Raising the profile of South Asian writers since 2007
Q. Firstly, can you tell us a bit more about your theatre company and the ethos behind its formation. MUJU began life as the Muslim & Jewish Youth Theatre project in 2004. I was interested in the project as I’ve always enjoyed performing and writing. There is something quite unique about the relationship between British …
For anyone looking to add some excitement to their reading list over the summer, here’s a round up of books that we think are perfect for those long summer nights. Meera Syal’s much awaited third novel, The House of Hidden Mothers was published earlier this month. It’s an interesting premise which explores India’s surrogacy industry and …
Shakeel Aziz Bradford based, Shakeel Aziz started writing in 2010. As a youth worker he wanted to explore how he could use fiction to talk about issues facing young people. He hoped to create a framework, a starting point of discussion for teachers and agencies who come into contact with troubled teens. But once he …
Q. What inspired you to write Blood? Where did the story come from? The initial commission from Tamasha Theatre was an adaptation of Lorca’s classic Blood Wedding to a contemporary setting. I knew, early on, that adapting 1930’s rural spain to 21st century inner city UK, was going to involve a massive shift, a change …
by Adrienne Loftus Parkins If there is such a thing as a literature festival season, it’s now. Lit fests seem to be coming at us from all angles, in all parts of the country. When the weather improves, readers and writers come out in masses to talk about what they’ve been reading over the winter. …
Q. What are the highlights of this year’s Inside Out Festival? Far too many to mention! The festival is a snapshot of the year round programmes we’ve created here at Curve to nurture and develop talent in the region. Every single show stems from a long-term initiative we have here for artists and communities, so …
If you follow genre fiction at all you’ve probably seen the latest furore around the Hugo awards. If you’ve been reading anything about the whole sad puppy debacle you may well be feeling that science fiction as a genre is not ready or willing to be diverse and to be inclusive and welcoming. That isn’t …
Q. Tell us about your debut novel, The Normal State of Mind? The Normal State of Mind is a story of love and friendship. The story revolves around the friendship between Dipali, a widow and Moushumi, a lesbian, and the issues they face in their lives. It is set in 1990s India, the time around …
Many years ago, DIPNET ran a poll on their website. It asked visitors ‘Is publishing a white, middle class ghetto?’ with the overall majority result always in favour of yes. I remember it well because the poll was on the site for about a year, and nor the site nor the poll ever seemed to …
reviewed by Jane Wallace There is more than one bad character in this darkly beautiful novel: the term could equally be applied to the city that forms its backdrop, Delhi, as well as the love interest to which it ostensibly refers. With her mother deceased and her estranged father living in Singapore, twenty-year old Idha is …