Short stories.

Unni Rs stories are all set in a real place, the now peri-urban village of Kudamalloor in the Kottayam district of Kerala, his home-village. It is sociologically diverse, with people of different faiths living together in close proximity. He represents a new generation of male short story writers who has chosen to turn a searing eye on the Malayali macho masculine. Kuttiyappan, in the story Leela is a rich, whimsical man who wishes to have sex with a girl pressed against the trunk of an elephant. In Holiday Fun, we meet four men whose seemingly childish game of police and thief unravels into a deadly assault of the feudal on the less privileged and helpless. There is also the young Raziya in the story Calling Prayer whose one burning desire is to call the azaan. There is also Jesus who is seen walking about the church and into the village by two drunks. These and many other of Unnis stories in this selection have a dream-like quality, black humour and an endearing charm, all at once. They offer a strong social critique of our times to those who will read them for the subtlety in the simple deception of his language.