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"No" return of the King, Sikandar Sidhu speaks on his fiction novel |
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GAGANDEEP SINGH AHUJA
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Sunday, 13 August 2006 |
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 PATIALA: " The Return of the King", a novel scripted by a young writer Sikandar Sidhu grand son of former minister Harbans Singh Sidhu has catched the eye of critics for wrong reasons. He argues that he has not written about Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh's return to power. The book was released by Deputy CM Rajinder Kaur Bhattal.
"No, the book " The Return Of The King" isn't about Amarinder Singh returning to power in Punjab", says Sikander before we start quizzing. "Well ,this is what people ask me on hearing the title. the novel is set in Ilana(an imaginary place). Sikander sidhu.17-yr-old, class XII student of Sant Ishwer Singh public school, phase-VII ,SAS Nagar ; feels a reader should get into the shoes of the protagonist to feel it closely. it is prophesized that the grandson of liana’s king will be made king of ilana when he grows up and will cleanse the land of evil. The king hides this grandson from wicked people who are looking out to take over Ilana. When he turns 16, he returns as the king and battles those who wants to annex his rich kingdom.”, He tells. History and mystery"The book has been written for 8-13 yr-old”, he tells. It’s an uncommon world, a display of imagination. "I didn't chose a contemporary issue as i wanted something fascinating-huge serpents, supernatural ships (he names them 'guanos'), characters that show passion, power, something like Harry potter?” So is a kid, fascinated by J.K. Rowling's fantasy weaving?” I haven't read J.K. Rowling but i have seen Harry potter movies and critically analyzed them. Like in some scenes i thought i could've done a better job. But, Rowling is a hit; I think she should be taken as an idol by all." Story of Punjab"People relied on the young boy, stood by him when he needed them and that's how we Punjabis are, there are for each other, aren't we?", he asks "UK and US have no culture, there, unconcerned who lives on the other side of the street. I’ve woven our culture to that milieu." On his ownStarting at age 13,it took him two years to write the book. Finding a publisher took another year and "Today finally , the book has been released. People just wouldn't entertain me. In India, people have the tendency to not take youngsters seriously. One publisher asked me to see him after 4 years. I wasn't worth listening to as yet!” he says. Writing: bug or outburst"I remember my grandmother writing, though i never quite followed it as she wrote in Urdu. It comes from there i guess. A writer doesn't write for others. He writes for himself, it is his own world; his imagination is at play, if people like it he is a hit. "To Sikander it's a way to relax, to vent out...more so he don’t interact with people much and keeps to himself. "Tells his mother Kamaljit Sidhu. "And he doesn't stop there. He's written more books mafia is a story of 16-yr-old gangster set in us, Chinese torture is about china invading Taiwan. "They'll be released after i see the response of this one." |
