Flappers go home, Shashi Kapoor is Retired
Ok. There is this class of books and movie that I hate. You know the “RAJ” category. Typically, these books have some flapper type females. They arrive in erstwhile India. They proceed to socialize with some charming / eccentric/arrogant prince types (almost always played by Shashi Kapoor in a movie). There is one scene where they talk to a non blue blooded Indian. That person has a name like Ramdin or Gangadin. Yes, there are elephants. All of it sets my teeth on edge. It is like going back in time and then making a right turn away from reality and into some ones imagination, and then flying to gain another’s perspective.
My resentment is similar to that of another Indian – Joseph. No, not Joseph who calls at you at dinner time asking about your inclination towards a new line of credit. Joseph the sardonic Indian from Maverick the movie. An Archduke in exile is ‘forcing’ Joseph to play the ‘noble savage’ to his ‘benevolent benefactor’. Joseph is resentful about having to play a caricature of himself. [If you don’t know or don’t recall, its time to go rent Maverick 
]
Anyways, here is what brought all of this to the fore again. I have been reading a few series of mystery novels. A couple of these feature Sherlockian detectives from Calcutta – Feluda and Byomeksh Bakshi (translated into English) Another, also a reprise of Sherlock Holmes, is the Mary Russel series by Laurie R. King. The latter has Sherlock and his wife (yes, u heard right) in a series of adventures. In each novel we meet up with some real and imaginary people from that period. For instance, in one of the books Mary makes a throwaway remark about meeting an odd bearded man called Toelkin at Oxford that semester. As I am working my way through the series , I realize that the famous penultimate book in the series is set in India. Sherlock Holmes in India – in the early 1900s. Now go with that. Imagine the possibilities.
Now, here is what actually happens in the book (and I wonder I am the only one that does not see this coming). Holmes has to look for none other than ………….. Kipling’s ‘Kim’ !
And yes, there is a prince.
Yes there are wild animals.
Yes there are flappers.
But no Shashi Kapoor.
Because he is retired
(and because there is no movie).