I came across this video a few days ago. It is a great summary of the story that my book tells. The visuals do a great job of recreating the ethos of the time.
Friends have told me on several occasions that the book would make a compelling movie. This video gives a taste of all that it could be —
It would be a period piece that would juxtapose Indian, American and British locales in all their contrasts. The cities of Bombay and Calcutta, New York and Philadelphia, and bucolic New Jersey. The movie would feature Anandi as a young petite Indian woman dressed in a traditional sari and jewelry and speaking impeccable English. She would be among American men and women — very different in looks but one with her in her and in her mission.
And then there would be Gopal, her husband, who would start out as a passionate educator, albeit short-tempered, who would then morph into a very unsympathetic and eccentric person. The final contrast would be between the Indian communities that would shun her and torment her before she left India and that would nevertheless accord her a heroine’s welcome upon her return after earning an M.D.
The fact that this little video was published now — just as my agent has started shopping the book to publishers — feels like an encouraging sign from the Universe!
Hat tip to the South Asian American Digital Archive (SAADA) and to Imran, who created the video. Hat-tip as well to Timeline who appear to have collaborated with SAADA in the creation of the video.
As for the swag, SAADA have created a T-shirt featuring a photo of Anandi!
