outspoken and controversial style of writing made her the passionate voice for the unheard, and she has become an inspiration for the younger generation of writers, readers and intellectuals.

Reviews

[Leena Aluru · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What lovely vintage feel stories. These were the backbone of most of our Bollywood movies of pre 70s before the superstars Amitabh Bachan and Rajesh Khanna took India by storm. These are our Sunil Dutt, Dilip Kumar style movies where our heroes had an inate sense of personality- honesty, sincerity,hard work were their work ethics along with humility and respect towards others was imperative. The class lines and caste lines were strongly drawn and crossing these line was looked down upon. The villains were usually either rich zemindar brats or its an inner conflict if wants v/s needs. The ladies were sweet and coy.

OBSESSION: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
move aside Gone Girl- she's no competition to Suraj our hero/ villain. Making of a sociopath has been dealt with so beautifully. Its scary and unsettling. Loneliness, despair and sadness are woven into this complete family drama.

WILD PIGEONS: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This took me sometime to understand the figure out what was happening.

its heart wrenching. I still can't get over it. No one should ever be in such a position ever. The power of forgiveness is immense, ive learnt that.

I strongly recommend this little book to read one of India's best female writers to all - it provides a window to to her poetic writing and her strong mcs.

[Sneha Pathak (reader_girl_reader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Obsession and Wild Pigeons is a collection of two novellas by Ismat Chughtai. Titles Saudai (सौदाई) and Jungli Kabootar (जंगली कबूतर) originally, both these novellas feature two strong women and their clash with the society and men around them. At the same time, they are also a masterclass in psychology, showing their readers the workings of complex, gulit-ridden minds.

Obsession is the story of Chandni, an orphan girl, who falls in love with Chandar, the younger son of the house. However, the elder son falls for her with a passion that becomes the undoing of the entire family. The portrait of this elder brother, this Bhai sahab who has been hallowed by the family as the family's eldest and as one who can do no wrong and his descent into a Dr-Jeckyll-Mr-Hyde like personality where he seems to be losing control over himself has been done brilliantly by Chughtai as has been the helplessness of Chandni who knows that nobody will believe her because the elder brother is an object of worship in the family. I especially liked how well the title sits with this tale, as according the online dictionaries, Saudai refers to both - a lover as well as a madman. Only the ending felt a little melodramatic, perhaps more fit for a movie. Which doesn't surprise me as a movie was based on this story!

Wild Pigeons is the story of a woman whose husband sullies their marriage vows by seducing another woman who is now pregnant with his child. While the husband wants nothing to do with the woman or her child and wishes the wife would vent her anger but ultimately forgive him, she behaves in the exact opposite manner, asking the husband to marry the woman and take care of the child. When he refuses to do so, she takes an interest in the woman and her baby and while she continues to live with her husband and take care of his every need, she does it like a secretary or a nurse, punishing both herself and him in the process. The blurb at the back says that this novella is based on the life of a famous Bollywood personality, and I really want to to know their name!

Overall, a powerful collection of two novellas that I would certainly recommend.

[Ashok Krishna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, the first story takes you to a setting of a Hindi movie of 1950s and 60s, with its backdrop and 'haveli' culture, while the second one could be story that could have been written in and relevant for even 2024. Such diversity in themes and depth of emotions. This is the first time I am reading the works of Ismat Chughtai and I must say that I have become a fan already! :-)

[Komal · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5
Would have sounded better in my mind in Hindi. Like the writing style and the story.