About the Book: “The Dead Fish” is the first English translation of Rajkamal Choudhary’s Hindi masterpiece, Machhali Mari Hui. Set in mid-20th-century Kolkata, the novel dissects the psyche of Nirmal Padmavat, a businessman with a contradictory and tormented sexuality. His relationships with Shirin, Priya, and Kalyani expose his fragmented identity, characterized by emotional volatility and internal conflict. The book, a bold exploration of homosexuality for its time, uses the metaphor of a “dead fish” to symbolize themes of barrenness and unfulfilled desires. Through lyrical prose and an experimental style, Choudhary critiques societal norms and highlights the struggles of queer identity, making the novel highly relevant today.
