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मासूमा
Masooma, published in 1962, may well be regarded as a work that celebrates all of Ismat Chughtai s talents as a writer. Perhaps her darkest novel, a narrative of lost hope and endless cycles of corruption and injustice, it traces the journey of Masooma, a young woman from a respectable Muslim family who becomes embroiled in a game of exploitation and treachery and becomes Nilofar, a commodity that can be easily bought and sold. Once again, in telling Masooma s story, Chughtai cuts open the underbelly of India s political landscape and the underpinnings of the Bombay film world to reveal their shadowy and unsavoury side.
- GenresIndia
96 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
7 people are currently reading
260 people want to read
About the author
Ismat Chughtai
98 books312 followersIsmat Chughtai (Urdu: عصمت چغتائی) (August 1915 – 24 October 1991) was an eminent Urdu writer, known for her indomitable spirit and a fierce feminist ideology. She was considered the grand dame of Urdu fiction, Along with Rashid Jahan, Wajeda Tabassum and Qurratulain Hyder, Ismat’s work stands for the birth of a revolutionary feminist politics and aesthetics in twentieth century Urdu literature. She explored feminine sexuality, middle-class gentility, and other evolving conflicts in the modern Muslim world. Her outspoken and controversial style of writing made her the passionate voice for the unheard, and she has become an inspiration for the younger generation of writers, readers and intellectuals.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
June 9, 2017
Dialogues and different dialects of Hindi were the high points in enjoying this book. Prose containing Urdu words was melodious to read, while the ample footnotes ensured to grasp the meaning.
Nothing special plot wise. Have heard/seen similar stories numerous times. Glimpses of Bollywood world, prostitution, and hypocrites doing social work on the facade.
My first book of Ismat Chughtai. Will read more by her. Writing style and themes match a lot with Saadat Hasan Manto.
Nothing special plot wise. Have heard/seen similar stories numerous times. Glimpses of Bollywood world, prostitution, and hypocrites doing social work on the facade.
My first book of Ismat Chughtai. Will read more by her. Writing style and themes match a lot with Saadat Hasan Manto.
June 8, 2014
The misfortunes of Masooma began when her father made off to an undisclosed location (Pakistan?) with all the money and property of the family, and three older sons. Her father was supposed to send for the rest of the family once he settled down. But this never happened. Masooma's mother, along with 3 girls and a baby boy was left to fend for herself.
Women of high birth are cloistered and completely dependent on their men. They are not expected to step out into the world and fend for themselves. Begam Sahiba, Masooma's mother, was such a woman. Men had lined up to marry her when was of age. Her parents had picked among the grooms available. They wanted her to be married to a professional man who was khandani to boot. She lived like a queen all her life. Till one fine day when her husband disappeared.
She sold whatever she could to make ends meet. When all failed, she came to Bombay(as it was known then) and becomes a film producer's mistress. The film producer, Ehsaan, was more of a hustler, ran out of money. His eye fell on the beautiful teenage daughter of the Begam, Masooma.
Masooma, who was slated for a comfortable life, whose name was selected out of Quran Sharif, who was the much feted daughter after 3 sons, suddenly found her life take a nasty turn. She was passed on from one man to another and took on the exotic name of Nilofer for this alternate life that she had.
In the early chapters, Masooma remains a shadowy figure. She is seen as an emotionally high strung girl who beats up Ahmed, the first man chosen for her. At this stage in her life, it is her mother and Ehsaan who control her. Later, she learns the importance of her lovers, the money and gifts they bestow upon her.
Despite being perceived as a woman who sucks the menfolk dry of their money, we see that it is Masooma/Nilofer who is being ruthlessly used by men to further their greed and satisfy their lust. She holds no importance to them as a person. She is the convenient receptacle of their ill-repute. Being men, her lovers come out smelling of roses and prosper, while she is seen as a dirty woman.
Ismat Chugtai has a formidable reputation in literary circles. To write a novel like this in the early part of the past century was indeed daring. Her works did not pop up in my school syllabus like the stories of Munshi Premchand, Mohan Rakesh, Upendranath Ashq etc. It is only in reading extra-curricular literature that I got to know of her.
The picture that Ismat Chugtai paints is not pretty. Her socialist sensibilities make her depict the world of the Capitalists who use dirty tricks to evade taxes, ruin the lives of the proletariat to further their businesses. They even use charity work as a mask to further their ends. These are people Masooma has to depend upon to keep her body and soul together.
