Amritesh Mukherjee
Writer, Editor
Resume
Portfolio
Contact
More
There was slightly more electricity this time around, an eagerness to gush about all the emotions this novel evoked and the opinions on its various aspects. This is what good books do to you, and this is why collective reading can be more than a sum of individual rich experiences.
Before entering this baffling, mesmerising, stagnant, volatile and stream-of-consciousness wonder of a novel, I knew few things about Vinod Kumar Shukla’s writing despite having heard him in numerous interviews and articles outside of vague terms like “masterpiece,” “greatest living Hindi author,” “themes of magical realism,” etc., you get the drift. But what no one told me was the idiosyncratic worldview I was going to be absorbed by.
Today, we’re going to look at some of these movements, namely student movements in India that played a large part in shaping the nation. From the 1960s to the 2010s, from the Nav-Nirman Andolan to the Naxalbari movement, let’s take a detour through history and the many youth movements in India.
The same country known for its Gandhian principles of non-violence has many strata whose populations can’t go on hunger strikes because that would mean they otherwise aren’t hungry. For many, armed rebellions remain the only option. As the tussle between the state and tribes nationwide grew, a plethora of Adivasi movements in India sprung up, as we shall see through the books listed below.
From July onwards, the Purple Pencil Project started a new wing in its community initiatives: a book club. More specifically, for the time being, a club dedicated to reading Vinod Kumar Shukla’s fiction chronologically from July to January.
Today, we look at a selection of movies on Indian social movements that push boundaries and critique society. Whether it’s through historical drama, legal thrillers, or personal stories, these films go beyond entertainment, inspiring change and provoking thought. These cinematic gems on Indian social movements have highlighted pressing social concerns and contributed to an ongoing discourse on justice, equality, and human rights in India.
A gripe I’ve had with many Indian sleuths I’ve encountered over the years has been the derivative nature of their stories and surroundings. Granted, I need to read more Indian detective fiction, but the sleuth genre in itself is fairly new to the Indian subcontinent. From this perspective alone, Ambai’s Sudha Gupta is a joy to read for the local flavour in her stories (some might argue, perhaps a bit too local/Indian).
In 1973, the quiet hills of Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district were the site of one of the largest grassroots environmental protests. Local communities sparked a nonviolent resistance to protect their forests, threatened by rampant deforestation, endangering the livelihoods of local communities who relied on forests for essentials like timber, firewood, and water. Led by Chandi Prasad Bhatt and Gaura Devi, villagers embraced the trees—literally.
Language in India is intertwined with regional pride, political autonomy, and social cohesion. This connection between language and identity became particularly apparent after independence with the reorganisation of Indian states in the 1950s, mirroring the linguistic boundaries drawn by history.
I can’t tell you the number of times I would recite these lines (in Awadhi, of course) as a child: going from my room to the bathroom located in the verandah at six years of age, travelling through a dark lane to reach my home as an 8-year-old, crossing dark roads to pass off some item to my dad at 10, and so on. As thousands and lakhs of Indians, particularly in the northern and central parts of the country, I’ve grown up to hundreds of recitations of Hanuman Chalisa (while reciting yourself).
The chasm between the rich and diverse “regional” literature and the mainstream English literature has always been large. Still, the rise in the number of translations in recent years is steadily filling that gap. Simultaneously, there’s been an increase in translation-specific initiatives and awards in the past decade that have further encouraged translators and translations. Our article today looks at women translators in India, both past and present, who are helping create a more inclusive and multilingual discourse.
Do you remember the last time you sat down to read a book? What if I tell you that reading for just six minutes can reduce stress levels by 68%? Or that reading fiction can improve your decision-making capabilities by 50 to 100%? There are hundreds of studies proving the benefits of reading both personally and professionally. Now, if you’re a manager or executive in a corporate setting, you should be sitting up and paying attention.
