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Vidya Balan Launches a Great Kahani The Wrong Turn: Love and Betrayal in the Time of Netaji By Sanjay Chopra and Namita Roy Ghose
Mumbai, 1st March, 2017: Om Books International along with The Junkyard Café, Mumbai, celebrated the launch of The Wrong Turn: Love and Betrayal in the Time of Netaji by co-authors, Sanjay Chopra and Namita Roy Ghose, on 28th February 2017.
Vidya Balan, Rajat Kapoor and Simone Singh read from the book. This was followed by an interesting discussion on the book by Sanjay Chopra, Namita Roy Ghose, Tigmangshu Dhulia, Arshad Warsi, Anil Dharker and Tisca Chopra. Other notable people present on the occasion were Maria Goretti, Sayani Gupta, Kavita Kaushik, Ranvir Shorey and Mushtaq Sheikh.
About the book
1944, Kohima — a small, sleepy town in northeast India. Subhash Chandra Bose and his Indian National Army (INA) along with the Japanese, are on the brink of bringing the Empire to its knees and forcing the British out of India. But, inexplicably, the tables turn. The INA’s advance is thwarted and the victory march to Delhi is halted. Seventy years later, the British admit that the Battle of Kohima was the greatest battle they had ever fought. Even more so than the battles of Waterloo and Dunkirk. Was it then that old Indian curse — betrayal? Someone from within Netaji’s own ranks? Were there forces other than the British, waiting in the shadows closer to home, who stood to gain even more from the INA’s defeat? Or was it just love that irrevocably altered the course of India’s destiny? The Wrong Turn: Love and Betrayal in the Time of Netaji, is a sweeping tale of passion set against the freedom struggle. Debraj, the rakish playboy and scion of a distinguished Calcutta family, and Nishonko, the fiery revolutionary sworn to the cause of the INA, must not only fight their common enemy, but also for the love of Aditi, the rebel with the healing touch. A haunting tale of love, friendship and betrayal of an entire nation, The Wrong Turn veers inexorably towards a poignant redemption.
Says Sanjay Chopra, co-author “The Wrong Turn is a story that traverses the cities of Calcutta, Singapore, Rangoon and Kohima caught up in the blaze of the Second World War. It is about the clash of four desperate forces as they come together in Kohima to vie for the brightest jewel in the crown — India. Victory will come to those who possess not just the coldest steel but even colder hearts.”
SANJAY CHOPRA is an airline pilot and author of two collections of short stories, Said and Done and Tailspin stories. He believes that his office forty thousand feet in the sky and his travels provide him with a view that fuels his vivid storytelling that cuts a wide arc through time and space.
His stories have won the Invisible Ink, the Millennium writers and Southport awards in the UK and USA. In the words of his readers, ‘He is a storyteller like those of the old days, yet his stories are as modern as tomorrow.’
He lives in Mumbai with his wife Tisca Chopra, an actress and he is currently working on a film script and a web series.
Namita Roy Ghose, co-author said “This was a story waiting to be told. So much about Netaji was smoke and mirrors, partial views foisted on us by the British and other vested interests. Here was a man who was a personal hero, who was part of the lore of my childhood. And here was a chance to set the narrative straight – through the lens of a very human yet universal story of love.”
During a school project on ‘The most memorable day of my life’, NAMITA ROY GHOSE wrote about a Russian girl on the day WW2 ended. She got her first rejection slip from the teacher for making things up. Ever since, Namita has established her storytelling skills through her scriptwriting, screenplays poetry, fiction, legendary advertising campaigns, and as a renowned advertising film director. A Creative Director with HTA, she left after 13 years to start her own film company, White Light, one of India’s top ad film outfits. A social activist, she is the founder of Vanashakti, an NGO that works to protect the environment. Namita has done pro bono work on issues like domestic violence, child welfare, sexual harassment and forest preservation. She is an avid traveller, a photographer, foodie and teacher
Ajay Mago, Publisher, Om Books International said “A Tale of Two Cities, Dr Zhivago, Gone with the Wind are some of my favourite historical fiction. Even today, I enjoy a well-written historical fiction. So when The Wrong Turn came my way, I was clearly excited about this critical piece of Indian history couched in a fictional narrative. A great story told marvellously. Clearly one of the best books Om Books International has published.”
Umang Tewari, Proprietor, Big Fish Ventures said “I am blessed to receive much love and acceptance for The Junkyard Café in Mumbai. It’s overwhelming to see that in less than a span of 3 months, The Junkyard Café has become the favorite hangout spot for Bolly and Telly world. The Junkyard Café is a luxurious concept that derives its inspiration from Junkyard, a yard used to store junk. How junk can be utilized in the most beautiful way, is something that the café chain has mastered very well. The magnum place which stands true to its concept, welcomes you to a world that has best of interiors with minimalistic approach. The Mumbai units have been designed by deriving inspiration from vintage garage or old spacious industrial locations. With tires on the wall, scooters as seats, parking graphics on the wall etc., The Junkyard Café is an extremely unique concept and first of its kind in Mumbai. Lifelike images of Elvis Presley & Marilyn Monroe will adorn the walls of Mumbai café and take the guest into the classic Hollywood era.
About Om Books International
One of the largest English trade publishers in the Indian subcontinent, Om Books International is a force to reckon with. It has been a leading enterprise for more than five decades in the Indian publishing and retail industry. Headquartered in Noida, OBI has a diverse publishing list: cinema, biography, memoir, mind-body-spirit, photo essay, art, architecture, lifestyle, fiction – commercial and literary, to name just a few categories. It counts amongst its notable authors Khalid Mohamed, Mushtaq Shiekh, Bharathi S Pradhan, Nasreen Munni Kabir, Rauf Ahmed, Kamala Das, William Dalrymple, Christopher C Doyle and Suhail Mathur.
Om Books International has a stellar lineup of Gourmand World Cookbook Award Winners: Saransh Goila, Maria Goretti, Michael Swamy, Mugdha Savkar, Shazia Khan, Aditya Mehendale and Vikas Khanna.
Some of its forthcoming titles include: The Bachchans by SMM Ausaja, Asha Parekh: The Hit Girl by Asha Parekh and Khalid Mohamed, and Taj Mahal: Multiple Narratives, by Amita Baig and Rahul Mehrotra. OBI has an equally strong and varied children’s publishing programme under its imprint, OmKidz.