In this episode, we are discussing retelling mythology with popular author Anand Neelakantan. Stay tuned and listen to the thoughts and ideas of Anand who explores the idea of good versus bad and the various retellings of the Indian myths over the years and how these retellings were informed by the space, time and geography, they originated from further into the episode. He then speaks about his choice to tell these stories from the narrative of the anti-hero, the side characters. Finally we end with a discussion on what stories are relevant for our political realities of today.
About the Guest:
Anand Neelakantan is an Indian author, columnist, screenwriter, and public speaker. He is known for writing mythological fiction and has authored eleven books in English and one in Malayalam. He was listed as one among the “100 top celebrities in India” in 2015 and 2017 by Forbes India. His debut book Asura: Tale of the Vanquished was featured in the list of “100 books by Indian authors to read in a lifetime” by Amazon Books editors. The book has sold more than a million copies over the years. Three of his books have been shortlisted for Crossword Book Award during the respective years.
This episode was hosted by Lasya Nadimpally, former Partnerships and Community Manager at Belongg. Lasya is a former journalist and editor who has worked for leading Indian media houses covering politics, human rights, social justice, law and policy, culture and travel.