The racy pocket novel that entertained multitudes

The Hindu

27-04-2025

In this age of digital content and books on Kindle, spending recreational time is rather easy. But there was a phase in the Madras of the 1980s and 1990s, when dipping into a tiny physical book was the norm. It was practical and, to use an Indian-English expression, a good time-pass! These Tamil novels would literally fit into a shirt pocket. However, because of the length they could jut out a bit; still, portability was easy. And it wasn't rocket science for these books to be called 'pocket novels'. The ease of accessing these little tomes was akin to holding on to a tabloid like a Mid-Day or The Afternoon Despatch & Courier in a packed suburban train in Mumbai.
Rooted in mystery
There were a group of writers who excelled in the craft of churning out pocket novels. Rajesh Kumar, Subha (a single name for the creative partnership between two authors, D. Suresh and A.N. Balakrishnan), Pattukottai Prabhakar, and many others were popular. Often the tenor of these books would be centred around a mystery. Murders and robberies were the spine and the perpetrators would be hunted down by the protagonists. Rajesh, for instance, leant on his lead pair of Vivek and Rubella, a detective couple.
Vivek was in the Sherlock Holmes mode, while Rubella played the Watson persona, asking questions, and through the answers she ferreted, the readers gained clarity. A bus or train journey into the hinterland meant that these novels were deemed essential. If Tinkle was a favourite in childhood, adolescence meant a diversion towards these racy novels in the vernacular. Nearly all of them were well written, had a descriptive air, and every chapter concluded with a hook that left you seeking the next. It is like the trope you get in television serials these days but without the bulging eyes and excessive background score.
Social commentary
These books were not just whodunits; there was social commentary, too, and an awareness of how Madras was expanding. Some of these authors provided source-material for films. Often strung around in the neighbourhood vethilapakku kadai (corner shop), these books did not cost much and offered an afternoon of reading pleasure. They still exist, gathering dust, as readership has declined. Look around magazine corners to spot these pocket novels. And for those who cannot read Tamil, there is always the Blaft Anthology of Tamil Pulp Fiction in English to savour. It will transport you back to an era when there were instant thrills nestling within rustling pages.