Tamil writer Charu Nivedita’s Conversations with Aurangzeb, translated by Nandini Krishnan, is an unpredictable book. In it, a writer begins a novel with an idea but soon meets the spirit of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, who decides to seize the opportunity to tell his side of the story. This is an irreverent, indignant Aurangzeb, most unlike the historical character we are familiar with. The writer and Aurangzeb speak of the past and present, of Mughals and Marxism, of satire and Sunny Leone, and a host of other contemporary subjects. Krishnan says the novel is “defiant of all genres”.
In the lead-up to The Hindu Lit Fest 2024 on January 26-27, Nivedita and Krishnan discuss the wildly imaginative book, their collaborative process, and the latest translation fad. Edited excerpts:
