The Messenger (Penguin India, 14 October 2000) is a satirical novel by celebrated Indian cartoonist R. K. Laxman. Best known for his creation of The Common Man and his long-running cartoon strip You Said It, Laxman brings his sharp wit and humor into prose. The novel explores themes of bureaucracy, politics, and everyday absurdities in Indian society, reflecting Laxman’s trademark style of exposing human follies with irony and laughter.