When India’s top supermodel Shabnam Singh finds her first love Ajit begging on a street in London, she is shocked to know the circumstances that led to it all. As his traumatic life is unravelled through the withered pages of his diary, the story traverses between London’s 90s and the turbulent Punjab of the 80s, and opens a window into Punjab’s disturbing history through a tale of love, faith, betrayal, and misfortune.
Offering an intriguing journey through the highs and lows of Shabnam and Ajit’s teenage years, India’s fashion industry and the gaping abyss of drugs, extremism and illegal migration, The Opium Toffee is as much about the power of love as it is about India’s dark past.
Keekli Book Club & The Hoshiarpur Literary Society organized a book discussion and a conversation session with author of the novel, The Opium Toffee, Mr Khushwant Singh and Prof & Principal Meenakshi F Paul and noted writer & historian Raaja Bhasin at Gaiety Conference Hall, Ridge Shimla.
Mr Singh is a renowned author with master craftsmanship in writing biographies and historical fiction. Three of his books, The Turbaned Tornado, biography of oldest marathon runner Fauja Singh, Maharaja in Denims and The Opium Toffee, are being adapted into cinematic experiences, making him one of the fascinating contemporary authors of India. His biography of erstwhile royal and former Punjab Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh set new standards in writing biographies of Indian political giants. Fearless, creative and suave, Khushwant Singh has worn many hats, including a journalist, columnist, TV host, editor and farmer. He is currently the State Information Commissioner, Punjab (Chief Secretary, rank), making him a unique blend of top administrative experience and creativity.
As resource person and a moderator, Professor and Principal Evening College, HPU, Meenakshi F Paul and award-winning author, historian and journalist Raaja Bhasin shared interesting viewpoints about the book. Professor Paul opened the conversation by talking about the plot and the characters of the novel and how the title brings out the menace of bringing opium into the lives of people innocuously, so they are getting into the drug racket and are getting addicted to drugs because of the opium laced sweet.
Touching upon the historical aspects Mr Bhasin spoke about how bad things were during the militancy years in Punjab. He asked Mr Singh if the title of the book is a metaphor, that something is shiny and bright, but underneath lies the dark reality of the period. Mr Singh enlightened that even though drug menace was not much during the militancy period but the last two decades have experience a huge rise in the number of cases. Even the concept of giving the opium laced toffee was practice in many regions to wipe out families, especially in landed community, which was thus portrayed in the book.
The conversation then took a turn towards the building of characters, its theme and how close to Mr Singh came to writing it based on real life experience. He further elaborated on how it took him nearly three years to complete the novel and the kind of research went into building his characters, to give them the depth and suave to make then believable and touch base with reality. The strong narrative holds the readers interests and even though Mr Singh portrays it as a story set in a turmoil period based on drugs and militancy, it does turn out to be a love story with strong characters. Both Ajit and Shabnam share a past and how they both come out of it, is beautifully expressed in this novel. Mr Singh further shared that all his stories have been set in and about Punjab, and are now being produced as a film or a web series.
An interactive and an engaging session with the audience further gave an insight about how sensitively the book touched the issue of drugs, which is still a cause of concern, especially now among youth not only in Punjab but in other cities as well.
Wonderful events hosted by “Keekli”. Congratulations Vandana and all participants. 👏👏