 First edition (US) | |
| Author | R. K. Narayan |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Abner Graboff |
| Publisher | Viking Press (US) Heinemann (UK) |
Publication date | 1977 |
| ISBN | 0-670-53567-2 |
| Preceded by | My Days |
| Followed by | A Tiger for Malgudi |
The Painter of Signs is a 1977 novel by R. K. Narayan.
 |
Raman is a sign-painter who takes the art of calligraphy very seriously. He devotedly creates the perfect signboard for all his customers, taking great care in the styling of words on the board. Made using the "best rosewood" from the Mempi mountains, Raman believes that his signboards are a notch above his rival Jayaraj's. Living with his aunt, a conservative old woman who likes to ramble about mythological stories and old family gossip, on Ellaman Street, Raman goes through periods of frustration at his aunt's interest in his going abouts and feelings of guilt for ignoring her affection and presence. Not orthodox himself, Raman neither sports a tuft like others from his caste nor has inhibitions in eating meat if necessary. He looks down on superstitions and old-fashioned notions of religion and caste and spends his time reading ancient copies of books on science and history. He does have a tendency to quote from the scriptures and make associations with events in the scriptures and those in his life.
Daisy, an intense young woman involved in family planning campaigns, hires Raman to make a signboard for her office. For no reason whatsoever, Raman finds himself bewitched by her beauty, and more so by her precision, authority and her devotion to her career. It so happens that he has to accompany Daisy on a three-week campaign in the villages around Malgudi to identify potential sites where he can paint signs and messages on population control and finds himself further attracted to her firmness, simplicity, and her tendency to shun luxuries and comforts of all sorts. He finds that his resolve to remain unmarried, seeing marriage as commonplace and unnecessary, is weakening.
The story goes on to outline Daisy's complicated past and her eventual admission of a mutual attraction for Raman. The two start spending the nights together, and decide to get a Gandharva marriage, the simplest form of marital union. Daisy seems to be unaffected by the relationship though, and tells Raman that she will not change her last name, or house-keep for him. Raman mulls over the eventualities of such a wedlock, but is steadfast in his affection and love for Daisy and constantly tells himself that her needs and wishes will always be more important than his. His aunt, upset over her nephew's unorthodox afflictions - especially at his decision to marry out of caste - asks him to arrange a one way trip to Benaras for her. His repeated beseechings to her to stay and bless him and Daisy have no effect. On the morning that Daisy is to move into Raman's house on Ellaman Street, she changes her mind about Raman, feeling that her sense of purpose and her independent existence may be affected by married life. She decides to leave Malgudi for a three-year family planning initiative in villages all over India. Confused and befuddled, Raman tries his best to convince her, telling her that his house on Ellaman street will be open for her whenever she decides to return.
Where's Charley? is a musical with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by George Abbott. The story was based on the 1892 play Charley's Aunt by Brandon Thomas. The musical debuted on Broadway in 1948 and was revived on Broadway and in the West End. Ray Bolger starred, and sang the popular song "Once In Love With Amy".
Bewitched is a 2005 American fantasy romantic comedy film co-written, produced, and directed by Nora Ephron, and starring Nicole Kidman and Will Ferrell alongside an ensemble cast featuring Shirley MacLaine, Michael Caine, Jason Schwartzman, Kristin Chenoweth, Heather Burns, Jim Turner, Stephen Colbert, David Alan Grier, Michael Badalucco, Carole Shelley, and Steve Carell. The film follows an actor (Ferrell) who discovers, during the remake of Bewitched, that his co-star (Kidman) is an actual witch.
The Vendor of Sweets (1967), by R. K. Narayan, is the biography of a fictional character named Sri K. V. Jagan who is a sweet vendor of Malgudi. The story beautifully reflects his conflict with his estranged son and how he finally leaves for renunciation, overwhelmed by the sheer pressure and monotony of his life.
Mr. Mulliner Speaking is a collection of nine short stories by P. G. Wodehouse. It was first published in the United Kingdom on April 30, 1929, by Herbert Jenkins, and in the United States on February 21, 1930, by Doubleday, Doran. The stories were originally published in magazines in the UK and the US between 1924 and 1929.
Roy Cropper is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Coronation Street, played by David Neilson. He first appeared on-screen on 19 July 1995. Originally a secondary character, he was given a more prominent role in 1997, by the executive producer of Coronation Street, Brian Park. Roy has been featured in numerous high-profile storylines, most notably marrying the first transgender character in a British soap opera, Hayley Patterson.
