" Sachidanandan (Anand), a Malayalam writer based in Delhi, said, "There is no doubt that people who have had such harrowing experiences should write about them. But many do it for commercial reasons."
M Mukundan, a pioneer of modernity in Malayalam literature, condemned her works as "prurient money- spinners". "It proves one thing -- present day audiences like books penned by sex workers describing fantasies and immoral activities, and in future there will be more such writers than serious novelists," he wrote in a magazine." For Anand, writing for commercial reasons is a sin! For Mukundan making money is unthinkable!! Two great [ male] 'serious novelists" indeed!!! They write for salvation On 10/11/07, aryakrishnan ramakrishnan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Keralite sex worker to translate her book in English > PTI > Sunday, September 23, 2007 > http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1123022 > > NEW DELHI: Two years after she shook up literary circles in Kerala > with "Njan, Laingikatozhilaali" (I'm A Sex Worker), Nalini Jameela is > back with an English version of her book that she says is less > fictional. > > "Some incidents in the first book were fictional. So I thought of > re-writing the book despite it being widely accepted in Kerala. The > new book narrates the same story, minus the exaggerations," said > Jameela, who is in the capital for the release of the English version. > > "I want to create awareness about AIDS. I want every one to know how > the virus affects the physical and mental health of people who are > part of our profession," Jameela said. > > "Njan, Laingikatozhilaali" was a controversial bestseller, with the > book going into six editions in just 100 days and selling over 13,000 > copies. > > But Jameela's entry into the literary world was not well received by > many noted writers of Kerala. > > Sachidanandan (Anand), a Malayalam writer based in Delhi, said, "There > is no doubt that people who have had such harrowing experiences should > write about them. But many do it for commercial reasons." > > M Mukundan, a pioneer of modernity in Malayalam literature, condemned > her works as "prurient money- spinners". > > "It proves one thing -- present day audiences like books penned by sex > workers describing fantasies and immoral activities, and in future > there will be more such writers than serious novelists," he wrote in a > magazine. > > But Jameela brushes aside such criticism, saying "My book highlights > the ordinariness of sex work in the lives of poor women and its place > along side other demeaning work situations quite invisible to Kerala's > educated elite." > > She claimed to have the approval of Sara Joseph, Civic Chandran and > Gangadharan Mashe, all acclaimed writers in Malayalam. "It was Sara > who told me not to elaborate on sexual encounters," she said. > > The publisher of the book agrees with Jameela. > > "We decided to support her for two reasons. Because of the commercial > reason as the Malayalam version did great business in Kerala. > > Secondly and more importantly, due to the social reason," said > Nilanjana S Roy, chief editor of West-Land Publishers. > > "Jameela writes on behalf of downtrodden sex workers. We really want > to support a woman who has fought for her fellow beings," Roy said. > > Jameela, a Hindu who later embraced Islam, turned a new leaf when she > decided to champion the cause of fellow sex workers in 1999. She soon > headed AIDs prevention campaigns and was appointed president of the > Kerala Sex Workers' Forum. > > She worked closely with Jwalamukhi, an organisation championing the > rights of sex workers. While working with Jwalamukhi, Jameela met J > Devika, an activist who helped her translate her book into English. "I > have known her for a long time. So I offered to be a translator for > her. It was an experience for me," Devika said. > > Jameela is also excited about the release of Marathi, Hindi and Tamil > versions of her book. "The Tamil edition was released by noted actor > Nasar," she remarked. > > She expects the English version to do "decent" business outside Kerala > though she does not expect it to match the sales of her first book. > > > > -- Dileep R I thuravoor --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth?hl=en-GB -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
