Books and Beyond with Bound

Find Out How He Wrote His Deeply Personal Memoir, The Books That Shaped Him and What’s His Writing Routine Like…Author of So Now You Know: A Memoir of Growing Up Gay in India, Vivek Tejuja, opens up to us about his insecurities while writing his first book. From worrying about society’s reaction to such a sensitive and personal subject to being critical of rejection in all aspects of life, he talks us through the struggles he faced as a writer. We talk about reactions, opinions and criticism. How did his family react to his book? What response did it receive? We also talk about dealing with online trolls. We also talk about society and taboo and identity. On this episode, we take a closer look at media and its portrayal of LGBT stories, stereotypes and perspective. From literature to TV shows to pop culture, from Hollywood to Bollywood, we revisit popular entertainment to understand its inclusivity. We talk about Vivek’s reading habits, his favourite books, his writing inspirations.'Books and Beyond with Bound' is the podcast where Tara Khandelwal and Michelle D'costa of Bound talk to some of the best writers in India and find out what makes them tick.Vivek Tejuja has worked with books at Flipkart and now at Verve magazine, and he writes regularly on books and the experience of reading, notably on his blog, The Hungry Reader. His debut book So Now You Know: A Memoir of Growing Up Gay in India was published by HarperCollins India in 2019.You can get your copy of his book here: https://www.amazon.in/So-Now-You-Know-Growing/dp/935357269XTune in every Wednesday for a new episode.Follow Bound on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter: @boundindiaFollow our podcast on Instagram: @boundpodcastsYou can check out our website at https://www.boundindia.com/podcast/‘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.

Find Out How He Manages To Read And Write Poetry, Fiction and Non-Fiction!Tara and Michelle talk to Suhit Kelkar, author of the poetry chapbook The Centaur Chronicles. From stand-up comedy to mythology, Suhit gushes about everything he’s passionate about. We talk ideas, influences and inspiration. We talk about childhood stories and the moment the idea for his first book struck. We discuss perspectives on writer’s block, rejection from publishers and manuscript submissions. Suhit talks about the role journalism played in helping him remain detached from his writing. He talks about freelance work – and why he thinks it’s a great way to enter the writing world. We talk about spirituality, philosophy, aesthetics and mythology – and how they shape Suhit’s ideas and provide him a way to belong to something. From Archies and Enid Blyton to non-fiction on climate change and politics, he takes us through his reading list over the years. From book reviews to beta-reading to spiritual retreats, we’ve got it covered on this episode.'Books and Beyond with Bound' is the podcast where Tara Khandelwal and Michelle D'costa of Bound talk to some of the best writers in India and find out what makes them tick.Suhit Kelkar lives in Bombay, where he works as a journalist. His poems have been published in various Indian and international news and literary magazines, such as Vayavya, The Bombay Literary Magazine, Sunflower Collective, The Tiger Moth Review, Elsewhere Lit, Domus, Hakara, and Cafe Dissensus, among others. His debut poetry chapbook titled The Centaur Chronicles won the 2018 US National Poetry Contest.You can get your copy of his book here: https://www.amazon.com/Centaur-Chronicles-Suhit-Kelkar/dp/9387883159Tune in every Wednesday for a new episode.Follow Bound on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter: @boundindiaFollow our podcast on Instagram: @boundpodcastsYou can check out our website at https://www.boundindia.com/podcast/‘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.

Find Out How She Does It all: Crime Thrillers, Biographies, Children's Fiction, Journalism and MoreTara and Michelle speak to Deepanjana Pal, author of Hush a Bye Baby, a thriller about a murderous gynaecologist. She is also the author of the biography of artist Ravi Verma. And to top it off, she is a journalist who also writes children’s fiction. She tells us why she thinks genre is a made-up concept, why Harry Potter is overrated (gasp) and how commercial fiction can offer great lessons in writing.On the episode, we chat about patriarchy, female feticide and the implications of having a female antagonist in a feminist novel. Deepanjana gushes about her love for reading and writing, she has loved words since she was three years old and how she can’t imagine doing anything else, yet warns us about the practicalities of the profession. 'Books and Beyond with Bound' is the podcast where Tara Khandelwal and Michelle D'costa of Bound talk to some of the best writers in India and find out what makes them tick.Deepanjana Pal is a Mumbai-based author and journalist. She is the author of Hush A Bye Baby and The Painter: A Life of Ravi Varma. She studied English Literature at St. Stephen’s College and postcolonial theory and literature at University of Warwick. Her non-fiction writing on culture and gender has appeared in publications like The Atlantic, Wallpaper, Caravan, Buzzfeed and Vogue. She has worked with Time Out Mumbai, Firstpost and Newslaundry and is currently an associate editor with The Hindustan Times.You can get your copy of her books here: https://www.amazon.in/Books-Deepanjana-Pal/s?rh=n%3A976389031%2Cp_27%3ADeepanjana+PalTune in every Wednesday for a new episode.Follow Bound on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter: @boundindiaFollow our podcast on Instagram: @boundpodcastsYou can check out our website at https://www.boundindia.com/podcast/‘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.

