A review of Apni Ki Alien Dekhte Chan? by Wasif Noor
Apni Ki Alien Dekhte Chan is an “Urban Horror” short story collection by debutant author Wasif Noor. Noor grew up in Science Lab, Dhaka, a place known for its labyrinth of alleys that evoke the claustrophobic unease of HP Lovecraft’s universe. The inspiration behind the short stories comes from elements taken from his personal life: a lit bulb in a room right across the street in the middle of the night; a lone lamppost standing like a sentry on a street, illuminating the path while the unknown lurks in the shadows; a walk to the tea stall at the end of the lane. These observations led him to ponder what the horror of urban Dhaka’s dwellers would be like. Noor drew inspiration from his daily experiences in the capital, which makes the stories feel disturbingly close to home.
Noor is an observer and an illustrator by profession, a son of Dhaka who commutes from one end of the city to another in buses and rickshaws, trying small eateries and observing the people around him. This led him to the question: “Rural horror often revolves around urban legends. But what about the horror faced by the city’s residents who live in concrete buildings and walk on asphalt, water-clogged roads?”.
The 2020 lockdown seems to have inspired many contemporary authors in Bangladesh, and Noor is no exception. “A significant population of Dhaka moved back to their hometowns during the lockdown. All our lives changed. Financial crisis, lack of healthcare, and an uncertain future—all these factors and more had a profound impact on our mental health,” Noor stated when asked about the inspiration behind his stories. Short stories from the collection, such as Lamp poster bhoot, Chobi, and Odbhuturey Bari, are heavily inspired by the despair and helplessness he felt while cooped up in his bedroom during the lockdown. He spent the time reading books and observing a city that suddenly became soulless from his tableside window.
Personally, I found the first few stories of the collection gripping; they kept me on the edge and pulled me right inside Noor’s horror universe. The unsettling claustrophobic sensation was a cruel reminder of the lockdown days.
Another story from the collection, Eka, was inspired by a personal loss he experienced. Eka features a man who lives by himself, devoid of company and human interaction. Readers will find themselves relating to the character as he navigates the house. “I was particularly close to my grandmother, and when she passed away, my parents went outside Dhaka for her funeral, leaving me by myself. The profound loss of a loved one and their absence, mixed with the empty house, made me think a lot about life,” Noor stated. Eka stood out because the middle section of the collection lacked the intensity of the earlier stories. The suspense dropped, unnecessary characters were added to the plot, and I found myself wishing the initial momentum had carried throughout the book.
Another story, Gorto, will be relatable to Dhaka residents. The story is about an empty plot of land on a street that has been sitting idle due to a land dispute. One day, a hole appears in it that keeps multiplying in size with each passing day. With this change, the people in the neighbourhood slowly change as well. This is a homage to one of Noor’s favourite authors, Junji Ito’s work, Spiral. “People change; they evolve constantly. An acquaintance who was once very close is probably someone I meet once a year or even less. Change is the only constant in our lives,” Noor added. Gorto reminded me why I was so invested in the stories in the first place, with the pace returning and Noor perfectly integrating the horror elements.
When asked about his literary inspirations, Noor smiled and replied, “Stephen King, Junji Ito, HP Lovecraft, and Thomas Ligotti, among others. Contemporary Bengali authors include Tanzim Rahman, Shariful Hasan, and Nabil Muhtasim.”
As a newly published author, Noor feels that the biggest challenge these days is catering to the palate of this generation of readers. New themes are not easily accepted, and readers often categorise authors by a signature genre, which does not give writers the freedom to explore beyond the genre they are well known for. “Unless a writer is well established in the field, experimenting in a different genre than what you are known and loved for is a risk that publishers seldom take,” he stated.
Noor’s efforts as a debutant author deserve recognition. However, the editing of the book was a reminder of how essential proofreading and attention to detail by editors and proofreaders are for a book’s success. Numerous spelling errors and inconsistencies, especially from the middle of the book to the end, reflected the lack of seriousness by publishers. Young and upcoming authors like Wasif Noor should be meticulously supported and nurtured.