Book Reviews: RIP By Mukul Deva

 

 

Book Review: RIP by Mukul Deva

 

I signed up for the Book Review program of Blogadda.com recently. Being a book lover, I just adored the opportunity to read and post my review about the books they sent me.

 

The latest book I signed up for is Mukul Deva's RIP.

 

 

 

When I got the courier, I was quite excited, as is always the case. I love the feel of a new book. I smell it first, run my fingers through the crisp pages and then begin reading.

 

Usually, a book just pulls me into itself, making me forget the world, I do not care if the world falls apart around me, I read on. I had expected earth shattering stuff to happen with this one too. Nothing happened. I was slightly perplexed. I read about four pages and closed the book. It lay on my table for two days, beckoning me.

 

Finally, on the third day, I picked it up again. I decided to get over, what I call, the 'reader's block', and picked up speed.

 

Slowly, minutes became hours, and Krishna Athawale and his K-team took shape in my head, luring me into their plan to weed out the corrupt ones. I read on, sometimes putting down the book to attend to some urgent work, but mentally still watching Krishna and Reena conversing; Raghav being summoned by Karunakaran, the corrupt politician, and listening to the K-team's plans. This thriller from Mukul Deva caught me unawares and jolted my imagination.  

 

When Raghav Bhagat walked into the picture, I could smell his cologne and feel his cold-blooded stare. I heard the phone ringing when Krishna gets summoned to attend to his ten-year old son, Sachin. I sensed his excitement when he met and fell in love with the bewitching Reena. Mukul was never there, just his words, soft, sharp, guiding me through the stories of the protagonists: 

 

• Krishna and his K-team
• Reena
• Raghav
• Sachin and Azaan

I wiped a tear when Reena stood watching her husband betraying their marital vows on their marital bed. I stood beside Payal and Krishna when he acknowledged the fact that he had indeed fallen in love, and had moved on after the unfortunate demise of his wife, Pooja.

 

Mukul helped me visualize the story of these brave para commandos in such a way that I could sense the tension running through Krishna's mind when he took life-changing decisions on behalf of his team. I agreed with his decisions, rued on some, rejoiced on his victories, and cried with him.

 

RIP, was a complete surprise package. It hit me slowly, like scotch. Slow but sure. I became engulfed in the story in no time. The beginning was a bit slow but I held on to the book, knowing well that a story had to be completed, no matter what. I am glad I clung to the belief. RIP moved me, angered me, gnawed at my conscience for not caring enough about the rampant corruption around me, and finally, left me with questions. Questions about national pride, is this what our freedom fighters wanted, when they braved scalding bullets on their chests? I sensed a feeling if urgency to bring an end to the rampant corruption and misuse of power amongst the politicians and business men. I am surprised at the courage with which Mukul has used names and instances. It left me with a sense of wonder.

 

RIP, I feel is a must read, for the youth of India. Atleast to the next generation that can do something about the rot. RIP is all about the angst a common man feels. The rape and mutilation of honor of the country is the worst that can happen to any land and its inhabitants. RIP shows the ugly side of things and without being preachy, tells a tale of what can go wrong if some action is not taken urgently by the government. People are watching and these people are not dumb. Technology has empowered everyone enough to take law into their hands. I agree that there are times when I wondered if Mukul had had an overdose of Bollywood masala movies, because the K-team is pursued by Vinod, the cop, and Raghav, the ex-para guy, but are never caught. Little far fetched. What the heck! I love far-fetchedness as long as the hreoes come out unscathed. There were also times when I wondered whether it was so easy to bump off a CM or a judge, but then, it is fiction. And we are not in a moral lecture. I am sure there would be many people who would oppose the idea of punishing the corrupt by blowing their heads off with RDX, but I agree totally with the punishment meted out to the corrupt lot by the K-team.   

 

Though RIP tells a fictional adventure tale, I feel, it is a  tale that has a far reaching message, for the youth, for the corrupt ones. End of the day, the message for every true Indian is:

 

Karmanye Vadhikaraste, ma faleshu kadachanaha.

(Focus on your actions, leave the results to me)

 

About the Author:

 

Mukul Deva graduated from La Martiniere College, Lucknow, the National Defence Academy, Pune, and the Indian Military Academy, Dehra Dun. Mukul was commissioned in the Sikh Light Infantry of the Indian Army in 1981 where he served as an officer till 1996. He started writing novels even while in the Army, but published only later. After retiring from the army, he opened the security service MSD Security, which has grown considerably. He wrote his first spy-terrorism thriller, Lashkar, in 2010, which went on to become a best-seller, as have his subsequent books in the series. A lot more books are in the pipeline.

He is currently based in Singapore where he lives with his two daughters one of whom is a writer and the other a lawyer.

 

 

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