I do not think this book is the best work of Ismat Chugtai. It has a hurried feel to it. And often Masooma (poor girl) seems just a vehicle for the author to vent her ire against Capitalists. Like I said earlier, Masooma seems a shadowy figure at the start. She comes into her own towards the end, but even so, her personality is not really rounded. All other characters in the novel fade into the background or are brought to the forefront as per the need of the moment. The presence of the author is very evident in the book.
But there is no denying the power of Ismat Chugtai. It is her unforgiving depiction of the underbelly of the society that is very valuable.
Women of high birth are cloistered and completely dependent on their men. They are not expected to step out into the world and fend for themselves. Begam Sahiba, Masooma's mother, was such a woman. Men had lined up to marry her when was of age. Her parents had picked among the grooms available. They wanted her to be married to a professional man who was khandani to boot. She lived like a queen all her life. Till one fine day when her husband disappeared.
She sold whatever she could to make ends meet. When all failed, she came to Bombay(as it was known then) and becomes a film producer's mistress. The film producer, Ehsaan, was more of a hustler, ran out of money. His eye fell on the beautiful teenage daughter of the Begam, Masooma.
Masooma, who was slated for a comfortable life, whose name was selected out of Quran Sharif, who was the much feted daughter after 3 sons, suddenly found her life take a nasty turn. She was passed on from one man to another and took on the exotic name of Nilofer for this alternate life that she had.
In the early chapters, Masooma remains a shadowy figure. She is seen as an emotionally high strung girl who beats up Ahmed, the first man chosen for her. At this stage in her life, it is her mother and Ehsaan who control her. Later, she learns the importance of her lovers, the money and gifts they bestow upon her.
Despite being perceived as a woman who sucks the menfolk dry of their money, we see that it is Masooma/Nilofer who is being ruthlessly used by men to further their greed and satisfy their lust. She holds no importance to them as a person. She is the convenient receptacle of their ill-repute. Being men, her lovers come out smelling of roses and prosper, while she is seen as a dirty woman.
Ismat Chugtai has a formidable reputation in literary circles. To write a novel like this in the early part of the past century was indeed daring. Her works did not pop up in my school syllabus like the stories of Munshi Premchand, Mohan Rakesh, Upendranath Ashq etc. It is only in reading extra-curricular literature that I got to know of her.
The picture that Ismat Chugtai paints is not pretty. Her socialist sensibilities make her depict the world of the Capitalists who use dirty tricks to evade taxes, ruin the lives of the proletariat to further their businesses. They even use charity work as a mask to further their ends. These are people Masooma has to depend upon to keep her body and soul together.
I do not think this book is the best work of Ismat Chugtai. It has a hurried feel to it. And often Masooma (poor girl) seems just a vehicle for the author to vent her ire against Capitalists. Like I said earlier, Masooma seems a shadowy figure at the start. She comes into her own towards the end, but even so, her personality is not really rounded. All other characters in the novel fade into the background or are brought to the forefront as per the need of the moment. The presence of the author is very evident in the book.
But there is no denying the power of Ismat Chugtai. It is her unforgiving depiction of the underbelly of the society that is very valuable.
April 10, 2021
I see and appreciated what it tried to do but the way it was done fell a little flat for me.
July 4, 2013
There are no prolific, obviously deep dialogs in this short “fiction”. It’s written in no amount of philosophical abstraction. It’s simple, plain prose that cuts like a knife.
One would think that the story is about Masooma turning to Nilofar, especially after you read what’s written in the blurb. It is, of course. A little, in my opinion. It’s more a satire on the definition and perception of decency in Bombay’s high society. Ismat Chughtai is famous for her work; it’s obvious why. Without spinning elaborate teary yarns, she has managed to convey the double standard, selfish male hegimony. Again, I’d like to point out – it’s not a male bashing book, it’s not about men being better than women etc etc and blah and blah. It’s more about the inherent structure in society – the part involving the trading of women, politics, industry, the games people play, the parties people throw, and most importantly, the things money can buy…
Masooma’s character holds all this together and ultimately brings out the disparity between what society is and what it shows itself to be…
http://page99.in/blog/2012/03/01/this...
One would think that the story is about Masooma turning to Nilofar, especially after you read what’s written in the blurb. It is, of course. A little, in my opinion. It’s more a satire on the definition and perception of decency in Bombay’s high society. Ismat Chughtai is famous for her work; it’s obvious why. Without spinning elaborate teary yarns, she has managed to convey the double standard, selfish male hegimony. Again, I’d like to point out – it’s not a male bashing book, it’s not about men being better than women etc etc and blah and blah. It’s more about the inherent structure in society – the part involving the trading of women, politics, industry, the games people play, the parties people throw, and most importantly, the things money can buy…
Masooma’s character holds all this together and ultimately brings out the disparity between what society is and what it shows itself to be…
http://page99.in/blog/2012/03/01/this...
April 4, 2019
A bleak, vicious book about how the commodification of women’s bodies is the grease by which the gears of Capital keep turning. Nilofar is commodified and traded by lecherous predators to make business deals, further profits, and advance careers. She earns flows from her commodification, but can never own the stock or the rents accruing from the stock; she cannot refuse being traded. Strong parallels to continued business practices all over the world whenever there are large fixed costs (think real estate, or venture capital). This is a particularly sharp gender-focused critique of capitalism — the flow of capital and its corresponding creation of modernity is only possible via broken women’s bodies; an original sin that cannot be escaped.
The text hints that one reason for why Masooma cannot own and trade her own body may be hypocritical social vilification of prostitutes but not Johns, achieved by the construction of gender norms around a particular understanding of gendered labor. Sex within marriage in exchange for material possessions and security is acceptable women’s labor; sex for the same terms outside marriage is not.
The text has a great exploration of Masooma/Nilofars psyche with regards to performing conventional femininity. She rejects some aspects of these conventions, exercising her agency when possible to get things she wants from her Johns. But she is also bound by these structures — many of the things she wants are to reify conventional gender norms for her younger sisters.
The opening poem, and it’s use as a recurring motif in the text is superb and devastating. The poem is ambiguous as to how the narrator drowning under financial distress views her teenage daughter - a cause for hope, someone to protect, or a commodity to sell.
The text hints that one reason for why Masooma cannot own and trade her own body may be hypocritical social vilification of prostitutes but not Johns, achieved by the construction of gender norms around a particular understanding of gendered labor. Sex within marriage in exchange for material possessions and security is acceptable women’s labor; sex for the same terms outside marriage is not.
The text has a great exploration of Masooma/Nilofars psyche with regards to performing conventional femininity. She rejects some aspects of these conventions, exercising her agency when possible to get things she wants from her Johns. But she is also bound by these structures — many of the things she wants are to reify conventional gender norms for her younger sisters.
The opening poem, and it’s use as a recurring motif in the text is superb and devastating. The poem is ambiguous as to how the narrator drowning under financial distress views her teenage daughter - a cause for hope, someone to protect, or a commodity to sell.
May 4, 2017
While reading this one, I was reminded of a writing advice by Kurt Vonnegut.
"Every sentence must do one of two things- reveal character or advance the action."
Ismat Chughtai does exactly the same. This one does not pull you in by a philosophical repertoire but sharp, raw action. It makes you bleed for the character. It cuts you so that you feel helpless. Masooma is paradoxical. She is feisty but helpless; indomitable a spirit but compromising.
"Every sentence must do one of two things- reveal character or advance the action."
Ismat Chughtai does exactly the same. This one does not pull you in by a philosophical repertoire but sharp, raw action. It makes you bleed for the character. It cuts you so that you feel helpless. Masooma is paradoxical. She is feisty but helpless; indomitable a spirit but compromising.
January 7, 2019
A gritty book with hard realism exposing the hypocrisy of society. Set mostly in post-independence Mumbai it shows the underbelly of the industrialist-seth- producer cinema nexus of those days and how moneyed people made movies, cast actresses of their choice, exploited them and used cinema to further their personal and business interests.
Told through the eyes of Masooma whose father deserted her mother and three kids and how she becomes a mistress due to circumstances. Her first patron is an old craven Seth who reeks of paan and liquor. The second patron is the stiff businessman Seth Surajmal who gives her enough money, but only to use her as a decoy to save tax and his business interests. Finally, he abandons her for a new Punjaban girl who is the heroine his new film. He leaves her in a hotel in Poona for Raja Saheb (old industrialist) who uses her as a sophisticated socialite hostess and to further his interests as an industrialist.
The book tries to tell the irony of how the world saw the Seths and Raja Sahebs of those days as industrialists, nation builders and philanthropists and her as only a fallen woman/mistress.
The book ends with Masooma resigning to her fate, standing at the balcony of her apartment lined with visitors in expensive cars. She sees her daughter playing with other girls and wishes if she could take her back in her womb again.
Told through the eyes of Masooma whose father deserted her mother and three kids and how she becomes a mistress due to circumstances. Her first patron is an old craven Seth who reeks of paan and liquor. The second patron is the stiff businessman Seth Surajmal who gives her enough money, but only to use her as a decoy to save tax and his business interests. Finally, he abandons her for a new Punjaban girl who is the heroine his new film. He leaves her in a hotel in Poona for Raja Saheb (old industrialist) who uses her as a sophisticated socialite hostess and to further his interests as an industrialist.
The book tries to tell the irony of how the world saw the Seths and Raja Sahebs of those days as industrialists, nation builders and philanthropists and her as only a fallen woman/mistress.
The book ends with Masooma resigning to her fate, standing at the balcony of her apartment lined with visitors in expensive cars. She sees her daughter playing with other girls and wishes if she could take her back in her womb again.
August 20, 2020
Set in the nostalgic Bombay of the 1940s and 50s, Masooma is a hard-hitting commentary on capitalism and patriarchy entrenched in the Indian society. The book follows the people around Masooma, who corrupt and exploit her for their own gains. Narrated in a conversationalist style, both the writing and the translation bring old Bollywood to life. Chughtai is a master at writing about Indian women. I can't wait to read more stories by her. I also loved the translation by Tahira Naqvi, as she effortlessly translated the idioms and popular sayings from Urdu to English.
Read my complete review and cover art on https://jayajain.com/masooma-a-review/
Read my complete review and cover art on https://jayajain.com/masooma-a-review/
September 18, 2013
Masoomiyat of Masooma becomes lofargiri of Nilofar..the transition compels you think as to whether the high living was so necessary as to force this change.. or could her mother lived a frugal life, did odd jobs like washing/ cooking/ cleaning and sustained their family..once in the trade, Nilofar keeps on stumbling from one Seth to other Raja to other Colonel, people who are masters of money..her own identity is lost..wish i would have known to read Urdu and read the book in the original text rather than this translated version from Tahira Naqvi..the force of Urdu words were missing from the translation..story not a shocker for me since bits and pieces of it is captured in many bollywood movies..
April 8, 2013
Dark and captivating. You feel fists clenching at your heart and you gasping for breath as Ismat narrates Masooma's journey and her life after she becomes Nilofar. Once again, Ismat rips the hypocritical garb of morality and bares the double standards. An intensely intertwined tale of the construction of morality via sexuality. the first chapter takes you through the shabby lanes and cobbled roads of Bombay, to Masooma's flat on A Road. I would love to hold this book in my hand read the directions and go from Churchgate Station to A Road, retracing the steps of Bombay in the 60's.
September 27, 2015
Ismat Chughtai almost sounded like Manto in some places, and those were the not so great places of the book, because these sounded like Manto's stories from the film industry. But other than that, she was herself as much as I could see, and loved the book. Especially at the very end, Ismat is very clear on what she wanted to say through the book and said it out loud once again just in case you didn't hear it throughout.
March 5, 2018
wished it would have lasted longer and the author would have paused at some dark moments to help us grasp the depth of it. She is a character that sticks into your memory, her beauty, innocence and ability to laugh in impossible situations. Though set in post-independence era, the people its surreal in our times too. Their lust, naked desires and futility of life comes and haunts you back every few pages.
October 5, 2021
"𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒂 𝒏𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒊𝒕'𝒔 𝒏𝒐 𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒊𝒏, 𝒊𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒓𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒋𝒖𝒅𝒈𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕"
If I have to describe this book in one word, that will be-
Filmy!!
Masooma is not a story but a cruel, tragic and dramatic journey of once a young and innocent girl Masooma as the name suggests but trapped by the glamour world of Bombay- "The City of Dreams", she and her mother soon find themselves in the dark reality of this glamour world and she transforms into Nilofar, (means lotus) from an innocent human to a commodity and then the moral decay of their humanity, innocence starts.
But the journey of Masooma is not the one she chose for herself but one that her Mother throws her into and that's how the fate of Masooma changes and she becomes an exotic figure- Nilofar.
Will Masooma urf Nilofar be saved from this moral decay or will find herself completely descended into this world of prostitution, corruption and treachery?
Ismat Chughtai, the author of this novella was known for her bold and feminist writings and was charged on various occasions for the same.
This novella in my opinion is not her best work but if read in itself then this is definitely a classic work and reality of thousands of girls in India who succumb to this world of lust and glamour in the film industry.
The novella also underlines the misogyny, patriarchy and capitalist treachery throughout the story.
If I have to describe this book in one word, that will be-
Filmy!!
Masooma is not a story but a cruel, tragic and dramatic journey of once a young and innocent girl Masooma as the name suggests but trapped by the glamour world of Bombay- "The City of Dreams", she and her mother soon find themselves in the dark reality of this glamour world and she transforms into Nilofar, (means lotus) from an innocent human to a commodity and then the moral decay of their humanity, innocence starts.
But the journey of Masooma is not the one she chose for herself but one that her Mother throws her into and that's how the fate of Masooma changes and she becomes an exotic figure- Nilofar.
Will Masooma urf Nilofar be saved from this moral decay or will find herself completely descended into this world of prostitution, corruption and treachery?
Ismat Chughtai, the author of this novella was known for her bold and feminist writings and was charged on various occasions for the same.
This novella in my opinion is not her best work but if read in itself then this is definitely a classic work and reality of thousands of girls in India who succumb to this world of lust and glamour in the film industry.
The novella also underlines the misogyny, patriarchy and capitalist treachery throughout the story.
March 6, 2024
Ismat chugtai was one of those rare gems who always knew how to describe the shameful Tangibility of life. Her novel "Masooma" is one such milestone which remarks the unfateful conclusion that leads to understanding the naked facts,
"Masooma" is one of the real social stories. The beginning of the book is quite slow, As Ismat guides the reader towards the main location where our protagonist resides. Engaging Metaphoric language is used for the pen sketch of Masooma.
Ismat has always depicted the doleful, disdainful side of women and children's lives, Especially when it is the question of their existence in the patriarchal system of this society.
Ismat's writings mould the reader towards the feeling of pain and unfortunate conclusions.
Masooma's character is used as a product, that is commercialized to fulfil the requirements of many lives and stomachs. She has innocence which is traded with the demands of life. Story of many women and children and their lives full of unfortunate events.
At first, they are forced to profanity and later on treated as antisocial elements of society.
Forced obscenity becomes the bitter reality of the world's oldest profession which is "prostitution".
Ismat has boldly expressed how women and children become easy prey to a male-dominated society.
Their obsession commences with the search for a naive lamb to slaughter for their hunger.
Lives do not matter it is just trading that matters most.
"Masooma" is one of the real social stories. The beginning of the book is quite slow, As Ismat guides the reader towards the main location where our protagonist resides. Engaging Metaphoric language is used for the pen sketch of Masooma.
Ismat has always depicted the doleful, disdainful side of women and children's lives, Especially when it is the question of their existence in the patriarchal system of this society.
Ismat's writings mould the reader towards the feeling of pain and unfortunate conclusions.
Masooma's character is used as a product, that is commercialized to fulfil the requirements of many lives and stomachs. She has innocence which is traded with the demands of life. Story of many women and children and their lives full of unfortunate events.
At first, they are forced to profanity and later on treated as antisocial elements of society.
Forced obscenity becomes the bitter reality of the world's oldest profession which is "prostitution".
Ismat has boldly expressed how women and children become easy prey to a male-dominated society.
Their obsession commences with the search for a naive lamb to slaughter for their hunger.
Lives do not matter it is just trading that matters most.
April 8, 2025
Masooma is a bright young woman who comes from a wealthy family that has fallen on hard times. Abandoned by her husband, Masooma’s mother takes her and her sisters to Bombay with the hopes of making at least one of them a star. The women are not so lucky and in an effort to survive in this city of dreams, have to make hard choices.
Set in the film world of the 1950s this novel is like the flip side of a silver screen - all the insides of the moviemaking business are out in the open here, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Chughtai, who produced and co-directed several films, knows her subject well. Her writing is beautiful and bold:
“In the stormy sea of sin, she was a mere drop. Everyone was either a little more or a little less powerful than her, they readily and willingly placed shackles around their ankles. When sin becomes a necessity of life then it’s no longer sin, it is a requisite of good judgment. In a public bath where everyone is naked, why should she feel uncomfortable about her own nakedness?”
This was my first book by Chughtai and I can’t wait to read her other work. I’ve purchased her collection of short stories and hope to find her memoirs as well. An absolute 5star author!
Set in the film world of the 1950s this novel is like the flip side of a silver screen - all the insides of the moviemaking business are out in the open here, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Chughtai, who produced and co-directed several films, knows her subject well. Her writing is beautiful and bold:
“In the stormy sea of sin, she was a mere drop. Everyone was either a little more or a little less powerful than her, they readily and willingly placed shackles around their ankles. When sin becomes a necessity of life then it’s no longer sin, it is a requisite of good judgment. In a public bath where everyone is naked, why should she feel uncomfortable about her own nakedness?”
