The Helicopters Are Down

Hurtling towards a midlife crisis, Amirtham is down – but not out.Caught in a sorry vortex of self-denial and what-could-have-been, the discontented government official wants to do the impossible – be young again. Having decided that his marriage is sparkless and his spouse unremarkable, he decides to woo a much younger theatre actress who vaguely resembles his witty and opinionated ex. As Amirtham gives into self-aggrandizing visions – glamorizing a humdrum life coming apart at the seams – he flails and fails in the tangles of his own making. In this deeply insightful novel, both endearing and heartbreaking, urban Delhi of the early seventies is brought alive by Tamil literary icon, Sahitya Akademi fellow and Padma Shri-awardee Indira Parthasarathy. Hilarious, reflective and wise, this moving tale expertly courses through unsettling remorse, directionless passion, and the fragile business of loving and being loved.