Amma: Jayalalithaa's Journey from Movie Star to Political Queen by Vaasanthi : A Review

BOOK TITLE: Amma: Jayalalithaa's Journey from Movie Star to Political Queen

AUTHOR: Vaasanthi

ISBN/ASIN: 978-8193284148

GENRE: Non Fiction / Biography

NUMBER OF PAGES: 180

FORMAT: Paperback

SERIES / STANDALONE: Standalone

HOW I GOT THIS BOOK: This book was a timely gift from a friend and I thank the friend for adding a treasure to my bookshelf.

SUMMARY:

Amma is the dramatic story of a woman who has risen again and again from humiliation, imprisonment and political defeat, challenging the male-dominated culture of Tamil Nadu politics to become chief minister of the state for the fourth time.

FIRST IMPRESSION:

There are three important things I must mention before I begin the review.

1) My views on the person apart, I really like the concept of biographies especially if they are rich in detail because we get to see the hidden facets of a celebrity.

2) I have not read many biographies though, and I have little experience with how they must be structured - the highlights to engage the audience, or the events in chronological order to be a complete life history of the subject.

3) The book itself was very short, covered with a larger than average font and I did wonder how it was going to talk about the long and detailed life of a cinema actress / political personality in so few pages.

The cover and the summary were enough to elicit my interest and I was not really bothered about all that because I read the book in a very apt but bad timing, on Dec. 5th, during the death procession of J. Jayalalithaa herself. So naturally the emotions were too high for me to write a sensible review back then. I had to wait a bit for the emotional leftovers to clear before I wrote a honest, clear review of the book itself, without being overshadowed by the subject. 

REVIEW:

She is enigmatic. She is imperious. She is adored and she is feared. She is deified by her admirers and reviled by her opponents.

Thus begins the biography of Jayalalithaa Jayaram. The journey of a simple Ammu to the revered and feared Amma is put forth in simple, lucid language. The book wins because it is basically a fact book, written with mildly colored glasses and a slightly skewed perspective. It is by no accounts a detailed description of the major to minor events in her life that made her into who she was. But for a very secretive and enigmatic person, the book was an amalgamation of publicised fact and real life anecdotes of people who were in her inner circle.

The book starts from the beginning, the early days of Ammu, the young toddler who had lost her father and whose widowed mother moved to her ancestral place as was the custom those days. From there it details how she excelled in academics in her early days and how she chanced upon films and went on to become, at one point, one of the highest paid actresses in the industry. That part of the book is short, though, the early days and the childhood accomplishments were quickly dealt with and her foray into politics was described from as early as one third into the book.

From there, the book becomes a record of her political life and its ups and downs. It includes the details of the major controversies that brought about her downfall, and her friendships that were personal and away from the limelight. There is an entire chapter dedicated to her relationship with MGR, her guide, mentor and political guru who brought her into politics and made her popular in films.

The first thing that struck me about the book was the honesty with which it portrayed some incidents, finding a good balance between praising the subject and bringing out the shortcomings without being offensive to either side. The book does not offer much if you have lived in Tamil Nadu and had even a mild interest in politics because Jayalalithaa Jayaram was herself a very defining part of politics in Tamil Nadu, having served as Chief Minister nearly 6 times and recently creating history after her mentor MGR.

The book is a treasure trove of information for someone who did not know much about the person but was eager to learn because it weaves fact with a dose of background information collected from various sources, both friends and foes. But if you have been following the phenomenon that was Jayalalithaa and her political career closely, the book only tells you most of the things you already knew. Even with the lack of a lot of extra, untold exclusive information, the book still is an amazing read, especially if you want to know the little-known snippets that showed her desperation and fear in her darkest moments, the narration of which tugs at the heartstrings of even her rivals.

Her journey has been filled with ups and downs, and was a long and controversial one that had all the elements of a really interesting movie, with hidden marriages, accusations of disproportionate assets and a lot more political achievements and scheming opponents. The more you read the book the more you begin to admire her undying spirit and the way she rose to power despite being pushed down again and again. It talks at length about the lessons she learnt from her defeat and how she connected with the people while alienating the press.

Even her staunch rivals and detractors cannot deny her charisma (that they attribute instead to her film personality genes) and her courage, the two characteristics that made the lovable Ammu to the revered Amma. The best part of the book was when it described how she became 'Amma' and how she chose that as the only way for a woman to get respect in a male dominated world, putting her away from the accusations that called for defaming her morals because she had acted, after being pushed into a profession she did not really want.

