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Brave new world of VKN

The ball is now in the court – literally. But VKN, Malayalam literature’s eternal gadfly, its modern-day chakyar seems least bothered about who will have the last laugh. Adhikaram, his stinging political satire has triggered off unusually fierce barrage of attacks against the author. The crime allegedly committed by him – writing a novel drawing rich allusions from the ‘70s emergency raj scenario in Delhi. Charges of excessive dozes of obscenity are also there. However, it is quite understandable that in a society where middle class values are predominant, any attempt to puncture its hollowness will have to face the organised resistance of the traditional morality. VKN’s works which literally changed the contours of Malayalam literature, offer rare insights into the contradictions of the period they are set in and this ability to penetrate layers of conventional metaphors to reveal uncomfortable truth makes him truly modern.

VKN’s verbal corkscrew imagery and intellectual inventiveness have no similarities in the history of Malayalam literature. He is witty, difficult, and subtle. A curious mix of political allegory and dark humour makes his works inimitable. VKN’s fiction derives fuel from the extensive use of sexual innuendos. Branded by many as an ‘anti-feminist writer’, VKN sketches his female characters with unique strength and spirit. His explorations into Kerala history are unique. Exploring unmined territories of history he unveils the magic of story telling. He uses anachronism as an effective literary tool. Unable to device methods to assess the literary value of this brave new genre, few critics have tried their hands at critically assessing the writer. After all the brouhaha, VKN will remain a literary iconoclast for the reading Malayali. To him VKN is one writer who consistently laughed at the wicked world around him with convincing brilliance.

The Indian Express

Newsmakers (supplement)

31 December 1996