Find Out Why The Ramayana Has Fascinated Her For Over Three Decades.Tara and Michelle speak to Arshia Sattar – writer, translator, editor and founder of Sangam House, a writing residency. We talk about mythology, religion and narrative. We discuss perspective, retellings and originality. We discuss our favourite characters, the importance of perspective and its modern-day implications. We discuss gender and feminism – and how its portrayal must adapt to the changing times. We talk about Sangam House and how it came into creation. We also talk about objectivity, research and authenticity – how do you keep your retelling authentic to both yourself and the original text? Why translation? Why the Ramayana? What do translation and swimming have in common? What does Arshia’s writing desk look like? Tune in to find out!'Books and Beyond with Bound' is the podcast where Tara Khandelwal and Michelle D'costa talk to some of the best writers in India and find out what makes them tick.Arshia Sattar is an Indian translator, facilitator, author, and director. Sattar obtained her PhD in South Asian Languages and Civilizations from the University of Chicago in 1990. Her translations from Sanskrit, The Ramayana of Valmiki and Tales from the Kathasaritsagara, have been published as Penguin Classics. She has also written books for children, including The Adventures of Hanuman. She is the founder of Sangam House, India’s most prestigious writing residency.You can get your copy of her books here: https://www.amazon.in/Books-Arshia-Sattar/s?rh=n%3A976389031%2Cp_27%3AArshia+SattarTune in every Wednesday for a new episode.Follow Bound on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter: @boundindiaFollow our podcast on Instagram: @boundpodcastsYou can check out our website at https://www.boundindia.com/podcast/‘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.

 7 years. 8 drafts. Find out why she rewrote her award-winning manuscript again and again.Tara and Michelle chat with Avni Doshi,  author of the award-winning Girl in White Cotton. It's about a twisted-mother daughter relationship, and the famous Osho ashram even has a role to play!Avni talks to us about new methods of writing, including a concept called sense writing. We discuss unconscious writing, and how one can access their creative side through a meditative relaxed state.We talk about authenticity and inspiration – and the confrontations she faced when basing her characters on real-life incidents and what she thinks such issues mean to writers.From writing detoxes to editing, Avni provides a ton of practical takeaways for aspiring writers on this episode. She tells us more about her writing process – how her first novel took 7 years and 8 drafts to complete and everything she’s learned since then. We talk about perspective, voice and bias – issues which are extremely pertinent in the media age – and how she reflected them in her novel.'Books and Beyond with Bound' is the podcast where Tara Khandelwal and Michelle D'costa of Bound talk to some of the best writers in India and find out what makes them tick.Born in New Jersey, Avni Doshi completed her BA in Art History from Barnard College in New York and an MA in History of Art at University College London. While working as an art writer and curator in India, Avni began writing fiction in her spare time. She has been awarded the Tibor Jones South Asia Prize and a Charles Pick Fellowship. Her current focus is fiction and experimental art writing. She is also making art out of the remnants of old manuscripts. Burnt Sugar / Girl in White Cotton is her first novel. Avni lives in Dubai with her family.You can get your copy of her book here: https://www.amazon.in/Girl-White-Cotton-Avni-Doshi/dp/9353571383Tune in every Wednesday for a new episode.Follow Bound on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter: @boundindiaFollow our podcast on Instagram: @boundpodcastsYou can check out our website at https://www.boundindia.com/podcast/‘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.

