Over the last decade, fantasy readership has seen a considerable rise, thanks to an ever growing number of Hollywood movies such as Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. The recent movies based on comic books have also been a great contributor to the rise in followers of the genre. If you time travel ten years back and visit a book store, you would not see a single Indian name on the shelf of fantasy books. Writers such as JK Rowling, Christopher Paolini and Robert Jordan dominated the shelves with later additions from Rick Riordan and Eoin Colfer. But the picture is changing now.
Samit Basu started the revolution in the field of science fiction by Indian authors. Though he has not been able to root his feet in foreign markets yet, he has a considerable followership in India. After a successful release of his first three science fiction books he toyed with a super hero theme through Turbulence. Though the novel has been liked by many in India, it has been tried and judged wanting by the critics of the genre.
Samit Basu
Towards the end of the decade, Indians saw the first national best seller in form of Amish Tripathi’s Immortals of Meluha. Its base of Indian mythology and a ‘filmy’ storyline did the trick. Shiva, a beloved deity in India, has been portrayed in the novel as a realistic (as can be) hero who frees the Meluhans who have waited for him for ages. Though the critics have hugely criticized the writing style and amateurish story elements of the book, not to mention historical inaccuracies, the readers have loved and enjoyed the book. Resultantly, The Secret of the Nagaas, the second book in the series has set records in pre-ordering.
Amish Tripathi
Following the trend, many Indian authors are now venturing in the Fantasy market. Of the top of the list, Sarang Mahajan is the name showing promise. Through his first book, Luwan of Brida, he has introduced an altogether new way of storytelling to the Indian fantasy literature, that of wild imagination and vivid imagery. Not borrowing from the rich Indian mythology, Luwan of Brida may well be defined as the first major Indian fantasy book to have scored success in the market. Set in the imaginary world of Inkredia, Sarang Mahajan’s protagonist Luwan and his adventure are being widely admired in all departments by readers as well as critics. It won’t be a surprise if Luwan of Brida soon makes it to the list of national best sellers.
Sarang Mahajan
Starting with Samit Basu at the beginning of the first decade of the new millennium, the trend seems to have strengthened with imaginative authors like Sarang Mahajan. Whether the trend further strengthens and we see big budget movies being made on of these or forthcoming is something we have to wait and see. But Indian lovers of the fantasy genre surely have a reason to cheer about.
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