In the blur of our fast-changing urban lives, we are losing touch with our personal histories. The further away from those roots we move, the more we risk losing our sense of personal identity.
Literary adaptations in Indian cinema are rare. Great literary adaptations in Indian cinema are rarer. Satyajit Ray’s Shatranj Ke Khilari (1977), adapted from the eponymous short story by Premchand (1924), easily falls into the latter category.
Indian feminist literature has evolved significantly through the decades and centuries, reflecting the evolution of the complex socio-cultural South Asian landscape. From the earliest reformist writings to the modern explorations of gender and identity, Indian feminist literature has a wide range of voices advocating for women’s rights and challenging the mainstream patriarchal norms. In this essay, we look at numerous books and authors exploring feminism in India through the ages.
Do you remember the last time you were watching or reading a sports drama? Do you remember the climactic moments, those slo-mo, intensely detailed, nail-biting moments that shall be the defining moment in our protagonist(s)’s journey? But why are we so attracted to sports stories? Aren’t they essentially the same? Aren’t they elementally either the story of someone falling down and coming back up or rising to heights from depths of despair?
There’s a dearth of cricket stories in the market. Biographies and autobiographies you’ll find many in the market, but great cricket novels? Hardly. That’s why a book like Chinaman by Shehan Karunatilaka, where cricket drives the central themes and metaphors, where the sport is present in every vein of the failures and triumphs, is magical, as magical as the game it’s around.
If you’ve ever searched for it, you’d quickly notice the scarcity of Indian chess books. Besides Vishwanathan Anand’s excellent memoir, they are rarer to find than an underpromotion to a bishop. Don’t worry; we have some great Indian chess books for every chess lover, whether you play the game or follow it. These books range from stories with chess as a theme or a plot point to historical narratives around the game.
Sports biographies and autobiographies are unique gateways to players you would otherwise just watch on your television sets or read about in newspapers and magazines. The best memoirs lend intimate access to one’s life and their struggles and victories. Our article today compiles some of the best Indian sports biographies and autobiographies through the years, from tennis and cricket to shooting and gymnastics.
Looking for the best books on Indian athletics and Indian athletes? You’re in the right place. Many have rued the lack of sporting culture in a nation of over a billion, and few areas show that more decisively than athletics. However, things are changing slowly but steadily, and one can’t be but hopeful. Our article today compiles some of the best Indian athletics books to read. From legendary athletes to marathon runners to Olympic champions, this selection has it all.
There’s a certain beauty in watching an underdog (player or team) fight against all challenges and rise to the occasion. There’s a certain predictability, too, but instead of taking away from our experience, it only adds to its beauty. But more than simply entertainment, sports movies can arouse and inspire.
The Olympic season is here! As the anticipation around the Indian Olympic 2024 campaign rises in tempo, what better way to immerse yourself in the season than to read the best sports books? We’ve compiled the best of Indian sports literature in this article, with stories from varying games, from boxing to sprinting, to read before the Indian Olympic 2024 chapter unfolds. Ready? On your mark, get, set, go!
A religion needs miracles. It’s fair to say, then, that a country that treats cricket as a religion needs miracles, too, from time to time. Undoubtedly, the Eden Garden game was a miracle, with Laxman being one of the wizards who crafted this victory. But this wizard had cast many other spells and had many stories beyond that one inning. 281 and Beyond is a collection of those stories.
Every country and society can be viewed and understood through different perspectives. Political thought is perhaps one of the, if not the most mainstream, ways to understand how a culture and nation were shaped through the centuries. In today’s article, we’ll explore some must-read books on Indian political thought, encompassing ancient philosophies, colonial struggles, and contemporary analyses.
You know how they say the darkest nights make the brightest stars? Or that the biggest tragedies forge the most beautiful creations? Or how great pain is needed for great art? Mankind has created the most enduring artworks from profound suffering, from Erich Maria Remarque to Virginia Woolf to Vincent Van Gogh. While I don’t completely align with the sentiment, it’s a noteworthy one, nevertheless. And one that perfectly applies to the book in question today.