Learn how to get your comics published and develop your storytelling and artistic skills.Tara and Michelle are joined by graphic novelist Abhijeet Kini, a comic book creator, illustrator and founder of his own design studio. We take a trip down memory lane by reminiscing over our favourite comics like Tinkle and what we loved about them. Abhijeet talks to us about his childhood love for comics and how an encounter with Anant Pai encouraged him to break into the industry – when Abhijeet was simply in the eighth grade.Did you know he started drawing comics in the third grade? We talk about his creative process, where he draws his inspiration from and how he deals with criticism. He gets real with us about the practical side of his passion – from financial responsibility to side jobs and formal training. We discuss issues like diversity, inclusivity and female representation in an industry with male-dominated readership.'Books and Beyond with Bound' is the podcast where Tara Khandelwal and Michelle D'costa of Bound talk to some of the best writers in India and find out what makes them tick. Abhijeet Kini is a graphic novelist who has published several comics like Angry Maushi. He has worked as an illustrator for several leading publications like the Hindustan Times, DNA and Mid-day as well as brands like Parle, Titan and Comic Con India. He runs his own design studio called Kini Studios in Mumbai with his wife.You can get your copy of his books here: https://www.amazon.in/Angry-Maushi-Abhijeet-Kini/dp/9381766177Tune in every Wednesday for a new episode.Follow Bound on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter: @boundindiaFollow our podcast on Instagram: @boundpodcastsYou can check out our website at https://www.boundindia.com/podcast/‘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.

 Learn about Bombay’s undiscovered narratives with Jane Borges.Jane talks about Bombay's open secrets: gems hidden in plain sight. We learn about ‘Cavel’, a small Catholic neighbourhood in South Bombay, which is the focus of her book Bombay Balchão. Her insights into the characters’ lives (Goan and Mangalorean) are very educational and entertaining. And Cavel is just a stone's throw away from co-host Tara's residence and we never knew of it until we read the book! Jane also talks about co-writing Mafia Queens of Mumbai with the veteran writer Hussain Zaidi. One of the stories from the book will soon be adapted by Sanjay Leela Bhansali into a movie and guess who’s starring in it? Alia Bhatt! One of our favourite Bollywood actresses.She talks about why Bombay feels so unforgettably like home to her and serves as the setting for both her books. We talk about purposeful storytelling that makes a difference, that informs people, that shapes ideas. She gets real with us about every step of her writing journey and why she even almost abandoned her book. We talk about history, conflict and stereotypes – and what fueled her passion to write about these topics.'Books and Beyond with Bound' is the podcast where Tara Khandelwal and Michelle D'costa of Bound talk to some of the best writers in India and find out what makes them tick. Jane Borges is a Mumbai-based journalist. She writes on books, heritage and urban planning for Sunday mid-day, the weekend edition of mid-day newspaper. Bombay Balchão, which is set in a Catholic neighbourhood in the city, is her first novel. She has also co-authored Mafia Queens of Mumbai: Stories of Women from the Ganglands with S. Hussain Zaidi, which released in 2011.You can get your copy of her books here: https://www.amazon.in/Bombay-Balchao-Jane-Borges/dp/9388754751/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=bombay+balchao&qid=1582366011&s=books&sr=1-2Tune in every Wednesday for a new episode. Follow Bound on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter: @boundindia Follow our podcast on Instagram: @boundpodcasts You can check out our website at https://www.boundindia.com/podcast/‘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.

How do you unleash your imagination? And how do you embrace failure? Author Tashan Mehta talks to us about all things speculative fiction – from the growth of the genre in India to her favourite works within it. She takes us through her life, describing incidents and stories that changed her worldview on writing and cultivated her love for speculative fiction. She gushes about the flexibility, lack of rules and the ability of the genre to create experiences, transport the reader to alternate realities and most importantly, make them think. She talks about her struggles writing her first book – working on a single book for 5 years isn’t easy. Neither is rewriting your first draft 52 times. She shares strategies for everything – from inspiration to writer’s block to perseverance – which she’s learned from personal experience, from interacting with her writer friends and from the workshops she’s conducted. Tune in as we take you on a journey through Tashan’s mind as she tries to put her creative process into words and gives us a glimpse into her imagination.'Books and Beyond with Bound' is a podcast where Tara Khandelwal and Michelle D'costa of Bound talk to some of the best writers in India and find out what makes them tick. Tashan Mehta is a novelist whose debut novel, The Liar’s Weave, was published in 2017 and shortlisted for the Prabha Khaitan Woman's Voice Award. She was part of the 2015 Sangam House Writers' Residency and was British Council Writer-in-Residence at Anglia Ruskin University in 2018. In 2019, she participated in FIELDWORK 0.2, a multidisciplinary residency exploring alternative infrastructures for the future. Her short stories have been anthologised in Magical Women and Third Eye.You can get your copy of her book here- https://www.amazon.in/Liars-Weave-Tashan-Mehta/dp/938622819XTune in every Wednesday for a new episode.Follow Bound on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter: @boundindia Follow our podcast on Instagram: @boundpodcastsYou can check out our website at https://www.boundindia.com/podcast/‘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.

