GurgaonMoms Book Club in collaboration with Harper Collins India organized the launch of latest book by author Kanchana Banerjee ‘NOBODY’S CHILD’ on September 26th, 2019, in conversation with Vinita Dawra Nangia, author, erudite TOI senior editor, Founder & Director Write India. It was quite an entertaining and riveting evening enthused with an engaging discussion and book reading on this Thursday evening with a houseful audience. I was quite thrilled too to make it since a thriller book was to be launched. Well the setting was quite interesting, as the venue was Vapour Bar Exchange in Global Foyer mall which is quite a happening place with the millennials and not a usual venue for a book launch, complimenting the plot of the book having twists. The place had an inviting and sophisticated ambience with British Colonial windows, pale golden lights and dark wooden interiors.
The evening started when eminent writers, bibliophiles and GurgaonMoms Book Club members filled the bar with their charming and intellectual conversation, mingling and rounds of tea coffee served with refreshments. There was slight nip in the air indicating the onset of autumn and this was much required with the added hotness quotient of the ladies in the program along with few men complimenting. The author of the evening looked resplendent and is already quite popular with the energetic Gurgaon Moms group.
The book got released with the panellists Vinita Dawra Nangia and Kanchana Banerjee, author of the evening followed by a tete e tete between the two gorgeous authors clad in sarees and wearing pearls. It was quite a stimulating discussion as Vinita Dawra posed very pertinent and compelling questions to the author about the book and her writing experience. Vinita complimented Kanchana for writing a book in the genre of thriller being very contemporary and trending genre as observed on all popular media forums such as Netflix, popular books all around the world. She also congratulated the author as a woman writing a thriller is uncommon in India and there are very few. A glimpse of the discussion was that why Kanchana chose to write a psychological thriller after writing a romantic fiction. Kanchana told that she always was inclined towards complexity, mystery, thriller and is a voracious reader of such books. Reality is stranger than fiction and she was always intrigued by the unimaginable stories coming up in news which were happening for real. This strangeness, convolution and complicated dynamics were the primary impetus to fuel her pen for writing thriller stories. Her next few books would also be in this genre only.
Vinita also asked about how love is portrayed very differently in her book and is far removed from usual mushy love.
Kanchana answered very candidly that how she finds complexity and depth in relationships and in lives very intriguing and appealing. She added that simple and mundane doesn’t interest her much and thus she enjoyed writing this thriller with unpredictable twists and hard-hitting tale. She narrated that when we love someone, then there are few things we like and there are few things we don’t like. It’s not black and white. Same goes with trust in a relationship. There are layers and she like to unpeel those complex emotions.
Vinita also asked Banerjee to share about her writing process. Kanchana explained that she likes to plan her writing and is very organized with the process. She knows the end of her story in the very beginning and believes in polishing her work. She also shared that she likes to evolve and learn new things and how the books on writing as a craft have influenced her. Kanchana also shared how the book got titled and thanked her publishers Harper Collins, editors, friends and family for their support in making of this book.
Nobody’s Child is author’s second book published by Harper Collins and is a promising read with an unputdownable intrigue in the story. Kanchana’s writing is commendable as she can maintain the intrigue and grip of reader’s interest tightly. Also, I enjoyed the witty one liner and how the author has written from a male’s point of view as well as the female’s point of view. The genre of the book is a thriller fiction and is based on a story of a girl, Asavari who gets fame by a reality TV show and becomes the cynosure of public, the 2016 winner of the reality TV show Indian Koel by her talent and humble background. She dies and then reappears in a very unimaginable avatar, tattered and shattered stirring the human psyche after 2 years. The story line reflects the ugly realities of the society and the dynamics of power play and how media could be instrumental as well as could be misused like a puppet by the business tycoons. There are hilarious instances when a business woman cum politician Kamini perceives men as different breeds of dogs due to their demeanour. Overall, it’s a lucid, vivid and gripping contemporary story. Do read for a hard-hitting, chilling tale.
Finally, the floor was opened to audience for questions and Kanchana responded to all the questions very enthusiastically.
At the end, Director PR,Events & Book Club at GurgaonMoms, Upasana Mahtani Luthra addressed the audience expressing gratitude to Harper Collins, Vapour bar group, members of book club, Kanchana, Vinita Dawra, GurgaonMoms’ core team members Subhashini, Anshu and the supporting team for gracing the occasion and making it a fantastic event.
The event concluded with a group photo of GurgaonMoms Book club book members, all cheered up followed by a book signing session. I am glad that I participated in this program and look forward to attending more such enthralling events put together diligently by GurgaonMoms group.
Photo credits to Pragati Makkar of Amaretto by Pragati Makkar