एक ऐसे समय में जब इतिहास आज के वर्तमान का उतना ही हिस्सा है जितना शायद अपने वर्तमान का रहा होगा, ऐतिहासिक चरित्रों का नायकीकरण या दानवीकरण सामान्य क़िस्से हैं आज की राजनीति व समाज में। और कुछ बिरले चरित्र ही इतने प्रसिद्ध होंगे आज की सामाजिक चेतना में जितने कि विनायक दामोदर सावरकर। कहीं एक जगह उन्हें देश का सबसे प्रभावशाली व महत्वपूर्ण स्वतंत्रता सेनानी क़रार दिया जाता है, तो कहीं वे “माफ़ीवीर” जैसे नामों से अपमानित व तिरस्कारित किए जाते हैं।
Some of my favourite childhood memories involve reading mystery stories through afternoons and evenings, reading cover-to-cover in one go, from stories of Vikram Betaal and Akbar Birbal to Hardy Boys and the Secret Seven. The Hachette Book of Indian Detective Fiction, in many ways, brought back those afternoons and childhoods, engrossed in a mystery, awaiting a resolution and creating deductions of my own.
Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Heeramandi is only one of the many depictions of courtesans in Indian cinema and art. And why wouldn’t they be a source of fascination and curiosity? Courtesans have played an important role in creating and prompting Indian art forms through decades and centuries. Often educated, they had a distinct social status and occupied a unique place in an otherwise patriarchal society.
Mrinal Pande has seen journalism through its thick and thin, its ups and downs, and she understands its current (and past) state better than most. She was the first woman chief editor of a Hindi daily, the first woman to be the chairperson of Prasar Bharti, and the author of several brilliant books. She has a distinct voice and perspective, and she shares some in our conversation.
Like the best of storytellers, Sanjay Leela Bhansali and reading go hand-in-hand. One would presume the same by merely glancing at any of his movies: details chiselled into the frame, whether it’s textile or the texture, colours carrying personalities of their own, emotional complexities layered with socio-political and historical contexts. His multifaceted personality (he’s a director, producer, writer, editor, composer, etc.), his persistent perfectionism, and his natural musical sensibilities have led to arguably some of the best literary adaptations Bollywood has ever seen (with some mishaps along the road).
Anjan wants to capture the experiences and happenings of the world around him through words and stories, regardless of the medium. He’s seen leaders rise and fall, and technologies come and go, as he tries to make sense of the world around us and convey it through his creations. He’s an award-winning author, TV presenter, journalist, academician, but most importantly, he’s someone with many insights and stories to share.
Like other socio-political aspects, the portrayal of women in Indian cinema has been tricky from the beginning. While, on one hand, it’s been a source of aspiration for thousands and millions of women, it’s also propagated social evils and re-enforced patriarchal structures on the other, time and time again. Watching how women characters in Indian cinema have evolved over the decades can also reflect the changing dynamics and imagination of women in real world.
Indian literature and cinema have had close ties since the latter’s inception. Artists practising both art forms have travelled to the other side frequently, whether through cameos, memoirs or more extensive contributions. This crossing of boundaries is more common in songwriting and screenwriting, and it’s not uncommon to see songs inspired by poems or lyrics written by poets.
Nilanjana Roy‘s love for books is evident in everything she says and writes. She’s written two delightful fantasy novels, The Wildings and The Hundred Names of Darkness, and a noir fiction set in Delhi, Black River. She’s also written a collection of essays on her love of reading, The Girl Who Ate Books, and edited several anthologies.
Writing for books is different from writing for the screen. The key difference is screenwriting is a little more methodical and you may need some specific resources to materialise your vision as a screenwriter. Worry not! Whether starting your first screenplay or refining your skills, or transitioning from books to screen, our guide has all the must-have screenwriting tools.
