Petals and thorns: India's Booker prize author Banu Mushtaq
All writers draw on their experience, whether consciously or not, says Indian author Banu Mushtaq — including the titular tale of attempted self-immolation in her International Booker Prize-winning short story collection.
Mushtaq, who won the coveted literature prize as the first author writing in Kannada -- an Indian regional language -- said the author's responsibility is to reflect the truth.
"You cannot simply write describing a rose," said the 77-year-old, who is also a lawyer and activist.
"You cannot say it has got such a fragrance, such petals, such colour. You have to write about the thorns also. It is your responsibility, and you have to do it."
Her book "Heart Lamp", a collection of 12 powerful short stories, is also her first book translated into English, with the prize shared with her translator Deepa Bhasthi.
Critics praised the collection for its dry and gentle humour, and its searing commentary on the patriarchy, caste and religion.
Mushtaq has carved an alternative path in life, challenging societal restrictions and perceptions.
As a young girl worried about her future, she said she started writing to improve her "chances of marriage".
Born into a Muslim family in 1948, she studied in Kannada, which is spoken mostly in India's southern Karnataka state by around 43 million people, rather than Urdu, the language of Islamic texts in India and which most Muslim girls learnt.
She attended college, and worked as a journalist and also as a high school teacher.
'Confused'
But after marrying for love, Mushtaq found her life constricted.
"I was not allowed to have any intellectual activities. I was not allowed to write," she said.
"I was in that vacuum. That harmed me."
She recounted how as a young mother aged around 27 with possible postpartum depression, and ground down by domestic life, had doused petrol on herself and on the "spur of a moment" readied to set herself on fire.
Her husband rushed to her with their three-month-old daughter.
"He took the baby and put her on my feet, and he drew my attention to her and he hugged me, and he stopped me," Mushtaq told AFP.
The experience is nearly mirrored in her book -- in its case, the protagonist is stopped by her daughter.
"People get confused that it might be my life," the writer said.
Explaining that while not her exact story, "consciously or subconsciously, something of the author, it reflects in her or his writing".
Books line the walls in Mushtaq's home, in the small southern Indian town of Hassan.
Her many awards and certificates -- including a replica of the Booker prize she won in London in May -- are also on display.
She joked that she was born to write -- at least that is what a Hindu astrological birth chart said about her future.
"I don't know how it was there, but I have seen the birth chart," Mushtaq said with a laugh, speaking in English.
The award has changed her life "in a positive way", she added, while noting the fame has been a little overwhelming.
"I am not against the people, I love people," she said referring to the stream of visitors she gets to her home.
"But with this, a lot of prominence is given to me, and I don't have any time for writing. I feel something odd... Writing gives me a lot of pleasure, a lot of relief."
'Patriarchy everywhere'
Mushtaq's body of work spans six short story collections, an essay collection and poetry.
The stories in "Heart Lamp" were chosen from the six short story collections, dating back to 1990.
The Booker jury hailed her characters -– from spirited grandmothers to bumbling religious clerics –- as "astonishing portraits of survival and resilience".
The stories portray Muslim women going through terrible experiences, including domestic violence, the death of children and extramarital affairs.
Mushtaq said that while the main characters in her books are all Muslim women, the issues are universal.
"They (women) suffer this type of suppression and this type of exploitation, this type of patriarchy everywhere," she said. "A woman is a woman, all over the world."
While accepting that even the people for whom she writes may not like her work, Mushtaq said she remained dedicated to providing wider truths.
"I have to say what is necessary for the society," she said.
"The writer is always pro-people... With the people, and for the people."
