Review- “Lights! Wedding! Ludhiana!”
The mere mention of the word Ludhiana brings certain images to one’s mind- A city where good looking people live life as if there is no tomorrow and literally go berserk during the wedding celebrations. ‘Lights! Wedding! Ludhiana!’ is no less exuberant. It is author’s Jas Kohli’s second fiction book with the title beginning with ‘Lights!’, the previous one being the humorous medical fiction entitled ‘Lights! Scalpel! Romance!’ The vivid cover is a good pointer to what is inside.
The book is rife with humour- mostly in every line and surely in every paragraph. The story spans just one day- it begins at dawn and ends at late night. But a lot happens in this period and one also gets a peep into the city of Ludhiana and its inhabitants. The Rahejas are a typical industrialist family of Ludhiana but with an anomaly- The chief protagonist Kushal is an oddball who thinks the world could be saved by consuming less. However, Reeti, his pretty wife, tries to compensate for his frugality by giving a fillip to the local economy with her consumption-based lifestyle.
The introduction to the characters is made in such a riveting fashion that the book is a page-turner right from the beginning. It doesn’t even require the interjection of elaborate romantic scenes to propel the narrative forward. Rather the emphasis is on the dynamics of the family. The elders and the kids also get to play stellar roles. One also gets to peep into the psyche of the Ludhianvis who can go to any length for ‘show’- even use up years of saving for a single night of celebration.
The story comes alive once Lakshya, the naughty child, uncovers a secret which threatens a major upheaval in the lives of the couple. The action and suspense continue when the family members reach the wedding venue in the evening. The setting, scenes and dialogues at the wedding venue are so nicely depicted that one actually feels in the midst of the big fat Punjabi wedding. Especially notable are the conversations between the elders and the exchange between Kushal and his mother-in-law. With sarcasm and irony as the tools, the author is able to give a humorous touch to even some serious scenes.
There is also a strong message from the author about the need to balance environmental protection with the economic and leisure activities. Jas Kohli has also questioned lavish wedding ceremonies undertaken by those who don’t have enough wealth and need to resort to taking loans. However, mostly the principle of ‘show not tell’ is followed. The reader is made aware of the ramifications of lavish marriages and opulent lifestyles and is encouraged to form his or her own opinion.
The ending is as dramatic as the beginning and made me want to read more from the author. The language is lucid and the excellent print and paper quality make reading this book a joy to read. The one-liners, similes and many other humorous expressions are original and a class apart. As mentioned in the blurb, the author has truly taken humour and satire to another level. This unique book deserves to be on every bookshelf.
