She Ekla Cholo Re is written by Dr. Shayan Haq and Santosh Avvannavar, and edited by Rajashree Ghosh. The 50-page fiction story is far beyond the length and breadth of it. It conveys an ocean-size message in this small story written so crisply, concisely and precisely. The story revolved around the lead character Kusum who takes birth in a Doctor's family of repute during the 1990s in Calcutta (now Kolkata). It takes time for Kusum and her affectionate mother to understand the dilemma Kusum is born with. Her mother accepts the reality because her ego was far smaller than her affection and love for her child. But that was not true in the case of her father whose ego was supreme and above his love for his wife or child. Against all odds, Kusum never let her conscious die to realize the cruel reality of her life when finding and establishing her identity was not an easy task for her like others around.
I loved reading this short and crisp story She Ekla Cholo Re. The way Kusum identifies her identity issues for the first time and tries to cope up with the expectations of her father is very well understood in a normal scenario that anyone would have done under those circumstances. But, on the other hand, Kusum is presented as a strong character and a brave heart even when she finds her identity untitled or blurred. It takes some time for her to understand the reality behind this dilemma but once she understands the truth, it becomes her goal to move beyond the social conditioning of 'he' or 'she' to make it clear in her own mind and to the society.
Overall, a very interesting book She Ekla Cholo Re is and must be read by everyone. It is short, crisp and has a strong message for each individual and for the society as a whole. It takes courage to fight against all odds in life the way Kusum did. It takes a high amount of maturity and courage to accept the reality of Kusum in a real life scenario. The end comes with a pleasant surprise and must not be missed. 50-odd pages can be read in one go, and that brings the enjoyment and strong message behind the story much clearer. This book has proved that a strong message can be conveyed in fewer words rather than writing spicy long novels. I would rate it 5 out of 5 without any doubt and am sure you will do the same once you read it.
