Shehan Karunatilaka – “Writing a queer novel was never my intention”
1 year, 10 months ago

Shehan Karunatilaka – “Writing a queer novel was never my intention”

Hindustan Times  

Did Maali Almeida – the protagonist of your novel – start off as a closeted gay man in your imagination, or did you add this detail while developing the character? Shehan Karunatilaka Well, the initial inspiration for the character of Maali Almeida came from the real-life story of a Sri Lankan man called Richard de Zoysa. 368pp, ₹1733; Penguin How has your representation of a closeted gay man been received by the LGBTQIA+ community in Sri Lanka and the Sri Lankan diaspora? That said, my research did involve speaking to gay men who were Richard’s contemporaries and younger gay guys in today’s Sri Lanka who use Grindr to meet. Tell us about the gay rights scenario in Sri Lanka, and whether you think that The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida might contribute in some way to that conversation.

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History of this topic

Dhrubo Jyoti picks his favourite read of 2022
1 year, 11 months ago

Dhrubo Jyoti picks his favourite read of 2022

Hindustan Times  

In the last decade, a flurry of books – fiction and non fiction – featuring LGBTQIA+ people and their lives have hit the market. Yet, none have been nearly as searing as My Father’s Garden, not as insightful in sketching rounded queer lives, warts and all. Its three sections that trace the journey of the protagonist through heady teenage days …

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