Kallola

Mr Iyer Goes to War - Ryan Lobo A logic-defying, maverick, rollercoaster of a thriller 3D read. Popcorn, anyone?        “ When Gregor Samsa woke up one morning from unsettling dreams, he found himself changed in his bed into a monstrous vermin ”. Even in translation, even with the day’s twitter-size sensibilities, and even though very few find succour in the existentialist stronghold of Franz Kafka’s writing, his most unforgettable opening line of The Metamorphosis, haunts. This is not just because the writing is stark but because the imagery connects at a basic level of humanity’s absurd struggle for emotional wellbeing. Cut to Varanasi. Ryan Lobo’s debut protagonist, Mr Iyer, breaks free from the absurdity of his own existence and takes us on a fantastical rampage, all too real. The Ganges flows unperturbed, as two accomplished gentlemen lay on adjacent hospice beds, waiting to die, alone. While one fought for the country and has a gall...