I finally read Srinu Pandranki's Nijanga Nenena! Recommended read, friends!
Is it truly me? That’s the rough English equivalent of the title of this Telugu novel. All the time I was reading the novel, I felt like I was really looking at myself. This book is all about the way we look at the people we encounter in our lives and how with time our views about them change. I am reminded of a Hindi story I had read as a child - Chaar Angul Kee Dooree (चार अंगुल की दूरी - A distance of four fingers). The width of four fingers only is roughly the distance between our eyes and ears, but there can be quite a difference between what we see and what we hear. What we see may not necessarily be true - it has been shown that it can be influenced by our mindset at that moment.
Can we really judge a person we have met once?
In a different, humorous, realistic manner, the author Srinu Pandranki touches upon such intriguing issues through various characters in the story Nijangaa Nenenaa. We are sure to identify ourselves with one or the other of the characters in the story. Through each of the characters, the author has tried to express his different emotions.
A budding novelist, Srinu does seem to have the qualities of a great writer. Nijangaa Nenenna is definitely a good read. My best wishes to the author, Srinu Pandranki.