MADURAI: Ahead of director Mani Ratnam's adaptation of Kalki's novel Ponniyin Selvan to hit the screens on Friday, the sale of the original novel soared through the roof at the Madurai Book Fair 2022. The novel has occupied more than 100 of the 200 stalls in the fair, organised by the Booksellers and Publishers Association of South India (BAPASI).
SK Murugan, BAPASI secretary said many people are showing interest in buying Ponniyin Selvan books which range from Rs 700 -Rs 4,000, adding that readers are buying more modern literature and historical books. "So far, more than 10,000 people have visited the book fair. The profit from the sales reached Rs 5 crore when it was held in 2019. We are expecting more turnaround this time around," he said.
The buzz around the movie has piqued interest in many people buying historical books at the fair. C Hilda, a college professor, said diverting from the usual practice of buying books of popular writers, she chose historical and books related to the children from popular publications. Pointing out that she took the first four days of the book fair to check all the collections, college student Ridhanya said a Tamil historical novel caught her eye in the fair.
Stating that the cost of the books can be reduced and discounts can be increased, Pandi, a person with disability from Theni said, "A 10% discount for the latest edition is fine, but as an avid reader, I expect at least 20-30% discount for all 20-year old editions. It will benefit those who cannot afford the high price."
Along with book stalls, many other additional facilities have been arranged for convenience such as Covid vaccination stalls. Volunteers from the Indian Red Cross Society of Madurai are present to assist Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) and ambulances are kept ready for any emergency.
Visiting the book fair, DMK spokesman, Tamil poet and writer, Manuyshya Puthiran said the State government has allocated funds for every district to promote book fairs. "Such initiatives will be a boost to the publishing industry and bring more readers to the fair," he added. The book fair at Tamukkam ground commenced on September 23, and will conclude on October 3. Public can visit the stalls from 11 am to 9 pm.