Indian authors focus on books about expat life

As the countdown for the Sharjah International Bookfair has started, many Indian authors are getting ready for the show with new titles and revised editions of their books. While the celebrity Indian novelist, Chetan Bhagat, has just released his 'Half Girlfriend', which he plans to make into yet another Bollywood movie, other writers are also in the market with new titles.
 
Outpass: Novel about Indian Expatriate Life in UAE
 
Sadiq Kavil, a UAE-based Malayalam writer has published his first novel, Outpass, which is a touching story of an expatriate from Kerala who lived for three decades in the UAE partly as an undocumented migrant worker, doing many odd jobs.

“I have received good feedback from readers of 'Outpass' and I hope the momentum will continue.  The book will be officially released here in the first week of November 2014 during the Sharjah International Book Fair. It is a story of an ordinary expatriate, whose day to day life is entirely different from the posh life of white collar middle class. People like Kunjachu, the hero of 'Outpass', live in the darker side of the urban cities and returns home without making any fortunes.

Speaking to Emirates 24|7 Sadiq said: “Even though he lives for 30 years as an undocumented worker, he circumvents all the hostile living conditions to go back to India, but the situation awaiting him back home is worse than his expectation.”

The Desert and other books by KM Abbas

KM Abbas, a well-known Malayalam author and speaker in Literary Forums in the UAE has come up with an English book, 'Desert'. It an English translation of his most popular Malayalam short stories, which appeared as Ottakam (Camel). 

'Dessert' is a collection of 19 stories depicting expatriate life in the UAE and is expected to be available in the Sharjah International Book Fair.

“All my stories are based on the agony and extacy of expatriates, irrespective of their nationalities. I have been a writer for 20 years, writing short stories in Malayalam. Since all my Malayalam stories have told the expatriate life stories, I have decided to translate the same stories and reach out to all expatriate community members, especially the Arab community.”

“I have translated one collection of stories into English. Ottakam, a collection of stories, is already translated in English. I am working on the next few books to translate my books in English and Arabic.” 

His stories like Kalli Valli, and Dubai Creek are much talked about works in the Malayalam literary circles about expatriate life.

The book has been translated by RAM Varma, who has translated many famous Malayalam books into English.

The Barefoot Painter in English and Arabic from EM Ashraf

EM Ashraf, another author from Kerala has got his book on MF Hussain, the barefoot celebrity Indian painter, the Picasso of India, who gave one of his last interviews to the author.

The Barefoot Painter, originally published in Malayalam based on the last interviews of the Dubai author with the painter.

MF Hussain, a frequent visitor to the UAE and Qatar, lived in these countries for many years. He had opened his heart before the author six months before his death.

“I am getting good response for the English and Arabic translations of my original book in Malayalam. About three thousand copies of the Arabic book are already distributed with an Arabic magazine, Arrafi,  of the Sharjah Cultural Department,” said EM Ashraf, Head of Kairali TV.

Several other authors are also preparing to launch their titles in the Sharjah International Book Fair.

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