कटी पतंग

by Gulshan Nanda

कटी पतंग' बड़ी ही विचित्र और नाजुक परिस्थितियों में घिरी एक सुन्दर युवती की कहानी है, जिसके बारे में स्वयं लेखक का कहना है कि इसे एक बार शुरू करके आप समाप्त किये बिना नहीं रह सकते! इसी उपन्यास पर मशहूर हिन्दी फिल्म 'कटी पतंग' बनी है।

A runaway bride promises her dying widowed friend that she will assume her identity and look after her infant child.

First published January 1, 1970

About the author

Gulshan Nanda (1929 - November 16, 1985) was a popular Indian novelist and screenwriter. Many of his novels were adapted into Hindi films in the 1960s and 1970s, including more than a dozen big hits of the period - Kaajal (1965), Kati Patang (1970), Khilona (1970), Sharmeelee (1971) and Daag (1973). His stories encompassed a range of themes, from social issues and romance to action thrillers. He was nominated for the Filmfare Award for Best Story six times, for Kaajal (1965), Neel Kamal (1968), Khilona (1970), Kati Patang (1970), Naya Zamana (1971) and Mehbooba (1976).

Reviews

[Madhulika Liddle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Anjana, an orphan who has been brought up by her Mamaji, runs away on the day of her wedding to a man whom she’s never seen. Anjana goes to her lover, Banwaari, but Banwaari, who is cavorting with the vampish Shabnam, spurns Anjana. Disillusioned and desperate, Anjana goes back to her uncle’s home, only to find that he has died of a heart attack. Broken, feeling guilty and disgraced, Anjana leaves—only to find, when she is at the railway station’s waiting room, an old friend. Widowed Poonam, along with her toddler Rajiv, is headed to Nainital, to stay with in laws who have never even seen her, they so disapproved of their son marrying Poonam.

Anjana is persuaded to come along to Nainital to be a friend and companion to Poonam; but on the way, there’s a train accident, and Poonam is critically injured. Before dying, she extracts a promise from Anjana: that Anjana will go to Nainital as Poonam, and will spend the rest of her life as Poonam, be of service to Poonam’s in laws, bringing up Rajiv. Poonam dies, and Anjana sets out to fulfil this rash promise—but on the way, she meets an attractive stranger named Kamal…

If you have watched the 1971 Hindi film Kati Patang, you probably know what the rest of this is all about. The film was a fairly faithful copy of Gulshan Nanda’s novel, which reads pretty much like a masala flick: cookie-cutter characters, some crazy coincidences, rather unrealistic in a lot of places. Of course, when it comes to cinema versus literature, I personally think cinema (in particular, Indian cinema) can get away with a lot more than literature can. The coincidences and convenient plotlines, the stereotyped characters and the easy way in which the police’s work is done for them by a civilian: all of this is more easily swallowed in cinema form than as a book.

Other than that, there were several things about this novel that made me uncomfortable. This is probably more a reflection of the times, of things that were acceptable back then, but stuff like:

- Anjana/Poonam feeding Rajiv brandy to put him to sleep (because she couldn’t buy formula in such a small place; so does that mean she could buy brandy? Or was she carrying a hip flask? And why not simply buy milk instead, given that she does buy milk later, deep in the woods?)

Or

Anjana/Poonam emptying an ashtray out of the window, or Banwaari throwing the empty bottle of sleeping pills out of the window

Or Kamal manhandling a maid whom he suspects of lying

… all of these irked me.

Then, there are other irritants. Dialogues like this: “... इतना ज़रूर जानता हूँ कि वह विधवा नहीं हैं.” “वह कैसे?” “वह माँ बनने वाली है.” (So illogical. Or so naïve?). And this: “हाल ही की बात है, हमारे गाँव में एक जमींदार ने अपनी जवान विधवा बहु की अपने हाथों दूसरी शादी कर दी.” बनवारी की इस छिछोरी बात पर लाला जगन्नाथ ने पहले उसकी ओर कड़ी निगाहों से देखा... (how is a mention of a widow remarriage a छिछोरी बात - especially given that widow remarriage as a theme does form an important thread in the plot?)

But perhaps the point here is that since Anjana is not really a widow, the underlying message is that widow remarriage cannot happen.

Plus, one last grouse. How on earth had Banwaari (described as having leering eyes, bad breath and an ugly face) managed to endear himself to Anjana in the first place? There is mention of his sweet-talking his way into her affections, but I really find that very hard to believe.

And I haven’t even touched on some of the plot holes…

[Kirti · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, this one is a easy read with simple language for someone like me who does not reads a lot in Hindi. The story was intriguing, did not feel bored.
Author's story has been famous among bollywood. I never really liked bollywood for the kind of stories they produce, but if just taken as story then there is nothing wrong.
The protagonist, is so selfish. Firstly she leaves her house for her lover, later she matches with the person who apparently was the person who she was arranged to be married with. Strange coincidences yk. Anyways, everything has its own share of goodness or badness.