Punjabi French

When Cecilia Antony,chairperson of Panjab University’s Department of French,decided to write a story,she had to choose between penning the work in English or French. Inspired by a French magazine and writer Victor Hugo’s quote “words are the visitors of our soul”,she opted for French. The outcome is Le Desir Irresistible (The Irresistible Desire),published by Langers Publications (Rs 299). The French novel is possibly one of the first of its kind by an Indian. “In my experience there have been poems,articles and essays penned in French by Indian authors,but not an original work of fiction,” says the 50-year-old writer,who took four years to pen the 210-page novel. Though the book was released in Paris in 2007,the second edition,meant for the Indian market,was released in Delhi a few days ago. “It narrates the story of Flora,a young woman from a village in South India,who goes on to become the American Consulate General in France. The story travels through three continents and packs in enough masala fit for a Bollywood script,” says Antony,who has travelled to 20 countries.