Pataudi's life story did not interest me, after all, I identify him more as Saif Ali Khan's father than Tiger Pataudi-the cricketer. My reason for including a book on M.A.K Pataudi was Rahul Dravid. This book is a collection of various people's thoughts on him and narration of their interactions with him. Rahul Dravid, being one of them. Dravid being the only famous personality I have adulated, his posters and photographs covered my walls and once I stood in a horde of screaming girls in the Taj Gateway lobby only to gape at him. In lieu of the crazy things fans, buying a 175 page book on Pataudi to read 4 pages written by Dravid is not crazy. It is not.
Having bought it, I am interested enough in cricket to read more than those four pages. The book did tell me a lot about the man, his achievements and his life. Unfortunately, most books like these especially when written posthumously, rarely paint the complete picture and focus only on magnifying the good bits and ignoring the not-so-good. The articles, mostly by cricketers or sports journos are often repetitive. Some are too detailed, giving a ball-by-ball account of an innings of his. There are some interesting anecdotes but not enough for a book on a man who led an unusual life. He was royalty who went blind in one eye and married a reigning Hindu Bollywood actress. Just that is enough material for a gripping tale. But, it reads like a collection of fan-mail. Dravid's four pages are precise, filled with admiration but not fawning, anecdotal and informative. My other favourite is the chapter by Soha Ali Khan, written only as a daughter could. And then there are of course the pictures, what a looker...he puts the charming in Prince Charming.
The book could have also done with a little more deliberation on the people who made it to the list. A more varied bunch from different walks of life who knew him in various capacities would have built a more rounded profile of Tiger Pataudi. Also, the list of people could have been given more direction on what they should write about and the editing needed to be finer.
Or, I should have just bought a Dravid poster.
Having bought it, I am interested enough in cricket to read more than those four pages. The book did tell me a lot about the man, his achievements and his life. Unfortunately, most books like these especially when written posthumously, rarely paint the complete picture and focus only on magnifying the good bits and ignoring the not-so-good. The articles, mostly by cricketers or sports journos are often repetitive. Some are too detailed, giving a ball-by-ball account of an innings of his. There are some interesting anecdotes but not enough for a book on a man who led an unusual life. He was royalty who went blind in one eye and married a reigning Hindu Bollywood actress. Just that is enough material for a gripping tale. But, it reads like a collection of fan-mail. Dravid's four pages are precise, filled with admiration but not fawning, anecdotal and informative. My other favourite is the chapter by Soha Ali Khan, written only as a daughter could. And then there are of course the pictures, what a looker...he puts the charming in Prince Charming.
The book could have also done with a little more deliberation on the people who made it to the list. A more varied bunch from different walks of life who knew him in various capacities would have built a more rounded profile of Tiger Pataudi. Also, the list of people could have been given more direction on what they should write about and the editing needed to be finer.
Or, I should have just bought a Dravid poster.
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