If you are looking for a cinematic, dramatic love story, Bhaichand Patel’s latest novel, Across the River, is something you can definitely pick. Patel, a Fiji national residing in Delhi, has an interesting, fast-paced writing style that reminds you of Doordarshan’s telefilms from the 90s. These films, often based on social themes, were popular among the viewers for their portrayal of realistic stories.
Across the River is an interfaith love story between a Muslim girl named Seema, and a wealthy Gujarati boy, Mohan. However, the story catches pace with Seema struggling to find a job due to her hijab-clad appearance. Her best friend, Madhu, arranges for an interview at a garment factory owned by a vegetarian Gujarati family.
She gets the job as the company owners assume she is Hindu. The author takes a little bit of creative liberty here because it’s a bit difficult for readers to assume how someone could work in a factory, disguising their identity. Soon, Mohan, the son of the factory owner, falls in love with Seema, and what follows is this love story. This not-so-unconventional tale carries a touch of nostalgia as the author begins the novel in the lanes of Old Delhi.
Patel has done a good job of researching on facts and sensitively used them in the novel. For instance, when Seema asks her friend Madhu about “non-vegetarian food being allowed in the office and if all the employees are vegetarians,” Madhu replies, mentioning a survey, “My guess is that most people are not. Apparently, most Indians, even Hindus, eat meat—not just fish and eggs but also chicken and mutton.”
When Madhu assumes that Seema might have never worn a sari, she tells Madhu, “Many women wear saris. This isn’t Pakistan. Though a lot of them do wear saris there too. Have you heard of Iqbal Bano, the great ghazal singer? When General Zia banned saris in Pakistan, she went to a concert in a black sari and sang Faiz’s Hum Dekhenge in protest.” These are some of the examples of the author’s efforts to make the story more realistic and offer progressive discourse for the readers.
The novel also contains some good, quirky, and cheeky statements. Reading this can be a delightful experience for those who enjoy light-hearted stories with a simple and charming storyline, but there are some aspects that could have been explored a little more.
