Paro Anand’s new book Unmasked: Stories from the Pandemic (Published by Puffin; Rs 250, 232 pages) is about despair, courage and hope in the pandemic. Through the 18 short stories, Anand introduces us to characters that seem familiar and intimate.
The book begins with a poem written by a 13-year-old girl that deeply moved Anand, and the end Chapter 19 is left blank so readers can fill it with their own pandemic experiences and share it with family and friends. “Stories have an immense power to talk about difficult issues,” says Anand.
Excerpts from an interview:
Are the short stories in Unmasked inspired by real-life incidents?
Yes, these are inspired from reality with emphasis on fiction Reality Fiction; one of my favourite genres to write and read. These are stories of migrants, domestic abuse, work and study from home.
When did you plan to write this book?
Some of these stories were cooking even before Covid. Seeing the stories of the pandemic, looking at videos of deer and peacocks on the road, driving to the doctor one morning and experiencing the eerie silence and clear blue skies. made me want to write about this time. My daughter who was involved with relief work in Dharavi also had a few experiences to share. The fact that Covid was a weird common thread tying the entire world together plus the reality of Covid being a great equalizer even as it was driving people apart, strengthened my resolve.
Why call it Unmasked?
(Laughs) There is an interesting story behind it. Penguin liked the idea of my book, but its marketing team said, “By the time the book comes out, the pandemic will be over and everyone will be so sick of it that they won’t buy a book called Covid’s 19 which was my original title as I wanted to write 19 stories. Then, the editor working on it suggested the title Umasked; it fit because the stories’ expanse goes much before and long after the pandemic. The stories talk about happenings behind the closed doors, unmasking the layers of society.
Is the National Centre for Children’s Literature (NCCL) — you once headed it — doing enough for children’s literature?
The NCCL had a very fine vision, but sadly, there is a lot of red tapism. I found it hard to see projects through. But, I learnt a lot in the five years I spent there. It opened me to the ‘other’ India about which I knew little. I realised that literature needs to reflect more, and reach more. It gave me a great insight into the minds, language and needs of my potential readers. Although things are much better than when I first started out as a writer in the 1980s, we still need to do a lot, and rethink our strategy of creating and disseminating children’s literature. It has a lot of power to bring up generations of discerning and socially-aware human beings. The time to do that is NOW.
What are you currently working on?
A book that is about two different characters who were abandoned and how they come together to solve their problems. I am also translating my earlier book, Being Gandhi, into Hindi.
You were a drama teacher. How did you become a writer?
I became a drama teacher as I loved theatre. But there was an utter lack of play scripts that my students and I could relate to - most plays were either Western or based on mythology. So I started to make up stories and write out play scripts, which the kids enjoyed. Later, I decided to get those published so that other schools could also benefit.
Do you follow a writing schedule?
I write for two hours daily, no matter what. I don’t wait for the muse, I chase her down. I don’t wait for perfect circumstances to write. I write anywhere and everywhere. In fact, I love Delhi’s traffic jams and delayed flights, because at such times, I open up my laptop and start to write. I call it ‘surfing the jam’.
Side Trivia
A book that inspired you: Joy Adam’s Born Free.
To be a good storyteller: You need to be honest