What's it like spending your days in trucks without devices to keep you company and how do you make a book out of that?  Tara and Michelle are joined by Rajat Ubhaykar, the author of Truck de India! Did you know he wrote this book after spending months on the road travelling with ‘truckies’ all over India to get a glimpse into their lives? Rajat talks to us about his experience practically hitchhiking across India without a plan, encountering all sorts of different characters and stories, and everything he learned from his experience. We ask him everything – from what sparked his desire to embark on such an incredible journey to the challenges he faced and what a day on the road was actually like. What did his parents think? Did he ever get bored? How did he deal with the uncertainties and dangers posed by his journey? We explore Rajat’s unique experiences through hilarious anecdotes, insightful observations and fun facts. We talk about powerful topics like privilege, history and art, the Indian truck economy and Rajat’s favourite travel destinations. From his book deal to his editing process, Rajat tells us everything – like the fact that he doesn’t believe in the concept of drafts, how he chose the right beta readers for his book and the inspiration behind his book cover.'Books and Beyond with Bound' is a podcast where Tara Khandelwal and Michelle D'costa talk to some of the best writers in India and find out what makes them tick. Rajat Ubhaykar trained as an electrical engineer at IIT Kanpur and went on to study journalism at the Asian College of Journalism after a stint in management consulting. A recipient of the PoleStar Award in 2016 for his reportage, his work has appeared in publications such as Mint, Outlook Business, Roads & Kingdoms, and Madras Courier. He lives in Mumbai and spends his spare time reviewing books, collecting trivia, and exploring India's archaeological sites. Truck de India is his first book.  You can get your copy of his book here- https://www.amazon.in/Truck-India-Hitchhikers-guide-Hindustan-ebook/dp/B07Y8R2YXYTune in every Wednesday for a new episode.Follow Bound on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter: @boundindia Follow our podcast on Instagram: @boundpodcastsYou can check out our website at https://www.boundindia.com/podcast/‘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.

Lisa defines herself as a writer, not an actress or model.Tara and Michelle are joined by author Lisa Ray, a former model, actress and TV personality. She reveals the dark side of the entertainment industry, especially the rampant stereotyping and typecasting, and talks about her attempts to break free from it. As a victim of labelling, she tells us how her book Close to the Bone was her attempt to seize the narrative and take control of her own life. Lisa spends hours at her writing desk and on this podcast she redefines herself as a writer, not an actress or model. She hasn’t revealed her creative process as a writer on any other platform before! She gets personal about the challenges she’s faced – from societal pressure and trying to find her own identity to battling eating disorders and cancer. On a lighter note, she gushes about her parents’ love story, her ideal travel destinations and her favourite books.'Books and Beyond' is the podcast where Tara Khandelwal and Michelle D'costa of Bound talk to some of the best writers in India and find out what makes them tick.Lisa Ray is an actress, model and TV personality who has modelled for leading Indian brands and starred in award-winning movies like ‘Kasoor’, ‘Water’ and ‘The World Unseen’. Her first book Close to the Bone was published by HarperCollins in 2019. She also runs an Instagram poetry account, has appeared as a columnist on Canada Reads and is currently working on several works spanning different genres.You can get your copy of her book here: https://www.amazon.in/Close-Bone-Lisa-Ray/dp/9353570158Follow Bound on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter: @boundindia Follow our podcast on Instagram: @boundpodcastsYou can check out our website at https://www.boundindia.com ‘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.