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Khaleej Times
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Movie Review: Aamir Khan's 'Sitare Zameen Par' is heartfelt but too simplistic
The year was 2007. Amid the glut of masala, action oriented and romantic films that dominated the scene, Bollywood produced an unconventional gem — a story of a child suffering from dyslexia, misunderstood by everyone until a kind-hearted teacher (Ram, played by Aamir Khan) helps him bloom. Taare Zameen Par (TZP) was an unlikely movie to come out of cliche-ridden Bollywood but went on to become a huge hit, sparking conversations and triggering emotions. What worked? Its straight-from-the-heart story, beautiful music and incredible performances. Cut to 2025. Amid a glut of OTT action and fantasy disasters, foolish horror comedies and bad historicals, comes another unconventional film — focusing on people of determination, their joys, lives and laughter. Given the all-pervading doom and gloom in our world today, a piece of cinematic art that spotlights kindness, humanity and simplicity should be a refreshing change. And considering the utter lack of creativity from mainstream Hindi cinema, a wholesome, positive film should be the perfect antidote to our numbed-by-mediocrity sensibilities. But does Sitare Zameen Par (SZP) serve that purpose? The answer: Sometimes yes, but mostly no. There is no doubt that SZP is TZP' s spiritual sister with Aamir and the sensitive storyline being the common factors. The biggest plus point: the theme and choice of cast. In a film starring one of Hindi cinema's biggest stars and other veterans, the spotlight rightly shines on a group of sassy, neurodivergent actors who win your heart with their charm and spunk. The industry is notorious for its utter lack of inclusivity but SZP is that rare film that walks the talk. So kudos to the bold step! However, is that enough? What made TZP special was its organic approach to the subject that made us empathise and be part of Ishan Awasthy — the dyslexia-afflicted child's — frustrations and triumphs. SZP unfortunately fails to do the same. You applaud it, you sympathise with the characters, you understand where they come from but you end up doing so from the periphery. It's like attending a TEDx Talk on how to view and interact with neurodivergent individuals albeit with a bit of humour and a sprinkling of drama. Aamir plays Gulshan, an arrogant basketball junior coach who rubs his seniors the wrong way, has an extended tiff with his wife (Genelia) and is caught drunk driving all on the same night. As punishment, he is recommended community service which includes training a group of basketball players on the spectrum for a national level competition. Predictably, he is out of sorts and meets them with a bunch of prejudices, but even more predictably, they end up transforming his attitudes, he gets his concepts of mental health sorted, makes up with his wife and emerges a new person. Another point that deserves special mention: while it has a do-or-die basketball final match in the climax, the result is far from what you expect. And perhaps this is the film's most important message — that empathy, kindness and understanding need not be defined by success or failure in a race or contest, nor should people be judged on the basis of the results they achieve. Just showing up is sometimes enough. However, despite all these green flags, if SZP falls short in satisfying the cinephile in you, it's due to its treatment. The empathy feels overly manufactured, the messaging too on-the-nose, the life lessons sound like they're lifted from Instagram captions and the lead character's self-realisation is spelled out a little too clearly. What if we were allowed to f-e-e-l and absorb instead? While it's commendable that the screenplay avoids emotional manipulation through sob stories or dramatising the team's and their families' struggles, it also fails to let the emotions emerge naturally. In one instance, a character explains to Gulshan the symptoms of those on the spectrum, the role of chromosomes and how everyone has their own version of 'normal". Though well-meaning, the scene feels too explanatory and obvious. When he finally realises where he went wrong, he says aloud, 'I used to be so selfish, I never looked at others' perspectives…these children changed me…' Yes, we saw that! Director R.S. Prasanna, working off a script by Divi Nidhi Sharma and adapted from the Spanish drama Campeones, takes a super-linear route though he is determined to keep it sunny and funny which doesn't always work. Perhaps, it's because most sequences are designed to preach. When a character calls someone 'Parsi', he is immediately corrected by another - 'he has a name'. A truly funny scene involving a close friendship between Dolly Singh Ahluwalia (playing Gulshan's mother) and Brijendra Kala comes with a message of accepting senior citizen relationships. It's like everyone is bent on reforming Gulshan and teaching him lessons on acceptance! Of course, the 'beaten down coach finding meaning to his life training a bunch of apparent no-hopers' is the oldest trope in motivational films but they could make engaging cinema if handled adeptly. SZP gets the ingredients right but the end recipe is bland. Blame it on the simplistic lens with which it presents every problem and solution. Just the right intentions do not make for entertaining cinema so while you may pat its objectives on the back it may not enthuse you watch it again. Surprisingly, part of the problem lies with Aamir Khan himself. Several scenes feel like affectionate nods to his iconic past — a chase sequence set to Delhi Belly 's ' DK Bose", a lyrical reference to his famous Papa Kehte Hain, and a Hum Jeet Gaye roar at the end of a match, reminiscent of Lagaan. But these callbacks don't translate into a compelling performance. The otherwise brilliant actor appears stuck in a familiar loop — head-scratching, wide-eyed, mouth-agape expressions that echo his over-the-top portrayal in Laal Singh Chaddha. His Gulshan feels like a blend of Ram (Taare Zameen Par), Rancho (3 Idiots) and Laal (Laal Singh Chaddha), with little evolution or variation. While his sincerity and belief in the film's message deserve all the plaudits, the performance itself feels overly rehearsed and self-conscious — ironically, the very opposite of what Gulshan is meant to be. Comparatively, his co-stars — Genelia (Bollywood deserves more of her!) and Dolly Singh Ahluwalia (remember her in Vicky Donor and Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani?) are natural and fit in the milieu well. But all said and done, let's give Aamir Khan credit where it's due — making a truly inclusive film and introducing a new bunch of actors. Remember the names of the 'sitaaras' — Ayush Bhansali, Simran Mangeshkar, Ashish Pendse, Rishabh Jain, Rishi Shahani, Aroush Dutta, Vedant Sharma, Samvit Desai and Naman Sharma. They restore your faith in humanity even if the cinematic world they perform in falls short.
