Director Onir on "Footprints..."!!

It makes me immensely happy to receive this comment below on my novel "Footprints in the Bajra" from one of the best known young directors of Indian Cinema. Onir Anirban is definitely the most pertinent new face of film making in the Subcontinent today. The I AM series directed by Onir promises to break new grounds in cinematic approaches.

I met Onir first at Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, in 2009, where he showed us the work-in-progress version of his first I AM series -- "Omar". Soft-spoken and passionate about the topics at hand that he is, the film came across as a new take on LGBT issues, at once sympathetic and questioning.

I thought it would be rather unfortunate if I did not send my book to Onir. He's a busy director, and this is the only way I could send him a gift! So, this is what he said, after reading "Footprints...":

"Finally managed to read Footprints in the Bajra. Compelling reading, lovely drama and great texture. Enjoyed reading very much. Thank you for giving me your book to read."

Yes, I am happy!

Here's a poster -- I AM OMAR -- from Onir's new series:

Waiting on the MFA

What's going on these days? Well, I am in an MFA Poetry program at Rutgers-Camden. Two poetry workshops, one fiction workshop and one pedagogy class. Plus teaching two sections. That pretty much sums up my life. Writing? I am writing, a little bit. Revising more because i want to take the advantage of my workshops for all the pile of writing I have done for the last three years.

Sitting in my residence hall room where I share the kitchen with two Law students, I can only wonder what new writing will emerge from my pen. Others are watching, and so am I.

"Footprints" review in Business World magazine

Another review appeared in May this year in the top Indian biz mag BUSINESS WORLD.

"This is bitter-sweet, if a rather longish tale of a modern-day Maoist revolution and the seeds of destruction and betrayal that lie embedded in it.

http://www.businessworld.in/bw/2010_05_17_Life_In_Red.html