Book Review: Arnab Ray’s Sultan of Delhi is a desi Godfather-style thriller

Indian fiction in English can be broadly divided into two categories. They are either of the Chetan Bhagat variety with rudimentary English and basic plots that sell like hot samosas. Or they are of the Amitav Ghosh category, written in highbrow English, hailed by critics but mostly untouched by average Indian reader.  

Even though one can explain Bhagat and Co’s appeal, the pedestrian writing usually makes them unreadable for anyone with a more refined understanding of the language. On the other hand, there is the highbrow category, books which are intellectually stimulating, but never send the pulse racing. One reads those books for the same reason one eats their veggies: they are good for your health. And because they look good on one's bookshelf.

However, there’s no reason a great piece of writing can’t be fun as well. The likes of Frederick Forsyth, John Le Carre, Jeffrery Archer, Mario Puzo and Robert Ludlum have all written books of that nature. And that is where Arnab Ray’s Sultan of Delhi hits the bullseye. It has fascinating characters, a pacy plot and is written in a language that will appeal across categories of readers.   

The plot revolves around the life of Arjun Bhatia, a refugee who is forced to make Delhi his home after Partition. Forced into poverty after leaving behind his palatial home in Lahore, Arjun becomes a mechanic and then a gun-runner slowly moving up from the underbelly of organised crime to becoming a legitimate businessman. In the backdrop of the Emergency and the changing political scenario, Bhatia finds that he must battle enemies more powerful than he has prepared for, even as he tries to keep his family safe. 

In many ways, Sultan of Delhi: Ascension, is entwined with India’s story post-Independence. The 1947 partition, the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, the Emergency in 1975, all these events form the backdrop as we go back and forth, watching the nation change through Bhatia's eyes as he looks to upset the applecart. What makes Arjun fascinating is that unlike his Mahabharata namesake, he has no moral compunctions about doing what’s needed to reach his goal.  

Bhatia is an intriguing character, reminiscent in some ways of Mario Puzo’s Vito Corleone, an immigrant who has arrived with nothing but sets to conquer all in his adopted land. He has the same level of ruthlessness towards his opponents and a tiger-like ferocity when his family is threatened. However, he is a far more relatable character. His friendship with Bangali (his partner-in-crime) is as enduring as his understanding of politics is interesting. As he explains to Bangali, his disgust for Naxals is that they are no different from others who try to usurp power:

“All I know is that these people are jealous – jealous of those who have more and they want to take it. That’s all. It’s basic human nature, to possess that which we do not own. So, they take. They take honour. They take possessions. They take lives. Muslims did it in Lahore, the Hindus and the Sikhs did it in Amritsar, and the Naxals now do it here. They all have their pretty words and their long speeches, but behind it all, it’s the same thing.”

Bhatia’s not the only one holding this tome together. Bangali, his partner-in-crime is the flamboyant gangster with a taste for the good life. There is Nayantara, a woman who must sell her body and love for the well-being of her child.

Then there are his brattish sons who have never had to earn power or respect and don’t know how to wield it. There’s Arijit, an anarchist hacker who lives by his ideals and finally the closest thing we’ve to an antagonist – RP Singh, a powerbroker who holds the strings in Delhi’s power corridor. 

Also evident is the Bollywood homage throughout the novel, as Ray brings his encyclopaedic knowledge of the industry and stalwarts to bolster the storyline and give some major nostalgia trips for fans.In fact, the writing style is so lucid, that one can almost imagine the accompanying movie and see contemporary actors who’d be perfect for these roles while one’s reading the novel. On the other hand, the liberal use of Hindustani throughout the novel might be incomprehensible to readers who don’t know the language. Another minor drawback is that to fully appreciate the novel, one must be familiar with India’s politics, history and even Bollywood to a certain extent. 

Most people are familiar with Ray’s blogger persona GreatBong, particularly for his take on Bollywood and cricket and personally one has felt that his earlier books (Mey I Hebb Your Attention Pliss, , Yatrik and The Mine)  failed to capture the magic that makes his blogs popular. Now with Sultan of Delhi: Ascension he has finally overcome that. And if one feels that the story is incomplete after finishing the novel, that’s because this is the first half of a two-part novel. 

Arnab Ray’s Sultan of Delhi is published by Hachette India and available on Flipkart and Amazon.