THE NATION was shaken at the nude picture of teenage girls, which was published in a local daily from Ajmer. Those pictures sent shock waves as they showed nude girls in state of intoxication, with a bunch of men grinning at the lens of the camera with their hands cupped around the private parts of the intoxicated girl or staring at the parted thighs and lust dropping from their face. The publishing of the photos created a sensation in the country and a high level enquiry was ordered and many culprits were brought before the court of law. However, with time the incident was forgotten.

Anuradha Marwah Roy too was shocked by this news, but more than being shocked she was concerned about those innocent girls who were the victims and this concern took the shape of the novel ’Dirty Picture’. Having known Anuradha Marwah Roy personally as my own teacher, I know how concerned she was and how much labour she has put in the book’s research. She investigated and found few victims and met them in secret as most of them are married and have forgotten their past.

’Dirty Pictures’is story of two sisters from Ajmer. The two extraordinarily beautiful sisters, whose beauty became their enemy, are engulfed in the bog of destiny and they are the centre of criticism for whole of Ajmer. Reena’s illustrated engagement with a elderly, married and father of a daughter CEO and Bharti’s association with local politicos is gossip of the town.

Bharti wants to do something for Ajmer and Reena’s ambitions are too high for her to realise. Their jobless father has become an object of pity for the town. With time Reena and Bharti meet their fate. Reena returns to Mumbai to write for a magazine to save other girls who are in the evil claws of lustful males. Her sister has offered herself to flames to end the misery of her life.

Well crafted narrative and perfectly moulded incidents make this novel a must read. Sometimes its hard to differentiate between imagination and reality. Anuradha has such a sharp ability to entwine reality and imagination that we don’t realise when the line between imagination and reality blurs. So I call it reality reimagined. Go get the book and discover how loathable another human being can be and perceive the heights of human greed.