Life in a... Metro is a 2007 Indian Hindi-language drama film co-produced, co-written and directed by Anurag Basu. Partly inspired from Billy Wilder's romantic comedy film The Apartment (1960), it features an ensemble cast of Dharmendra, Nafisa Ali, Shilpa Shetty, Kay Kay Menon, Shiney Ahuja, Irrfan Khan, Konkona Sen Sharma, Kangana Ranaut and Sharman Joshi in lead roles. The music is composed by Pritam with lyrics by Sayeed Quadri. It narrates the lives of nine people living in Mumbai and deals with topics such as extramarital affairs, sanctity of marriage, commitment phobia and love.
Manchali is a 1973 Hindi romantic drama movie produced and directed by Raja Nawathe, starring Sanjeev Kumar, Leena Chandavarkar, Nazima and Nirupa Roy. The title track was very catchy and popular. It was one of the best known films with Sanjeev Kumar in a comedy role. The music directors were Laxmikant-Pyarelal. This movie story was based on the novel Swayamber by Satyendra Sharat. There are shades of Taming of the Shrew in how the hero woos the girl.
Lord Arthur Savile's Crime and Other Stories is a collection of short semi-comic mystery stories that were written by Oscar Wilde and published in 1891. It includes:
How I Live Now is a novel by Meg Rosoff, first published in 2004. It received generally positive reviews and won the British Guardian Children's Fiction Prize and the American Printz Award for young-adult literature.
Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman is a collection of 24 short stories by Japanese author Haruki Murakami.
Ryan Connor is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Coronation Street. He first appeared on-screen during the episode broadcast on 30 August 2006. The character was initially portrayed by actor Ben Thompson from his introduction until 8 October 2010, when the character was written out of the serial. Ryan was created by series producer Steve Frost as part of the Connor family. The character was reintroduced in 2012, with the role recast to actor Sol Heras. Heras quit the role in July 2013 and Ryan departed on 2 October 2013. Ryan's return was confirmed in February 2018 and he returned on 23 May 2018, with Ryan Prescott recast in the role. It was confirmed that Ryan would leave the soap in late 2023. Ryan’s departure aired on 20 December 2023. Ryan returned on 1 March 2024.
Wilhelm Meister's Journeyman Years, or the Renunciants, is the fourth novel by German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, and the sequel to Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship (1795–96). Though initially conceived during the 1790s, the first edition did not appear until 1821, and the second edition—differing substantially from the first—in 1829.
Gayab is a 2004 Indian Hindi-language supernatural black comedy thriller film directed by Prawaal Raman and produced by Ram Gopal Varma. It stars Tusshar Kapoor and Antara Mali as the lead protagonists. The film was declared a below average at the box office and was remade in Tamil as Jithan.
Malgudi Days is a collection of short stories by R. K. Narayan published in 1943 by Indian Thought Publications.
Qurban is a Pakistani romantic Drama television series premiered on ARY Digital on 20 November 2017. The series is directed by Ahmed Bhatti, produced by Abdullah Seja and written by Zafar Mairaj under the banner of IDream Entertainment. It features Iqra Aziz, Bilal Abbas, and Shahzad Sheikh in Lead role.
Cured Duck is a 1945 American animated cartoon produced by Walt Disney and directed by Jack King. It stars Clarence Nash as the voice of Donald and Gloria Blondell as the voice of Daisy, respectively. The cartoon features Donald going to visit Daisy, but his temper control problems cause him to wreck the house and get kicked out. To cure himself of his temper, he gets a machine that proceeds to deliver physical and angering abuse.
Kkusum is an Indian television series produced by Ekta Kapoor's Balaji Telefilms which aired on Sony Entertainment Television from 14 May 2001 to 30 November 2005. It was directed by Jasbir Bhati. The show follows the journey of a young, hardworking and middle class girl, Kkusum and later, after a 20 year leap on her daughter Kkumud.
El pecado de Oyuki was a Mexican comic book series that appeared in the weekly magazine Tears, Laughter and Love, published by EDAR between 1975 and 1977. Was created and written by Yolanda Vargas Dulché. The comic tells the story of Oyuki, a beautiful Japanese woman in love with a young British painter. The plot bears some resemblance to the story Madama Butterfly by John Luther Long (1898), adapted as an opera by Giacomo Puccini in 1904.
Oorukku Upadesam is a 1984 Indian Tamil-language film directed by S. P. Muthuraman. The film stars S. Ve. Shekher, Urvasi and Visu, with Delhi Ganesh, Charuhasan, Dilip, Subhakar Pushpalatha and Vanitha in supporting roles. It is an adaptation of Visu's 1974 play Sirithu Konde Azhugirom. The film was released on 24 February 1984. It was remade in Kannada the same year as Indina Ramayana.