I recently read how there’s nothing such as “being ahead of time.” That there are certain truths, and it’s the ability to accept those truths that vary with time. It’s an intriguing idea, and from that perspective, Satyajit Ray spoke truths through his cinema and stories. He redefined Indian cinema like no one before or after has been able to, with movies that are as enchanting today as they were decades ago.
Indian literature has a rich tradition of dramas and plays through the centuries. With strong oral traditions, stories were seen and heard, and not read. We’ve had various iconic Indian plays through the years, and this article aims to compile them in one place. We’ve focused on cultural importance and richness in our list, and you’ll find stories from across the Indian states. These Indian plays have often shifted the collective consciousness by raising important questions and critiquing social norms.
As they say (or should say, if they don’t), everything starts from the page. Almost every movie has its inception through a screenplay (or a book), and then it absorbs and develops new dimensions with time. Hence, it’s fascinating to read books on movies and the worlds they create and return where we started. Our article today looks at some of the best writings on Indian movies for cinephiles, capturing their various aspects.
A memoir or an autobiography is an easy and common way to leave behind your legacy (the way you want it), your memories, and your journey behind: written, solid. But, in today’s piece, we aren’t talking about them, we’re talking about Indian actors who’ve tried something different, written a cooking manual like Shilpa Shetty, or written poetic classics like Deepti Naval.
Abhishek Choudhary studied economics in Delhi and Chennai and has worked since 2010 in development (Pratham, IGC-Bihar) and journalism (Governance Now, Hoot, Newslaundry). His writing has appeared in a range of publications, including Anandabazar Patrika, Caravan, Deccan Herald, EPW, Himal Southasian, HuffPost India, and Indian Express. He was awarded the New India Foundation fellowship in 2017 to research Vajpayee’s life. During the winter of 2021-22, he was a scholar-in-residence at the International Centre Goa.
Ivy Ngeow was born and raised in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. Her debut, Cry of the Flying Rhino (2017), was awarded the International Proverse Prize in Hong Kong. Her novels include Heart of Glass (2018), Overboard (2020), and White Crane Strikes (2022). She is the commissioning editor of the Asian Anthology New Writing series. The American Boyfriend was longlisted for the Avon x Mushens Entertainment Prize for Commercial Fiction Writers of Colour 2022. She lives in London.
Mridula Garg is an Indian writer who writes in Hindi and English She has published over 30 books in Hindi – novels, short story collections, plays, and collections of essays – including several translated into English. She is a recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Award.
"All stories are similar, but some stories are more similar to each other than others." And while the original Animal Farm quote was ironic, this one isn’t. You can find several common themes and stories in the larger Asian culture and literature. From romcoms to fantasy titles to memoirs, we have it all! Create your perfect reading list for the year ahead with us.
South Asian history is mired with contradictions, tragedies, and paradoxes of all kinds. To do justice to all the stories that reside and have resided here would be a mammoth task, one certainly beyond the scope of our history textbooks. In this article, we try to bring to you books that portray the hearts and minds of people who’ve lived through the defining (and the not-so-defining) moments of these nations. Because it’s never about what just happened, but about the people who lived it: their struggles, triumphs, and the varied complexities of these landscapes.
We had a chat with Kai Bird, the bestselling author of The American Prometheus (co-written with Martin J. Sherwin) and The Outlier, at the Jaipur Literature Festival 2024.
Southeast Asia is a region rich in cultural diversity, historical depth, and storytelling traditions. From the evocative Indonesian prose to the poignant Vietnamese poetry, there is much to explore in Southeast Asian culture. Our article today looks at some of these luminaries, shining a spotlight on the award-winning Southeast Asian authors whose words transcend borders and languages.
As democracy and democratic values continue to deteriorate in India, Ravish Kumar’s बोलना ही है (translated to English as The Free Voice) remains a siren call for our times. Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s immortal lines about speaking out because your voice is free, because your life is still yours, come to mind.
