The Boss Is Always Right (Collection
of Marathi Stories) by Vivek Govilkar
Majestic Publishing House, Mumbai
196 pages
Rs. 250
This book review by Suhasini Kirtikar appeared in ‘Lalit’
Sep 2022 issue. (Translated from the original Marathi article by Vivek
Govilkar.)
Vivek Govilkar is one of the
notable names among the current authors. It was quite evident in his first
collection of stories, Paaul Vaaje. It is seen many times that the
impression created by an author in his first book does not necessarily last in
his subsequent writings. Thankfully, Govilkar is a notable exception. ‘The Boss
Is Always Right’ is an unstated mantra in the global corporate world. For quite
some time, human beings have been learning to survive. They struggle to retain
their jobs, support their families from their income and get some prestige and
dignity in the process. But reasons like science, industrial advancements, rat
race in the industry and consumerism created the so-called globalized world
that shook the traditional concept of home. Higher education no longer ensured
job security at the senior management levels. The conventional institution of
family broke down while maintaining higher positions and stability at work.
People were forced to accept the framework of a nuclear family. The ideas about
what would be ethical and what would be unethical became flexible or got
destroyed totally. The struggle to maintain higher positions in the job became
pathetic. The competitive environment strained human relationships, particularly
the man-woman or husband-wife relationships. The swinging bridge of survival
kept the human minds floating. Depression made the people pathetic. Survival of the fittest became the rule.
The five stories in Vivek Govilkar’s book
portray this situation in a lively, heart-rending manner. It is quite haunting.
While reading the book, the reality in these stories feels so much from the
day-to-day life that every story makes us experience a moment of numbness. We
embark on a journey with the characters from the story.
There is another reason for this
journey. While each story is independent and tightly woven, there is a
continuity in them. (This is normally seen in the novels.) That is the reason
why this book is divided in to two parts. The first two stories belong to part
one and the last three stories belong to part two. Each of the stories has its
own vast space balanced on reality. ‘Happy Anniversary’ is the first story.
Urmila is trying to stabilize in the corporate world by hard work and efforts
using her intellect. Her past is haunting her. She cannot forget that she was
sent to a boarding school by her well-educated family against her will. While
she herself is highly educated, her separation from the family makes her feel
insecure. She rebels against her parents and marries Dhananjay (Danny). Looking
at the aggressive avatar of his daughter, her father tries to warn her that
Danny would be like plain Dal-Chawal. Urmila’s stress keeps appearing through
the tensions in her job, overwork leaving no free time, her ideas of
individualism, ‘placebo effect’ and the dissatisfied lives of both the
partners. She shares all these with her immediate boss, Nasim. He never crosses
the line while showing empathy. While reflecting her feelings, his own unsaid sadness and grudges appear subtly
and effectively in this story. In fact, many times it is Nasim who comes across
more prominently than Urmila or Danny. In a way, he shows the right path to
Urmila while maintaining safe distance. From this distance he has accepted the
fact that she is attracted to him. The story flows like a long poem with
Urmila’s fluctuating moods and reaches the happy ending with Nasim’s message
wishing her Happy Anniversary.
One could talk at length about each of the stories. (But how can that be
possible?) The second story from the first part is also about survival in the
job. Only a good college degree would not be enough for that. The protagonist
has to face politics at the workplace. He has to adjust with foreign culture,
climate and people. Simultaneously he has to perform the family duties forced
by the Indian culture. The story ‘Business Continuity Planning’, brings out his
helplessness as he gives up under the circumstances. The author has done it in
a strong and effective manner. There are many aspects of this continuity. It is
inevitable that he has to face competition and tackle or manage the bosses
while ensuring self-preservation. He has to take smart steps while confronting
the people, the weather, the nature and the time. Bellampally Venkat Laxmi
Narasimha Sambasiva Rao (Raw) and Gaurav Harshe are working together and
sharing an apartment. It is an everyday struggle to maintain the balance and
survive in their shaky jobs when their project’s future becomes uncertain. Raw
surrenders to the local American Officer Laura to continue with the job because
he has many family responsibilities on his shoulder. Raw, who is otherwise dull
and shy takes this courageous step to retain the job and it is an important
step. When Gaurav learns about this, he is initially stunned and later feels
helpless. Finally, he understands that he has to do whatever it takes to get a Green
Card like Raw. He decides to stick to Vitoria, who turns out to be the decisive
factor in his desired job stability and continuing stay in the USA.
If one wants ‘Business Continuity’, there is a helpless but durable
mantra – ‘The Boss Is Always Right’. One’s brilliance, skills, go-getter
attitude and efforts for the company may still not be enough, as the company is
run by the bosses and the directors. They need such competent people, but they
don’t want the employees to become insubordinate. A cunning game of snakes and
ladders is played to ensure that. One could get checkmated anytime anywhere or
get used like pawns and thrown out of the chessboard. Pradeep Padhye from the
first story of the second part of the book is thrown out in this manner. He has
to simultaneously fight his boss in the office and wife at home. He gets
cornered in many meetings, events, cultures and interactions only to lose every
time. He inevitably dies in the office to get his final peace. This story
shakes you to the roots. The author has expressed Pradeep’s predicament in the
office and at home in a monologue with just one continuous, long statement
(page 116-117). Simply brilliant! There are 15-16 question marks at the end of
the monologue like the bubbles of his thoughts. Then his life ends and there is
total darkness all over. His senior, cynical Sudhakar Kanekar (GM – HR) sends a
notice informing everyone of Pradeep Padhye’s death.
Even though the boss is
always right, finally he is also a pawn on the board. The next story is ‘You Are
Next’. Sandhya is brought in all the way from the USA, to investigate this
matter. Her style, shrewdness and ability to judge people accurately are seen
continuously in the subsequent story also. (‘Satyacha Kaay Karayacha’) Phiroze
Mehta is the Chairman and MD of the company. He uses Sandhya to eliminate the
seniors responsible for Pradeep’s suicide. He manages to contain Vidya’s
(Pradeep’s wife) expectations for compensation by the company. He succeeds in
getting a clean slate to reorganize the senior management. Finally, it is a
game well played. Then Mehta-sir throws Sandhya back to the USA.
There is a perfect blend
of very event, every character and industrial competition in these stories. We
see the fresh events through this mixture of chemicals. We see the suffocation
or the defeat of bright strugglers. Today’s reality grips the readers
effectively through newer games and competition. People, events, behavior,
games, competition, changes due to globalization, sexual starvation and
dissatisfaction at home while struggling in the office or business …. The
battles arising from that …. A real shattering world arises from these storis.
All these stories are interconnected. In a way, they are short/long stories, but
they could be considered as novellas also. They have a totally different
dimension. This is author’s second book of stories. (Leave aside his novels).
It raises the readers’ expectation to even greater heights.
ललित, सप्टेंबर २०२२ मधले मूळ परिक्षण
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=639845584823749&set=pcb.639845668157074
Loksatta list of popular books
Promotion
https://youtu.be/Ox151xVwRe8
