Book Review: The Adventures of Goopy The Singer and Bagha The Drummer by Upendra Kishore Ray Chowdhury.

Book: The Adventures of Goopy The Singer and Bagha The Drummer

Author: Upendra Kishore Ray Chowdhury

Translator: Tilottama Shome

Illustrator: Sayan Mukherjee

Publisher: Speaking Tiger

Pages: 80

How Long It Took Me To Read: 1 hour

Plot Summary: Goopy Gyne and Bagha Byne have both been banished from their villages for being horrible musicians. They happen to meet each other and become good friends. When they decide to play their music in a thick and scary forest one night, they are heard by the ghosts who live there. The ghosts love their music and the King of Ghosts grants them three boons. With these boons, Goopy and Bagha set out to perform for the king of the land, and earn laurels. But when they scare the king by appearing suddenly in his room, they themselves are accused of being ghosts and locked away.

Will Goopy and Bagha be able to escape and do what they love the best—play music for everyone? Will they stop the kingdoms of Halla and Shundi from going to war? And how many sweets and how much pulao will they eat while they do so?

Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury’s well-loved and hilarious story of friendship, music and magic now appears in a delightful new translation along with beautiful illustrations. Read on for descriptions of pots of food and escapades that will keep you laughing till the last page.

Things I Loved:

1. Growing up in a Bengali family, it's nearly impossible to grow up without Goopy and Bagha and their adventures. I don't even remember the first time I ever watched the films. I must have been a toddler. The films being played on TV, during a hot Calcutta summer. and the magic, simplicity and genius of Ray's vision came to life. I was smitten. The songs, the acting, the character and clothes...everything came together to create a true gem of cinema. Seriously, if you haven't watched the films, please do! So I was very excited to finally read the book that inspired the films.

2. The book is quite different from the films. Little things...are a tad different. So reading this book felt like a whole new experience. So don't think you can skip it if you've seen the films.

3. The adorable Goopy and Bagha are so loveable and goofy and silly and wonderful. You find yourself rooting for them and wishing them well and cheering them on.

4. This book has some incredible illustrations, that added to the story so well.

Here are some examples of the illustrations.

5. This book is such an enjoyable ride. Adventure, kings, magic, princesses, wars and wishes...so much fun!

6. This is a great book for kids, a great way to introduce them to these characters before they watch the films. Or even after.

7. I had never read the book before, the films were my introduction to this world and I was so happy to return to this world and these people and these characters. So much nostalgia was invoked as the flipped the pages. I was smiling throughout.

Rating: 5/5

Highly, highly recommend.

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