Corridor: A Graphic Novel
At the centre of this graphic novel sits Jehangir Rangoonwalla, a tea-seller and purveyor of second-hand books operating out of Connaught Place in the heart of Lutyens' Delhi. He's part shopkeeper, part sage, and his modest stall becomes a gathering point for an eclectic cast of regulars who arrive seeking chai, conversation, and the occasional slice of unsolicited but surprisingly useful advice. The characters themselves are a fascinating lot. Brighu nurses an obsession with obscure collectibles alongside a longing for genuine romantic connection. Shintu, freshly married, is on a rather single-minded hunt for the perfect aphrodisiac. Then there's Digital Dutta, perpetually caught between the lure of an H-1B visa and the writings of Karl Marx, a man who inhabits his own thoughts more than the world around him. Each carries a distinct story, rooted in a different social background, and Banerjee weaves their lives together with a quiet confidence that rewards patient readers. What gives the novel its real texture is Banerjee's storytelling method. Rather than relying purely on prose or sequential panels, he blends sketches, photographs, and illustrations into a rich visual language. Background details in each frame aren't decorative padding; they're deliberate cultural references that quietly do a great deal of narrative work. The settings shift between contemporary Delhi and Calcutta, grounding the whole thing in a recognisable, lived-in urban India. The result is a portrait of city life that's fragmented, a little melancholy, and often unexpectedly funny. Banerjee captures the disconnection of modern Indian urban existence without ever becoming heavy-handed about it. It's an inventive, warmly observed piece of work.
- Author: Banerjee Sarnath
- Publisher: Penguin
- Genre: Design & Fashion
- ISBN: 978-0143031383
- Pages: 112 pages