The book tells you how life is not about what you might plan for yourself but also how you come out of the twists and turns life throws at you. Of all the things a reader will take back from the book, they will never forget the authority and the courage a woman showed, carving a separate place for herself in a world that did not welcome her and repeatedly tried to put her down. There are many parts of the book I object with, and side strongly with. But those are personal opinions on the life of the person and not the part of a book review.

There are many chapters that are detailed and controversial, giving the other side of the popular opinion. Be it 'The Woman Who Knew Too Much' or 'The Wounded Tigress', the chapter titles were absolutely intriguing and though the book was not a sequential account, often going back and forth in her life, the language is lucid and the narrative clear. It does not glorify or vilify anyone but presents facts in a brutal light that might leave people to derive their own conclusions based on which side they sympathise with.

Read this book if you want a clear and concise account of the life one of contemporary politics' secret personalities. Use this to get a peek into Jayalalithaa's turbulent life and the many controversies that surrounded her till and after she had breathed her last. (Though the book does not cover her death, having been published before the unfortunate event). Her rivals could read this book as it shows the account of a woman who was a worthy opponent in every turn and a woman who was wronged. Her supporters should read the book for knowing the things that led to her downfall and brought a smear on the plumage of the phoenix. Despite being short, this book covers all the essential details to give material for both sides of the spectrum.

(The review essentially ends here but as I do with all my favorite books, I am going to give my favorite quotes from the book)

On Jayalalithaa's courage, the words she had said during an interview. And she proved that till the end of her life, becoming a reluctant actress and a hesitant politician but acing both with a grace that surprised everyone.

I can will myself to do anything in this world.

In a letter to the man she loved, expressing her innermost and personal feelings and baring her heart out.

Don't you still understand that my love for you is boundless? There is no change in that. It will not till my death. I love you so much. I desire you.

The words describing how the notorious cult of MLAs and MPs falling at her feet began after one of her greatest victories.

A new cult of leader worship had been initiated. And the male dominated world that had tried to put her down was now at her feet.

Yet another thing that she was criticised for - her faith in astrology. And how it was brought about.

The stars, she was told, could be manipulated or cajoled to change one's fate.

The words that defined her relationship with her people.

In power or out of power, she would always be their amma.

On her election victory, one of the most phenomenal elections in the history of Tamil Nadu where she recreated history by being elected consecutively for office. Her mentor, MGR, was the last person to have done this three decades ago.

Jayalalithaa looked calm and impassive. Then she smiled and replied. "Wait for three more days. You will know." It was a knowing smile

From the last few pages of the book, ending with a wistful note that failed months after this was published. The stars shined down upon her so brightly that her life ended abruptly, creating a controversy by itself.

She was born under the star Magam. There is a saying in Tamil astrological parlance: Magaththuppen jagaththilum illai - A woman born under the star Magam is incomparable to any othe rin the world. Would that star continue to protect her?

Is it a full account of her very eventful life? No.

Does it cover all the controversial bits? Of course not!

Does it do justice to the personality and her turbulent private and public lives? Not really.

Is it quick paced? Of course yes!

Is it an interesting read? Definitely.

As I've already mentioned, it is not entirely possible to do complete justice to the phenomenon that is Jayalalithaa without kicking a hornet's nest. There is only one person who can tell us what really happened in her life and she is not around anymore. But the book does seem, at places like a reproduction of a detailed public account and a collection of the most sensational and intriguing news reports. It does contain some things that some people would rather want pushed under the carpet. If anyone cared enough to follow public records of the journey of Jayalalithaa Jayaram, this is not a treasure trove of detail. But we must also take into account the author's captivating narration and unbiased representation of facts. And that is where the book wins. So final verdict?

Would I read the book again? A big YES!

WHAT I LIKED:

• The lesser known details from the life of Tamil Nadu's one of most iconic personalities
• The lucid narrative that made the book an interesting read.
• The organisation of the content that made it nearly impossible to put the book down

WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER:

• Too short. Like any well written book, I found this book too short.
• It was not very informative if you know Jayalalithaa or have followed her life with interest.
• There are some important events that have been missed or glossed over, be it to avoid controversy or because of lack of details.

VERDICT:

This is a must read, a book of facts presented in a very interesting format. A friend or a foe of Amma, this book is a good addition to the bookshelves.

RATING: 4/5

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Vaasanthi is one of Tamil Nadu's best known writers. Her books include Cut-Outs, Caste and Cine Stars: The World of Tamil Politics and several novels. She was editor of the Tamil edition of India Today for nearly ten years.

EDITIONS AVAILABLE: Paperback

PRICE Rs. 195 for Paperback

BOOK LINKS: Amazon