Publishing for the first time is a mix of nerves and anticipation. However, you can navigate these initial stages smoothly with the right guidance. This article lists some notable grants, residencies, and awards for debut writers. It’s a solid foundation to commence your publishing journey by getting the backing of reputed organisations.
In a country and literary industry teeming with varied stories, perspectives, and voices, it’s always hard to make your mark with your very first work. At the same time, it’s also true that your first book can make or break your career. Today’s article will look at some successful debut titles by Indian authors, whether critically or commercially (or both!).
In Indian political discourse, where ideologies clash, and narratives get twisted, the written word is often the best way to understand the ebb and flow of this nation’s democratic journey. In this curated selection of the best political books, we have collected works that capture the different aspects of Indian politics, from its bureaucracy to the different philosophies that have shaped our nation.
Books have forever been at the receiving end of power and society, provoking and dissenting. Attempts to ban them are common whenever they have challenged the existing societal dynamics, beliefs, and hierarchies. Banned books are common worldwide, and it’s no different in India. In today’s article, we will look at some banned books at one point or another in Independent India, nationally, or across a specific region.
Jawaharlal Nehru once said, “Freedom is not given, it’s taken.” India has a long tradition of resisting the establishment, against injustice, against the existing hierarchies of society. Literature has always been a primary source of resistance through different avenues, whether fictional or otherwise. Through this article, I’ll try to chart resistance literature in India through the last few decades and how it has shaped our society. Without much stalling, let’s begin.
India is a land bursting with folklore and legends passed down through generations. From haunted forts to mystical lakes, the country has many mysterious tales that fascinate even today.
Mysteries are interesting, little things. An observation that doesn’t make sense, a dialogue whose meaning you can’t decipher, a story that keeps you awake at night. Or a place that harbors secrets of all colors and flavors. In this article, we’re going to be looking at some of these places.
More and more publishers are paying attention to translations from different regions and we, the book lovers, are getting to discover titles and narratives we would never have discovered otherwise. To celebrate that, we look at some of the must-read translated literature 2023.
Indian literature, as we know, knows no bounds. It’s diverse and complicated and contains many cultures and subtexts in various forms. It’s equally interesting how stories from different regions translate to a movie in another region, each with its distinct peculiarities and contexts. In today’s article, we’re going to be looking at the best book adaptations from Indian regional literature.
India has a longstanding tradition of storytelling, a tradition that goes beyond decades and centuries. Not just that, it’s a tradition that’s incredibly dynamic and varied, thanks to the many regions and cultures that come under this subcontinent. Today, we try and look at some of the most notable works from Indian literature in a specific genre, namely, the mystery and thriller categories.
How do you ensure the next generation after us is aware and appreciative of our country’s rich culture? How do you provide your children with diverse stories that help them understand the many regions, practices, and lifestyles that are very different from their own? As you can see from the title of our article, books help bridge that gap for you. In this article, we bring some of the best works of translated children’s literature from across the country.
Reading classics is a fascinating experience in that those books don’t just whisper to you stories written decades, if not centuries, ago but also help you better appreciate the history and culture of a region. The Indian states differ remarkably from each other and therefore, reading the translated classic literature of various regions helps us understand our country and its diverse cultures better. In this article, we’re going to look at some of the best Indian classics ever written.
There are few mediums as concise and precise to convey your emotions as poetry, which is why translating one becomes doubly difficult a task. Unlike prose, verses often use the reader’s knowledge of the language to play with it, to rebel against the established norms of writing. To transport all that in a foreign language is easier said than done.
This was the decade of economic liberalization, this was also the decade of the Babri demolition, this was the decade of political uncertainties, this was also the decade of new socio-economic certainties.
