Book Review: The Dead Fish by Rajkamal Choudhary (Translated by Mahua Sen)
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Sutanuka Ghosh Roy reviews The Dead Fish by Rajkamal Choudhary (Translated by Mahua Sen), observing how the novel’s exploration of loneliness, emotional fragmentation, and the search for meaning continues to resonate strongly with readers in the twenty-first century.
- ISBN: 978-93-6156-820-6 (Paperback)
- Edition: (2025)
- Price: Rs 495.
- Published by Rupa Publications.
Mahua Sen’s English translation of Rajkamal Choudhary’s Machhli Mari Hui, published as The Dead Fish, marks a significant contribution to the field of Indian literary translation. Originally written in Hindi in 1966, the novel is considered one of the most experimental and provocative works of post-independence Indian fiction. Through her nuanced translation, Sen makes Choudhary’s complex narrative available to a wider readership while preserving the stylistic richness and psychological depth of the original text. Anamika endorses, ‘Those who have read Rajkamal in the original will appreciate this’.
The The Dead Fish, revolves around Nirmal Padmavat, a successful businessman whose life is marked by emotional emptiness, fractured relationships, and a continual sense of alienation. Choudhary uses Nirmal’s experiences to explore the moral and spiritual crises of urban modernity. Although materially prosperous, the protagonist remains eternally dissatisfied, illustrating the powerlessness of wealth and social status to provide genuine fulfilment. His inner conflicts reflect the larger anxieties of a society undergoing rapid social and economic transformation.
