HYDERABAD: Indrani Mukerjea was arrested by Mumbai Police in August 2015 under the accusation of being the primary suspect in the alleged murder of her daughter, Sheena Bora. She was granted bail last year. Excerpts from her chat with City Express:
How did the idea of writing this book strike you?
It is a story, my memoir, my journey, my life. I kept a diary while I was in prison wherein I started writing about the things that happened since 2015 and thoughts led me to the events before that as well. While writing this diary, I decided to put everything out in a book and get it out to people who can understand. I am sure it would be a big eye-opener for women and other readers, conveying the message that no matter what, you should be able to stand up for what you believe in, you should always bring out your inner strength. Also to tell the families to support their young girls.
Can you tell us the inspiration behind creating an audiobook version of ‘Unbroken’?
I think the book was liked by a lot of people. They were interesting reviews to support the same. Harper Collins decided to go ahead with an audio version as well. There are very few books that come out in audio format. With the times changing, people are always on the move. Elderly people, those with vision impairments, and even young adults can get good access to the book and understand the essence of it by listening to it. Also, a part of the book has been recorded in my voice. The emotional connection is very different when you hear the author because this is my story, right?
Could you share a few of your experiences that you think will help the audience connect to your story on an emotional level?
The book is moving with my journey. It’s moving in different stages. One is my teenage life, which talks about a lot of peripheral incidents, which I think, is a pretty intense subject and I have addressed it openly. It took me almost 30 years, to come out with it. The other part is where I am talking about abandonment and betrayal, something that happens quite often with women. There is also a part in the book that connects with the girls from small towns– those who need support to come to bigger cities for their careers.
It’s also a success story, that talks about me coming from a small town, and then making it big, globally. Coming from a small town like Guwahati, I was recognized as the 41st most influential woman in the world by the Wall Street Journal.
One stage in your life that had a profound impact on shaping the person you are today.
I have had several challenges in life. One is that, as a child, I had to go through certain unpleasant situations. But I stood up and decided that I was not going to let anything bury my strength. Whatever talents god has gifted me with, which is essentially, I think, my mind. Whether people like it or not, I do have a very peaceful mind. I believe in that strongly. The other thing is, during the time I spent in prison, I interacted with a lot of people from underprivileged backgrounds. That was an eye-opener for me because most of the time in life, we take so much for granted. Every state and every emotion is very important to me. Success is as important as failures. Happiness is as important as being hurt.