The 1970s in India was a pivotal decade marked by significant political, economic, and cultural shifts. On the one hand, the banks were nationalized and a state of emergency was declared by Indira Gandhi, state-led development was encouraged, giving birth to the Green Revolution. The women’s liberation movement gained momentum, while regional identity also took root. The era was replete with social movements, Naxalite activism, and other challenges, playing an important role in India’s trajectory for years to come.
Mythology, like many other fields, has been a place crowded by men. Whether it comes to stories, our obsession with heroes and fighters is evident in the way they’re seen in the larger mainstream society. But that’s not all, for most popular mythological writers happen over the centuries have been men as well.
India is a vast conglomeration of cultures, histories, stories, and dialects, and trying to define that is a task easier said than done. We continue to try looking at post-independence literature through its decades with this article. We’ve already looked at the most influential Indian books published in the 1940s and in this one, we’ll continue that by looking at the books that came out in the 1950s.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that Indian literature is limitless, almost impossible to contain or define in particular constraints. The sheer number of languages, historical contexts, genres, and innovations that Indian literature contains within itself is immense. With this article, we begin a series that attempts to look at some of the most influential Indian History Books since the decade this country obtained its independence.
India has had a rich heritage of mythological epics and folklore over the centuries. These stories have mesmerized audiences, both old and young, through generations. For younger readers, these stories not only offer a glimpse of the past and of the rich Indian culture and heritage, but they also offer valuable life lessons and morals they can imbibe.
Indian mythology has had a rich tradition of mythological storytelling, whether in the form of penning grand epics or writing insightful retellings that showcase the various facets of humanity and the human psyche.
You don’t really need to pick up the papers or watch those shouting matches that are on full display on our news channels to know the state of our nation when it comes to polarization and tolerance. Remember the JNU arrests in 2016? Or the nationwide protests against CAA-NRC in 2019-2020? Or the farmers’ protests in 2020-2021? The list goes on and on, the pile of protests and subdual of any dissent remains constant.
To a lot of us, ecological awareness might seem like something that has grown and developed in recent years, but that’s anything but true. Many works in the regional literature of India are centered on ecological issues, from rivers to tribes, that strive to raise awareness and develop empathy for the atmosphere around us.
Searching for the best works on Indian mythology? You’ve come to the perfect place! Through its myths and legends, Indian mythology not only offers a peek into a mystical past but also serves as a mirror reflecting our collective hopes, fears, and aspirations. From cosmic battles to sacred love stories, these stories of Indian mythology brim with wisdom, symbolism, and a deep understanding of the human condition.
Even after all this time, the catalog of queer books in India for young adults is pretty limited. Yes, we’re seeing more and more books in recent years, but there’s a long distance to cover. The power of Young Adult literature lies in its ability to entertain as well as make young adults more aware.
Stories are essential. Some make you dream, while some help you escape. At the same time, some stories portray reality in its various shades and colours, presenting perspectives that help you see the world through a different lens. ये दिल है कि चोर दरवाज़ा (tr.: Is it a heart or a trap door?), a collection of short stories by Kinshuk Gupta, published by Vani Prakashan, is something like this.
There aren’t many ways to understand something better than to hear it from those who’ve experienced it firsthand. And why just understanding something, you also gain a range of new perspectives when you get to hear new voices, new experiences, and new lives unfolding in front of you.
Today, environment and sustainability concerns grow more and more urgent with every passing day, and the planet and species get closer to extinction. In such a case, literature plays a crucial role, not just in highlighting the urgency of the situation, but also acting as an educational medium.
Homosexuality and queerness have had a long-term relationship with literature, even truer when it comes to the Indian subcontinent. Whether present as whispers in the ancient epics and religious texts or written as a way of challenging societal norms, the root goes back centuries and continues to grow and prosper in our modern day and age.
