Source : Times of India
Author Namita Gokhalelaunched her latest book titledLost In Time: Ghatotkacha And The Game Of lllusions at the third edition of the Times Litfest held in New Delhi. “It’s a fun book on time travel which has been told from the point of view of a 14-year-old boy,” Gokhale told a packed house. She had been toying with the idea for 10 years.
Known for her books on strong women protagonists and topics which concern adults, Gokhale says she finds writing for children a challenge she was willing to take. “It is way more demanding, but I love writing for this age group. Unlike other authors who write stories that parents of children would like them to read, I want to focus on my audience as perfectly capable, thinking beings. I don’t believe in any dilution,” Gokhale added. She makes it a point to keep her tone as non-preachy as possible.
To keep her book in sync with the mindset of the millennials, Gokhale said it was pertinent that she got her research in place. “There are a few paragraphs where I have described a football match. Since, I am not aware of the terminology, I requested a popular football commentator in India to have a look-see. There is no compromise when you write for children, they can be great critics,” she said.
Her favourite character from the Mahabharata? “Bheem, because he is the strongest yet the simplest,” Gokhale said in conclusion.