Books and Beyond with Bound - 7.15 Anisha Lalvani: Love, Crime, and Coming of Age in Noida

7.15 Anisha Lalvani: Love, Crime, and Coming of Age in Noida

12/11/24 • 50 min

Curious about how contemporary fiction explores women's sexuality, family, and the messy transition into adulthood?

In this episode of Books and Beyond, Tara and Michelle sit down with Anisha Lalvani to discuss her debut novel, Girls Who Stray, a coming-of-age story set in Noida. The novel follows A, a 23-year-old literature graduate, as she navigates love, family, and a tangle of crime and self-discovery.

Anisha shares how her background in publishing and television influenced her storytelling, as well as the seven-year journey of writing and refining her book. She shares how the idea of her protagonist becoming an escort came to her suddenly, inspired by her belief in women owning their sexuality. She opens up about the challenges of portraying complex, relatable characters and how the title of the novel evolved during the publishing process.

Listen in as Anisha dives into the creative process, the themes of family and self-discovery, and how she crafted a story that resonates with today’s generation.

Books Mentioned in this Episode:
A Bad Character - Deepti Kapoor
Age of Vice - Deepti Kapoor
Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson
Frances Ha - Film by Noam Baumbach
CNTRL - Film by Vikramaditya Motwane
Girl Interrupted - Film by James Mangold

‘Books and Beyond with Bound’ is the podcast where Tara Khandelwal and Michelle D’costa uncover how their books reflect the realities of our lives and society today. Find out what drives India’s finest authors: from personal experiences to jugaad research methods, insecurities to publishing journeys. Created by Bound, a storytelling company that helps you grow through stories. Follow us @boundindia on all social media platforms.

Curious about how contemporary fiction explores women's sexuality, family, and the messy transition into adulthood?

Listen in as Anisha dives into the creative process, the themes of family and self-discovery, and how she crafted a story that resonates with today’s generation.

Previous Episode

7.14 Saania Saxena: Friendships, Crushes and Growing Up

How do teenage years shape the way we view the world around us?

In this episode of Books and Beyond, Michelle and Tara chat with 20-year-old author and philosophy blogger Saania Saxena about her debut book, Teenage Chronicles. Saania, who started her blog at just 12 to cope with school pressures, created a book that features five relatable teenage characters navigating emotions like jealousy, anger, and the complexities of friendships.

Saania shares how her book combines scientific insights with personal anecdotes, helping readers better understand and manage their emotions. Each character is inspired by people Saania has met, and their stories aim to guide readers towards greater self-awareness. From her early blog readership of school friends to reaching a global audience, Saania talks about how she published the first version of this book at just 16 with a global publisher and her future aspirations in writing.

In this exciting partnership series with Jaico Publishing House, we are featuring fascinating new authors every month, writers that captivate the audience and bring forth a revolutionary perspective to Indian literature.

Tune in to hear how Teenage Chronicles mirrors the joys, challenges, and complexity of adolescence, making it a must-read for anyone seeking connection and self-awareness.

Books Mentioned in this episode:
Tuesdays with Morrie - Mitch Albom
Lean In - Sheryl Sandberg
Sophie’s World - Jostien Gaarder

Next Episode

7.16 Ministhy S & Arunava Sinha: Leaping Out Of A Page - Translation is More Than Putting Pen to Paper

Ever wondered how translators breathe life into stories across languages? Or what it takes to bring the essence of one culture into another?

In this episode of Books and Beyond, Tara and Michelle unravel the secrets of literary translation with two of India’s finest: Arunava Sinha, who has translated over 80 masterpieces, and Ministhy S., known for her thought-provoking translations of powerful and diverse narratives.

From the untold struggles of salt farmers in Gujarat to a coffin maker’s poignant tale, Arunava and Ministhy reveal how they navigate the challenges of capturing a story’s soul while juggling cultural nuances and creative integrity. They also dive into the highs and lows of being a translator in India—breaking stereotypes, fighting for recognition, and dealing with the constant questions.

In this exclusive series in partnership with Penguin Random House India, we spotlight two renowned translators, Arunava Sinha and Ministhy S., as they unravel the art of translation, the cultural bridges it builds, and the challenges of bringing Indian stories to a global audience.

Listen in as they reveal the joys, challenges, and transformative power of bringing stories to life across languages and cultures.

Books mentioned in this episode:
Pratham Pratishruti - Ashapurna Devi
Bakul Katha - Ashapurna Devi
Enid Blyton
One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Gregory Rabassa
Meerasadhu - K.R Meera
Nandakumar K.
Fathima E.V
Anthea Bell
Anton Hur
Hospital Poems of Mathematics and Madness - Binoy Majumdar
Imaan - Manoranjan Byapari