Book,Self

He cites examples from some of his writings on the state capital. “Two incidents especially left an indelible mark on me and I even wrote about them in my features. One was about a Muslim cleric from the city whom his friend from the community spotted on television make an offering to the pyre of Rajiv Gandhi,whom he regarded as a friend. He confronted the cleric,who replied: ‘Please don’t bring religion into friendship!’ And in Thakurganj in the walled city,a group of Hindus joined hands to collect funds to whitewash a masjid,on the gates of which was written: ‘Non-Muslims not allowed’. All this were the inspiration for my characterisation,” he avers.

The story is about Aditya,hailing from small-town India comes to Lucknow to join a national daily and falls for Shehnaz,brought up in Europe and married into an orthodox family. But it does not remain entirely a love story as Sharma does justice to the generous sprinkling of characters,bringing to the fore the newsroom tension that also gives rise to humour of a unique type. Through characters ranging from street-smart to cynical and from the linguistically challenged to the wisecracks,he reflects on a period of metamorphosis that was set off in the post-liberalisation late-90s and is continuing to define the way India lives,thinks and believes.

“The fraternity of journalists in Lucknow is small and we all kind of know each other. But since this is not an autobiography for circulation among friends and family,I have taken good care to get others interested too. I am sure my viewpoint pertaining to the changing times will find an echo in what most people in their 30s and 40s think and feel,whether in Lucknow or in any part of the world” says Sharma,who will be releasing the book in December.

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