Jun 17, 2012 06:22 AM
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(Updated Jun 18, 2012 03:03 PM)
Stop Press is a term used in the field of print media, especially the daily newspapers. Whenever the final form of that day's newspaper is about to be sent for printing and some very significant or sensational news is received which should not be deferred for the next day's newspaper, then it's published in a small column on the front page (without much details due to the available space being very less) which is termed as the column of Stop Press, i.e., something which has been accommodated in the newspaper of that day by (idiomatically speaking) stopping the press.
Hindi mystery writer - Surendra Mohan Pathak titled the 102nd novel of his popular Sunil Series as such. It's a murder mystery. The news of the murder could be given in the coming day's newspaper in brief only by accommodating in the Stop Press column at the eleventh hour of the printing of the newspaper of the day. This is done by Sunil Kumar Chakravarty, the crime reporter hero of the novels under this series.
The murder-victim is Dilip Thaapar, a billionaire which had become as such by inheriting the wealth of a rich industrialist - Hari Mohan Thaapar. Hari Mohan Thaapar's son had left him and his house because of marrying a girl of much lower status against his wishes. Later on when Hari Mohan Thaapar came to know that his son was dead but he had a grandson, he made a will prior to his death which was to be executed through a trust. As per that will, his grandson would inherit all his wealth by proving his identity (of being his grandson) before the trustees. Dilip does it and starts enjoying the wealth of Hari Mohan Thaapar with his mother, wife and two younger sisters-in-law. Sunil gets some clues that he had made a fool of the trustees and inherited the wealth which he is not entitled to. Dilip comes to know through the newspaper - Blast that Sunil is putting a question-mark against his being Hari Mohan Thaapar's real grandson and thereby the real heir of his wealth. He first threatens him but thereafter calls him for a dialogue in this regard. However upon Sunil's reaching him at Jhery, a tourist spot near the city of Rajnagar, he gets him bashed by his goons and thereafter imprisons him.
Later, in the night, Sunil is set free by Dilip's sister-in-law - Namita and he goes with her to their residence in the North Shore area of Rajnagar. There Sunil finds Dilip as shot dead in his motor boat and certain evidences scattered there which make the needle of suspicion point to his wife - Keerti. Now starts the quest for the murderer. There are many suspects - Keerti, Namita, Dilip's business associate - Vivek Varma, Dilip's youngest sister-in-law - Mohini, his mother - Lajwanti Thaapar aka Chaai Ji, Keerti's clandestine boyfriend - Vikram Suri who is actually a playboy, Dilip's deceased wife's father - Ulhaas Makwaana etc. Sunil himself is also a suspect in the eyes of the police. Naturally, he is able to expose the real murderer in the climax.
Stop Press starts very impressively with the discussion between Sunil and his employer - Mr. B.K. Mallik who is the owner and chief editor of the newspaper - Blast regarding the story pertaining to Dilip's questionable inheritance and his threatening Sunil. Sunil tells his boss that a committed journalist has to be fearless, else he cannot do justice to his profession. He recites a famous SHER (Urdu couplet) in this regard - KHEENCHO NA KAMAANO KO, NA TALWAAR NIKAALO; JAB TOPE MUQAABIL HO, AKHBAAR NIKAALO (When you are up against a cannon, don't set your bow to release an arrow or pull your sword out of its sheath; just issue a newspaper instead). Mr. Mallik has already lost his the only son in the war against the baddies of the society and he loves Sunil just like his real son only and that's why remains concerned for his welfare. At the same time, he is proud of Sunil for his commitment towards the profession of journalism as well as his belief in and support to the virtues of truth and justice. Thus the opening of this novel is quite impressive and thereafter the narrative moves swiftly on the main track.
Mr. Pathak has introduced an interesting character in this novel - sub-inspector Anil Kapoor who is the in-charge of the North Shore Police Chowki and the investigating officer of this murder case (though later the charge of this case is taken over by inspector Prabhu Dayaal who is from the homicide department of the Rajnagar Police Headquarters). Sub-inspector Anil Kapoor considers himself no less than the Bollywood filmstar - Anil Kapoor who was in his heyday when this novel was first published (in 1995). This Anil Kapoor has adapted filmstar Anil Kapoor's famous song in the popular movie Ram Lakhan - One Two Ka Four for his own personality by modifying it as One Two Ka Twelve. He is a very funny character who speaks peculiar English. Through him, Mr. Pathak has generated a treasure of laughs for the readers in this novel.
The author has allowed all the characters of the story to develop naturally and made the reader see an image or a caricature of each one of them through his description, may it be the arrogant, ill-tempered and money-spoiled victim or his drunkard mother or his aggrieved wife who has been induced into an extra-marital affair by a playboy or his sisters-in-law who are showing their unhappiness to live with a wife-beater and sister-in-law-molester type of person but still enjoying his wealth or the greedy and infidel boyfriend of his wife or his opportunist and oversmart business associate or the father of his deceased wife who believes that his daughter was compelled to commit suicide. By reading the scenes and the dialogues, the reader can very well visualize all these characters on his mental screen. Even the funny cop - Anil Kapoor who is actually a comedian in this novel, can be visualized easily by the reader to enjoy his talks and activities spelled out on the pages of the novel. These tassels added to the narrative by Mr. Pathak are his specialty whereas the originality of the plot remains doubtful.
The language of this novel which is, like all Pathak novels, is a mix of Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi and English; is simple, yet impressive. The novel keeps the reader spellbound from the beginning sequence to the climax. The reader is tempted to finish it in a single sitting only because it is very interesting and it's pretty difficult to leave it in the middle. I wholeheartedly recommend it to the Hindi readers who are fond of mysteries.
