Thinking Aloud
Author: Prasoon Joshi
Publisher: Rupa Publishers
Rating: 4/5
Known to possess one of the most influential voices in the country, Prasoon Joshi is an astute poet, writer, screenwriter and a communication specialist. His work has been appreciated at the global level. ‘Thinking Aloud’ is a collection of his thoughts and insights on the ‘emerging’ India. He advocates respect for Art (be it in any form) and selectively peels off the layers that guide our perspective about certain notions.
‘Thinking Aloud’ begins with a look at the nebulous cultural aspects and then the subsequent chapters explore some of the more complicated topics like art, religion and altruistic behaviour.
One of the essays that I particularly liked was on the trend of violentainment. The dark side of life- the blood, the plunder, the deceit- appeases us more than the bright stuff. The reason behind this is logical that humans still like the prospect of dwelling on their basic physicality. Similarly many other notions like ‘Romance is the fueling factor for Bollywood’, Music is an integral part of Cinema’, ‘Importance of changing stimulus for the market’ and ‘Meaningfulness in creativity’ have been touched upon with the help of short narratives.
The author offers anecdotes from his own years of experience but at times the arguments rely too heavily on a single source- in particular- the author’s mind. His emphasis on the purpose of films (as a medium of entertainment) is not futile; the content being created is inventive in a way that is just different.
Nevertheless, this book is a coherent, comprehensive exploration of cultural, social and religious ideas that need to be understood from a different perspective as well.
The author does not urge the reader to follow the blind alleyway; his musings interrupt the routine thought process and force the readers to reflect on his perspective. Convincing, pragmatic and germane, ‘Thinking Aloud’ is crisp, to-the-point and an interesting read.
Best wishes to the author!
Buying Link: Amazon