Fast Forward

As Vikram Seth’s suitable girl sashays down the booklover’s imagination,she probably raises questions that are almost new to bookworms in our country. “Come to think of it,there have hardly been sequels to any significant novel in a long time unless it’s a fantasy or detective fiction,” says writer Subhadra Sengupta. And Seth’s announcement has set a lot of people to some serious brainstorming.

“Sequels are not a bad thing,though they haven’t been tried often in India. If I am at all interested in a sequel,it would be because it is an independent piece of literature,” says writer Sankar. It might so turn out,that a sequel is a better read compared to what precedes it. “For me at least,it wouldn’t matter if the prequel had not been a bestseller,” adds Sankar. While sequels spark interest in the same way,any piece of writing would,some have their involvement with the prequel,as reason for looking forward to what follows it. “I haven’t really thought about it before Seth’s announcement,but sequels could be fun too! In fact,I really wouldn’t mind a sequel to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice,if she was alive and could have written it,” says Sengupta. Austen’s work,like several other classics are stuff mushy love stories are made of,ones that no one canhave ever have enough of. “As young girls,we used to imagine,what happens to Darcy and Liz after they are married. Does Darcy really wash his hands off his prized ego,does Elizabeth accommodate him…. These are things probably all Austen fans have thought about several times over in their heads,” says Sengupta. Filmmaker Abhaya Simha,however,would only want to read a sequel if he had liked the original. “And there are more chances that you’re disappointed with the sequel. Because,if the first book is present too deeply in your subconscious,you’ll make unfair comparisons,” says Simha.

However,despite the stir that Seth has managed to create,there are others who wish that he left Suitable Boy to itself. “I wouldn’t want to read a sequel to any novel. Disappointment is guaranteed in that case,because the work will disturb my idea of what happens next,” says Sudeshna Mitra,an MBA student based in Mumbai. Also,some readers might jsust read a shrewd business motive in writing a sequel. “Why would you want to drag a good thing too much?” says Nirmalya Majumdar,a short filmmaker who also works with a radio station in the city. But as of now,all eyes seems to be on the suitable girl…