This was my first book by Chughtai and I can’t wait to read her other work. I’ve purchased her collection of short stories and hope to find her memoirs as well. An absolute 5star author!
August 20, 2020
Set in the nostalgic Bombay of the 1940s and 50s, Masooma is a hard-hitting commentary on capitalism and patriarchy entrenched in the Indian society. The book follows the people around Masooma, who corrupt and exploit her for their own gains. Narrated in a conversationalist style, both the writing and the translation bring old Bollywood to life. Chughtai is a master at writing about Indian women. I can’t wait to read more stories by her. I also loved the translation by Tahira Naqvi, as she effortlessly translated the idioms and popular sayings from Urdu to English.
Read full review on: https://jayajain.com/masooma-a-review/
Read full review on: https://jayajain.com/masooma-a-review/
June 19, 2022
It flowed nicely. Some sentences are exceptional and evoke catharsis in the way every passionate reader would want to experience. But the rest of the book feels a bit plain.
It could have been a little more happening, in terms of either plot or narratives. A little more creativity would have made it more enjoyable and unpredictable.
It could have been a little more happening, in terms of either plot or narratives. A little more creativity would have made it more enjoyable and unpredictable.
June 14, 2021
If the some of the themes are updated, the heavy dose of 'socialism' is neutralized and the setting is modernized, this is a web-series waiting to happen.
April 15, 2023
मासूमा, उर्दू साहित्य में ख़ास स्थान रखने वाली लेखिका इस्मत चुग़ताई की एक प्रसिद्ध पुस्तक है। स्त्री की दशा और मर्द ज़ात की स्त्री के प्रति रवैये को प्रस्तुत करता यह उपन्यास अपने आप में एक क्लासिक कृति है। कहानी एक मासूम लड़की के बारे में है जिसका नाम भी उसकी मां ने मासूमा रखा था, लेकिन ज़माने ने उसे नाम दिया नीलोफ़र, जो औरत होने से पहले ही ऐसी कुछ हो गई की जो खुद उसकी भी समझ से परे था। इस्मत चुग़ताई का यह उपन्यास उन दृश्यों को लोगो के सामने प्रस्तुत करता है जो काफ़ी संवेदनशील है और जिन पर बात करने से अक्सर लोग बचते है। यह उपन्यास अपने वक्त की उस औरत को चित्रित करती है, जिसके पास अगर खूबसूरत जिस्म न हो, उसे चाहनेवाले न हो, तो वह कुछ नहीं रह जाती और अगर हो तो भूखे भेड़ियों की हवस की गेंद बनकर रह जाती है। इस पुस्तक को विशेष रूप से दिलचस्प बनाता है, जिस तरह से यह भारतीय समाज में कुछ सबसे संवेदनशील विषयों को छूता है, जैसे लिंग भूमिकाएं, व्यवस्थित विवाह, फिल्म इंडस्ट्री और धार्मिक मतभेद। कुल मिलाकर, मैंने मासूमा को पढ़ने में आनंददायक और विचारशील पाया। चुगताई का लेखन सुंदर और विचारोत्तेजक है, और उनके पात्र जटिल और सहानुभूतिपूर्ण हैं। यह एक ऐसी किताब है जो आपको सोचने पर मजबूर कर देगी, और इसे पूरा करने के बाद भी यह आपके साथ लंबे समय तक रहेगी।
धन्यवाद
धन्यवाद
August 10, 2025
इस्मत चुगताई का यह उपन्यास भले ही कुछ लोगों को पसंद आया हो, लेकिन मेरे लिए यह बिलकुल भी काम नहीं किया। मैंने इसे 1 में से 5 सितारे दिए, क्योंकि न तो कहानी से कोई जुड़ाव महसूस हुआ, न किरदारों से, और न ही लेखन शैली से। मुझे कहानी की परतें, भावनाएँ, और जिस तरीके से घटनाएँ आगे बढ़ती हैं, वो सब कुछ बहुत ही बिखरा और बेअसर लगा। ना तो कोई ऐसा पल आया जहाँ मैं कहानी में डूब सका, और ना ही कोई ऐसा किरदार जो मुझे छू सका। शायद यह एक अच्छी किताब हो, और हो सकता है कुछ पाठकों को यह पसंद भी आए, लेकिन मेरे लिए इसमें ऐसा कुछ नहीं था जो मुझे याद रह जाए या जो मुझसे जुड़ सके।
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