KOCHI: A 78-page novel authored by N Mohanan in 1997, chronicling his lost love, is witnessing a remarkable resurgence more than a quarter century after the writer’s passing. A fortuitous Instagram reel has propelled the novel ‘Orikkal’, which contains autobiographical elements penned towards the end of the novelist’s life, into a sensation on social media. And DC Books, the publishers of the book, have released 17 editions within a span of six months, with the book topping the charts.
Frequently purchased alongside Mohanan’s work is ‘Ram c/o Anandhi’, a novel by Akhil P Dharmajan, which has seen 28 editions since its launch a year ago and has topped the best-selling chart among Indian language books. Accompanying these is Nimna Vijay’s second novel ‘Ettavum Priyappetta Ennodu’ and ‘Visappu Pranayam Unmadam’ by Muhammed Abbas.
Sujith Surendran, representing DC Books, told TNIE that there’s a discernible trend among youngsters of increasing attraction to romance-themed content. He observed that this interest is mirrored in the creation of reels and videos featuring poignant lines from romantic books. Such content not only piques curiosity but also boosts sales by captivating the audience’s attention.
“Within six months, we have released 17 editions of Orikkal and printed 2,000 to 3,000 copies per edition, a notable departure from our typical 1,000 copies. The last three editions of Ram C/O Anandhi had 10,000 copies per edition, contributing to total sales crossing one lakh copies,” Sujith said.
He attributed the surge in sales primarily to social media.
“We’re observing shifts in reading preferences, indicating an evolving landscape. The engaging narration and music in the reel have significantly boosted its popularity, particularly among the younger audience. Nimna’s book, published by a relatively unknown publisher, is also breaking records,” he emphasised.
Sidharthan M of Mathrubhumi Books said book sales exhibit seasonal behaviour, with the current trend leaning towards romance and with social media engagement driving sales. “Previously, selling 2,000 to 3,000 books was considered a success. Now, some books are selling 30,000 to 40,000 copies, which is unusual for Malayalam language literature. Kalyaniyennum Dakshayaniyennum Peraya Randu Sthreekalude Katha by R Rajasree sold more than 40,000 copies. Initially published as social media posts, it later gained popularity among readers and was adapted into a book,” he said.
Writer Nimna, however, discounted that romance is trending, pointing out that her book is about self-love. She added that promotion on social media led to a take-off in sales, which was later aided by fan-made content that saw sales skyrocketing. Her last edition, the 22nd, had a print of 8,000 copies.
M Sarita Varma, daughter of Mohanan and the current rights holder of the book, described it as a love story, a tale of sacrifice, written candidly by a person who may have had a premonition of his death. “My father penned this in 1997 and passed away shortly thereafter, in 1999. It’s autobiographical with elements of fiction and contains numerous literary references. Such profound love is rare to find in modern times, and its resonance with youngsters may stem from its themes of sacrifice and cherishing moments,” she said.
Sarita, a journalist and writer herself, added that the publication rights of the books were frozen for around 16 years before she decided to republish it, prompted by letters from readers. “The book was a bestseller in its time, and I’m not surprised by its reception now. Maybe social media has also played a role in boosting sales,” she added.
Shifts in reading preferences
A discernible trend among youngsters of increasing attraction to romance-themed content is mirrored in the creation of reels and videos featuring poignant lines from romantic books