Review of Shantaram

'Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows' - Shakespeare in The Tempest Based on Gregory David Roberts's novel by the same name. Although, author claims it to be a novel but it is mostly an autobiography based on his days in Mumbai followed after his escaping from a maximum security prison. He began writing this novel during his prison stay and the manuscript was destroyed twice by the prison staff. I read this book during pandemic suggested by a friend. The story is thrilling ,electrifying and heartbreaking, poignant at the same time. It offers an emotional and philosophical experience and does not miss out the boisterous actions. The series (have watched only first 5 episodes) does recreate the 1980s Mumbai beautifully with vivid colors, the lamp-lit streets, from dhobighat and slums to the squandering affluent class, from a golden sunlight filling up the sultry air on the narrow streets of the city to the dancing moonlight on the cresting waves of the Arabian Sea. Bhupendra Singh's ghazal in one of the episodes is befitting the scene. The characters development is somewhat hurried but does not leave out much details. Commanding performance by Charlie Hunman as Lin, and equally convincong performances by the supporting cast, seamlessly woven the essence of author's experience with fictionalization but mostly the strong narrative that makes this series a great watch. I felt some parallels with Salaam Bombay by Mira Nair.

'God is impossible and that's why it exists!'