A stark and unflinching debut that humanizes the voiceless and interrogates the machinery of power with poetic rage.

Sagar Kumar’s Interrogation is not just a novel—it’s a cry from the margins, an indictment of blind justice, and above all, a haunting meditation on what it means to be a human being forgotten by the very system meant to protect him. At the heart of the book is a seemingly ordinary young man who becomes the epicenter of a quiet tragedy in June 2021 at the Madiwala Police Station in Bengaluru. The setting may appear familiar, even mundane, but Sagar injects it with a taut, almost suffocating tension. What unfolds is not a dramatic legal thriller or a fast-paced crime saga, but something far more intimate and emotionally resonant: a slow-burning, psychologically rich exploration of identity, dignity, and the unbearable silence that surrounds systemic violence.

Narrative Voice & Structure: Kumar’s prose is sparse yet lyrical, with a rhythm that echoes the protagonist’s inner world—fragmented, confused, terrified, yet strangely defiant. There are no heroes in Interrogation. No monsters either. Just flawed human beings caught in a system that dehumanizes before it punishes.

What makes the narrative powerful is its restraint. Rather than sensationalizing the brutality or resorting to melodrama, Sagar allows the horror to simmer in the background. The reader is left to sit with the discomfort, forced to confront what often remains unseen—the long, drawn-out agony of injustice, not in bursts of violence but in prolonged indifference.

Themes: Power, Prejudice & The Cost of Silence : The novel is as much a sociological critique as it is a literary work. It probes into the invisible fault lines of modern India—language politics, caste, class, and the cultural alienation of migrants in urban landscapes. Through subtle conversations and telling silences, Kumar dismantles the myth of a just republic and exposes how bias and systemic apathy can be as violent as physical force.

But Interrogation doesn’t merely stay in the darkness. It traces the fragile threads of resilience and compassion, showing how even in the bleakest of moments, human connection can offer brief but meaningful reprieves. The small acts of kindness, the momentary looks of empathy, become lifelines.

Characterization : The unnamed protagonist is not presented as a martyr or a rebel—he is, in his essence, “just a common man,” which makes the story all the more heartbreaking. His fears, his small hopes, his confusion, and quiet resistance make him achingly real. Supporting characters—from the cold bureaucracy of uniformed officers to the ambivalent bystanders—are sketched with realism and nuance. No one is one-dimensional, and that moral complexity adds to the weight of the narrative.

Aesthetic & Tone : The tone of the book is reflective, intense, and at times deeply poetic. Kumar is not afraid to slow the pace, to linger in the quiet grief of a moment. Readers may find echoes of literary voices like Arundhati Roy and Mahasweta Devi, though Sagar’s voice is distinctly his own—rooted in Kannada culture but with universal resonance.

The use of the subtitle—“Not a monster. Not a saint.”—sets the tone beautifully. It prepares the reader for a story not in black and white, but in difficult, murky greys. It compels us to question our notions of justice, guilt, and innocence.

Final Verdict : Sagar Kumar’s Interrogation is a rare debut—deeply human, politically urgent, and stylistically mature. It is a book that demands attention not through noise, but through its unwavering gaze. It speaks for the voiceless not with pity, but with respect and piercing clarity. This is not a story meant to comfort; it is meant to wake us up.

Highly recommended for readers of literary fiction, social justice narratives, and those who believe that storytelling is one of the last remaining acts of resistance.

Rating: 4.5 / 5
A novel that leaves you shaken, thoughtful, and perhaps a little more awake.
Title: INTERROGATION: Not a monster. Not a saint. Just a common man—crushed by justice gone blind in this republic
Author: Sagar Kumar
Genre: Literary Fiction / Social Justice / Psychological Drama
Publisher: Astitva Prakashan