Over the years, the Indian film industry has evolved, showcasing a diverse range of genres and narratives. While the Hindi film industry is often considered to be synonymous with romantic dramas and action-packed blockbusters, science fiction has also found its place on the silver screen. Indian filmmakers have often ventured into uncharted territories, weaving stories that blend futuristic concepts, technological marvels, and thought-provoking ideas into captivating cinema.
Here are a few must-read books that help bring that change a little closer, helping you and the kids in your life to peek into a new perspective and become more aware. From communalism to caste to gender identity to environmental issues to body positivity, we’ve tried to present a comprehensive set of books here for you!
With a rising number of books and readers in the YA or the Young Adults category, you might wonder, why read a book on teens? For one, if you’re a teen yourself, you can find comfort and strength in stories of characters that resonate with your own story. If you’re an adult, you can find highlights of your teenage years while understanding the next generation a little better.
Daisy Rockwell is an American Hindi and Urdu language translator and artist. She has translated a number of classic works of Hindi and Urdu literature, including Upendranath Ashk’s Falling Walls, Bhisham Sahni’s Tamas, and Khadija Mastur’s The Women’s Courtyard.
Grandmothers. Often the person who saves you from the scoldings of your parents and even your grandfather. Be it your maternal grandmother, who stuffs you with many homemade sweets whenever you go to visit, or your paternal grandmother spoiling you with too much love, the relationship is one of the sweetest ones. And, grandmothers and stories go hand in hand, each story taken from the impossibly large reservoir of her memory. Here’s celebrating that beautiful relationship with our list of incredible titles with grandmothers in them!
If it’s important to introduce kids to the varied types of stories and characters for better understanding and acceptance for people, it is equally essential to introduce them to the history and general knowledge subjects. Here’s a list of non-fiction books curated by P3 to compliment the curriculum.
While both sub-genres have unique characteristics and appeal to different types of readers, they are often confused with each other. And naturally so: they both employ fiction to create something that doesn’t occur in our reality. Both genres often feature new realities altogether, as well.
Searching for the best books in sci-fi by Indian authors? You’ve come to the perfect place, for we will look at an exhaustive list of Indian science fiction through the years. From classics to contemporary, from regional literature to mainstream titles, we’re going to look at it all in this article. Without further delay, let’s jump headfirst into our list of best books in sci-fi by Indian authors!
Did you await a Hogwarts letter on your eleventh birthday too? Did you long to visit the wizarding world somehow, someday? Was it your childhood too? If yes, there’s a good solid chance you’ll love our recommendations here (and find a new world to inhabit in the process). Not only are these stories fanciful flights of imagination, but they also have a desi flavour that you’re sure to enjoy!
Why just read stories when you can sing them? All these children’s poetry books are sure to be a great companion for a night (or day, or evening, or afternoon) of reading and singing, even better with children to increase the decibels and fun.
The Bollywood filmmaker spoke to us as part of the Bundelkhand Literature Festival 2022, about reading, the rise of digital platforms and the changing nature of cinema, his favourite fim adaptations of books, and much more.
History is often restrained to the textbooks and occasional documentaries in our country, which is a shame considering how much material there is for literature and art to explore. And it’s books like Indira that are essential to bridge that gap. Joining a fictional narrative with the thread of real-life events, Devapriya creates a beautiful story that keeps your nose inside the book throughout.
A man dreams of his previous birth where he designed the gorgeous Taj Mahal, a foreign architect called upon just to create that symbol of love. An American woman falls in love with an Indian man in Delhi, a shared love for music creating something exquisite and intimate. These and many more stories are a part of this masterful collection by Kunal Basu, titled The Japanese Wife.
Purple Pencil Project’s Amritesh Mukherjee caught up with Makarand Paranjpe at the Jaipur Literature Festival 2022, to talk about his latest, JNU.
Purple Pencil Project’s Amritesh Mukherjee spoke to S. Vijay Kumar, the author or The Idol Thief, which goes deep into the underbelly to unravel the “21st-century pillaging of India’s temples by a glittering cast of suave criminals”.
