Shunya...

Those who consider experimentation to be the ultimate value of a short story seem, in contemporary literary practice, to have contributed to the decline of Marathi short fiction. After the Second World War, writers regarded as representatives of the Navakatha (New Story) movement did not present a broad and comprehensive picture of Maharashtrian society, creating a gap that later generations of short story writers consciously attempted to fill.

In making this observation, it is important to emphasise that the true strength of Marathi short fiction lies in the richness and diversity of its content, rather than in experimentation alone. This perspective is essential while reading the stories of Dr. Pravinkumar Chougule.

All the stories in Shunya... are centred on their subject matter. As the author explores the central themes, he naturally develops an appropriate narrative structure from within the content itself. Consequently, these stories avoid unnecessary elaboration and become engaging and enjoyable to read.

One arrives at the conclusion that if Dr. Chougule consciously develops the length, breadth and depth of his stories, along with his command of language, he has the potential to emerge as an important voice in Marathi short fiction.

— G. K. Ainapure, Sangli