Ninety Days : The Goal or The Girl

Review by: Dia Mallik

Author: Prasad Deshpande

“Ninety Days” is a sprawling and deeply layered story that intricately weaves personal trauma, systematic violence, political intrigue, and the transformative power of unity into an unforgettable journey through rural India.

The novel excels in its blend of thrill, social realism, and an intense psychological study of its characters, grounded in a setting where caste, tribal affiliations, and political corruption intersect violently.

This review will examine the central plot, the evolution of its primary characters, thematic explorations, and the ways in which patterns and symbolisms lend deeper resonance to its story arc… What is impressive is the entire location in the story is fictitious… There’s no place called Dheemapur and the imagination is strong with imagined railway junctions connecting east and west of India is really mind boggling.

Complex Web of Events

The novel opens with horrible scenes of caste-driven riots: homes burned, lives lost, and the justice system – a distant promise. Five years after this tragedy, we find Sajjan – a mysterious modern day saint arriving in Dheemapur, a town simmering under suppressed hate and fragile trust. He is accompanied by Leela, a tribal girl who is mistaken for his young wife but whose true identity and traumatic history gradually emerge. The narrative unfolds as Sajjan – with calculated empathy and intelligence. He becomes entwined with the community while carrying out a secretive mission which really is his target is to achieve in 90 Days.

Amar, the local farmer-leader, and Lajjo, his wife, become interwoven in Sajjan’s web of influence, which ripples out to the broader landscape through farmer meetings and social interventions. Little Leela provides few smiles with her innocence.

Yet beneath these facets of rural life, a darker game is afoot. Sajjan’s ultimate goal is revealed to be revenge against Rajasaab – a powerful and corrupt politician involved in the earlier riot that destroyed Sajjan’s family. Sajjan orchestrates alliances, sowing seeds of unity where previous leaders and especially Rajasaab have sought division; his knowledge of human motivation and local politics is both impressive and mysterious. The rising tension between Sajjan, Rajasaab, Rana (his brutal henchman), and the tribal power players, forms the spine of the novel’s intrigue. Sajjan’s plan to take down Rajasaab, pretend himself in saintly goodwill, and then use illicitly gained wealth for greater good is an audacious narrative twist that reframes the classic mission-versus-morality dilemma.

Character Analysis

Sajjan emerges as both a craftsman of psychological manipulation and a man burdened by trauma. His calm and unemotional exterior hides the simmering pain of his family’s murder. As he gains influence, his internal conflict intensifies – he must balance the drive for revenge with his emerging attachment to Leela and his growing role as a leader and mentor. Sajjan’s skills as a planner are matched by a willingness to use violence in sensible, practical and realistic way. The story cleverly traces his evolution from withdrawn strategist to someone more emotionally vulnerable, especially in his complex interactions with Leela.

Leela’s character summarizes resilience born out of suffering and survival. Her journey – from nearly becoming a victim of human sacrifice in a tribal feud to learning self-defense, avenging her sister, and ultimately yearning for acceptance is powerful. The narrative explores her layered persona: she is both a skilled fighter and a young woman longing for normalcy and love, carrying the weight of community trauma and personal loss.

Amar and Lajjo function as moral anchors and witnesses to Sajjan’s and Leela’s transformations. Their warmth and scepticism reflect how ordinary people are swept up in, and altered by, the larger forces of destiny and engineered change.

Rajasaab and Rana – the chief antagonists – are painted with chilling precision. Rajasaab’s calculated ruthlessness and Rana’s impulsive brutality give the conflict its sense of real peril. The henchmen’s roles in trafficking tribal girls, political manipulation, and routine violence expose the rot beneath the social order.

Themes

Unity versus Division: The narrative constantly contrasts the manufactured divisions sown by political leaders with Sajjan’s efforts to forge solidarity among fundamentally different groups. Scenes of enforcing laws, successful mutual aid during crises, and community punishment of wrongdoers highlight the fragile, hard-won power of collective action.

Revenge and Justice: The story asks if personal revenge can coexist with the pursuit of justice, and whether violence perpetrated by victims can ever be justified or transformative. Sajjan’s final acts both the assassination of Rajasaab and redistributive use of illicit funds raise morally unclear that the story never fully resolves, lending richness to its conclusion.

Identity and Redemption: Leela’s and Sajjan’s identities are shaped by trauma but also by acts of kindness, teaching, and love. Their transformation, the temporary domesticity, and finally Leela’s decision to stay with Sajjan challenge the boundaries set by birth, tradition, and circumstance.

Corruption and Social Change: The novel is relentless in portraying how entrenched power, political, financial, social – exploits the vulnerable and frustrates true progress. Only when Sajjan uses both moral and “dirty” tactics is real change possible, suggesting that revolutionary acts may require subverting systems from within.

Symbolism

Train Journeys: Trains in the novel represent transition, danger, escape, and fate. Sajjan’s and Leela’s first meeting, as well as multiple moments of peril and escape, are staged on or around trains – a motif for travel not just across geography but into the unknown.

Machan and Fields: These rural settings serve to both isolate characters and bring them together. The machan atop Amar’s fields becomes a recurring stage for emotional revelations, plans, and moments of peace, set against the larger backdrop of turmoil.

Jewelry, Clothing, (“gathari,” “dupatta,” sweater): Articles of clothing and personal effects mark identity, economic status, moments of intimacy, and transformation. Leela’s shift from tribal attire to gifted city dresses and her garland of jasmine signals acceptance and romance; Sajjan’s pendant represents lost honour and personal code. Another thing we liked was the author has written the Indian attire and accessories in their own names as they are known… he has not tried to westernise anything about them.

Sacrifice and Ritual: The narrative uses A tribal ritual of human sacrifice contrasted with community vengeance/punishment as a means to interrogate tradition versus progress, personal suffering versus collective responsibility is chilling.

Story Climax and Resolution

The climax sees Sajjan complete his mission through a dramatic assassination at Rajasaab’s party – a blend of technological cunning and strategic psychological warfare. As local riots erupt, threats close in, and Sajjan narrowly escapes, the sense of unresolved tension is intense. Leela, having achieved vengeance through fierce self-defence and community empowerment, chooses love and partnership over retreat, and returns to Sajjan in a moment of unexpected hope.

The resolution is bittersweet: Sajjan moves forward to new missions, armed with illicit wealth to further the cause for justice. Leela, once a victim, is now a survivor and partner. The narrative closes with both the triumph of their unity and the on-going cycle of violence, suggesting that true change is slow, costly, and forever unfinished.

Final Thoughts

“Ninety Days” is an ambitious, genre-blurring tale that dares to tackle big questions about caste, politics, gender, and redemption. Its greatest strength lies in its vivid scenes, multi-layered characters, and refusal to tie up the moral complexities in neat bows. The mood shifts effortlessly between thriller, love story, social commentary, and existential meditation, and the prose lingers on scenes of humble human connection as much as moments of violence. This is a review that would easily fill ten full pages – and linger much longer in the memory.

The reader is left with both resolution and uncertainty, echoing Sajjan’s own journey: shaped by pain, marked by courage, and ultimately refusing to surrender to despair. The revelation about who is Sajjan actually stumbles out of nowhere and hits you flat while the character of Leela endears and captivates your imagination with her fervour and her background story. Rajasaab seems deadly and someone who comes straight out of dirty politics and murky background.

This novel is now completely uploaded on the website – this also is available on Amazon under the title The Conducer.

www.storiesandme.com

The link on the website for this story is…

https://share.google/82BhbBFLsKn5nLm80