Ruchira reviews Rita Chhablani’s book, We Will Be Together Always and Other Stories, exclusively for Different Truths.

Bengaluru-based yoga instructor-cum-English teacher-turned litterateurRita Chhablani is the highly talented proud author of four books on divergent subjects. Her latest oeuvre, We Will Be Together Always and Other Stories was released in June this year.

The book is an anthology of fifteen short stories mirroring vividly and realistically the myriad experiences, emotions and sentiments of ordinary folks chiefly residing in large cities (read metros). The protagonists and players in these stories are men, women, and children belonging (by and large) to the upper middle class (read affluent) of a pan-India society. Their lifestyle is characterised by plush, comfortable homes, swanky cars, scurrying maids, rave parties, and enough money to spare.   

The most outstanding point about the author’s approach and treatment, which I found rather impressive, is the light and breezy, cheery, and optimistic air that prevails throughout the book. There is never a dull moment for the reader. 

Coming to the writing style, the author extensively uses Hinglish rather than ‘propah’ Queen’s English ushered in and used by our erstwhile colonial rulers. But that is just as well for the simple reason that a vast chunk of generations X, Y and Zee are much more at home in Hinglish. They look down on ‘original’ English, branding it as too pedantic and an oh-so-confusing unfamiliar tongue. I am sanguine that the author’s usage of Hinglish will act as a crowd-puller, indirectly helping boost her book’s popularity. And that, my dear friends, is a sine qua non for all upcoming authors.  

At this juncture, it would be a good idea to refer to some of the wonderful stories from this bouquet, which got caught in my mind after I browsed them.

The second story, Where is my Brownie? narrates how a housewife-mom who abhors the idea of keeping a pet dog is finally cajoled into allowing her children to own one. The wonder of wonders, her mother-in-law (she is in town on a visit), who is more fastidious than the bahu, eventually fosters a bond of deep affection for the sole canine member of the household.  

We will be together always…after which this collection is titled an exciting account of how an elderly, erudite, sophisticated lady forms a rapport with her son’s long-time girlfriend. This is bound to be an eye-opener for all the stereotyped Indian mothers-in-law who indulge in bullying and ill-treating their sons’ wives.

Another fascinating story captioned ‘And the award goes to’ pulled at my heart strings. It revolves around the life of an introverted little girl, Anahita, the only child of a coffee planter and his wife, an author of some repute. Grossly neglected by the vain, arrogant woman, she finds affection and solace in her father and her motherly nanny. Following her mother’s footsteps, the little girl begins jotting down her emotions and happenings of daily life in diaries, moving on to meaningful short stories and, finally, a book dealing with social malaises. When presented with a prestigious award for budding writers, she dedicated it to the two individuals who loved her the most and played a vital role in her journey as an author. Her celebrity mom is left stunned beyond measure!            

All said and done, in case you happen to be looking for some light leading, minus frill and fuss, to spend a languorous summer afternoon, this is the right book for you! 

Pictures by the author

Ruchira Adhikari Ghosh

Born in Guwahati Assam, Ruchira grew up in Delhi and Punjab. A product of Sacred Heart Convent, Ludhiana, she holds a Master’s degree in English Literature from Punjab University, Chandigarh. Armed with a P.G diploma in journalism in Journalism, she has been a pen-pusher for nearly 25 years. Her chequered career encompasses print, web, as well as television. She has metamorphosed as a feature writer, her forte being women’s issues, food, travel and literature.

See Full Bio