Amrapali has fascinated people through the ages. Mumbai-based banker, Anurag Anand, is one of them. The writer of bestselling novels “Reality Bites” and “The Quest for Nothing” turned his fascination for this fabulously beautiful courtesan into a heady cocktail of fact and fiction with the book “The Legend of Amrapali” (Srishti, Rs. 200). Excerpts from an email interview.
What prompted you to write this book?
Amrapali, I believe, is one of the most intriguing and interesting characters in history. Many have heard about her, but not many know of her. I was introduced to Amrapali and her persona through my grandmother's bed-time stories. Later, while evaluating her story as a potential subject for my next book, I came across glaring gaps in the accounts of her life which presented an exciting opportunity for it to be blended with fiction and retold.
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We have an insatiable thirst for information about our past. Sadly though, most such accounts are captured only in historical texts and remain largely inaccessible to the larger audience. Often, the soporific presentation further limits the utility of these texts. It is in these circumstances that historical fiction serves as the missing link, presenting stories in the form that the readers wish to know them.
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Though there are various versions of Amrapali's story that coexist today, most of them remain uncorroborated and conflicting. The only reliable references to her life can be found in some Buddhist scriptures, since in later years she is known to have renounced her worldly possessions and become a disciple of Gautama Buddha. Most versions of her story that have been presented through various mediums also remain largely fictional. Similarly in “The Legend of Amrapali”, I have created a fictional backdrop for her life, populated it with a mix of characters and through their interplay have attempted to explain the facts that we know about her. The book is largely fictional with some garnishing of history.
In spite of being set in ancient times, the language is modern. Was that by design?
Yes, this is deliberate. The target audience for my book is the current generation. It is imperative that the book speaks a language that they are familiar and comfortable with.
Considering the book is about a courtesan, it is remarkably chaste! Comment.
In addition to her divine beauty and dancing prowess, Amrapali is also regarded for her benevolence and compassion. Her eventual surrender to Buddhism suggests that the pristine side of her is what dictated her life and the role as a courtesan was merely a means to attain her deeper desires. It is this aspect of her personality that I have tried to bring to fore in my book.
Why is Mallika Sarabhai on the cover?
Amrapali is known to have been a prolific danseuse and her works towards the uplift of the socially downtrodden are widely spoken about. Given Amrapali's persona and character, the closest reflection of hers in the current times, I felt, was Ms. Sarabhai. And I am glad that she graciously agreed to lend her image to my book.
Are there any plans to film the book?
I have been approached by a couple of people to explore the possibilities of converting the book into a film, but I am still awaiting some definite closures. A subject like Amrapali can only be accorded the treatment it deserves by a production house that has the required expertise and bandwidth to handle an opus of such magnitude.
What were the difficulties you faced while writing?
Writing historical fiction is very different from writing general fiction. For instance, one might wish to depict a scene where the protagonist looks into a mirror, but the fact is that in those days there were no mirrors. Such nuances run the risk of slipping out unless the author is able to mentally transport himself into the times he is writing about. This calls for a much greater degree of focus.
What were your sources of research?
My research for the book began by reading and watching every piece of work that has been done around the life of Amrapali — from a comic book and Hindi novel to a television series and movie. I read about the period, surfed the Internet about the culture, geography and any other pertinent material that was available in public domain. It was only once the research was over that I got down to shaping my version of Amrapali's story.
What next?
The next will be another female-centric story which is likely to come out by the second half of this year. However, the encouraging response that “The Legend of Amrapali” has received from its readers has left me bubbling with excitement.
So, who knows, a sequel, covering the later part of Amrapali's life might well be on the cards.