The Myth Maker
India Today|May 01, 2023
Anand Neelakantan’s Nala Damayanti is the latest in his retellings of popular Indian myths with contemporary undertones
Amit Dixit
The Myth Maker

Anand Neelakantan specialises in telling tales from the perspective of unusual characters, often the antagonists

From a prosaic job at the Indian Oil Corporation to top-selling author and screenwriter—not to mention the occasional acting stint—Anand Neelakantan has come a long way. He tasted success with his very first book, Asura: Tale of the Unvanquished (2012). “The job had got hectic and boring when I started writing. When Asura became a runaway bestseller, it opened up opportunities in both books and television,” says Neelakantan. “So, 11 years since my first book, here I am, with 13 books, including the official prequel for Bahubali, more than 600 hours of television and two OTT shows to my credit. It happened like a dream.”

The high points of Neelakantan’s career so far are the three prequel novels he wrote for S.S. Rajamouli’s Bahubali movie series, the first being The Rise of Sivagami (2017). Recalling the experience of writing them, he says, “When S.S. Rajamouli invited me to be the official chronicler of the Bahubali prequel, I was scared of my inadequacy. Writing the backstory of an immensely popular film and that too completing a three-book, epic-sized work in less than 18 months, was daunting. However, with more than 40 characters and an intricate plot, I think I redeemed decently well with this project. They remain some of my favourite works.”

This story is from the May 01, 2023 edition of India Today.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the May 01, 2023 edition of India Today.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM INDIA TODAYView All
The Mamata Pushback
India Today

The Mamata Pushback

The West Bengal Chief Minister Faces A BJP Onslaught On Issues Like Corruption And Women's Safety. Unwilling To Yield An Inch, The TMC Is Building A Narrative That The Saffron Party Is 'Anti-Bengali'

time-read
8 mins  |
May 13, 2024
Who Will Win The Mahayuddh?
India Today

Who Will Win The Mahayuddh?

In Maharashtra's Most Complex Political War Ever, Shifting Alliances Fuel A Gripping Saga Of Power Struggles And Betrayals In The Pursuit Of Votes

time-read
10+ mins  |
May 13, 2024
Grand Young Master
India Today

Grand Young Master

Seventeen-yearold D. Gukesh has become the youngest player to win the Candidates chess tournament

time-read
1 min  |
May 13, 2024
SPORTING SPIRIT
India Today

SPORTING SPIRIT

BADMINTON PLAYER ASHWINI PONNAPPA, 34, IS OFF TO HER THIRD OLYMPICS, THIS TIME WITH A NEW PARTNER, TANISHA CRASTO

time-read
1 min  |
May 13, 2024
PORTRAITS OF A PEOPLE
India Today

PORTRAITS OF A PEOPLE

Etchings by the colonial Flemish artist F. Baltazard Solvyns are getting a new lease of life in an exhibition at the Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum, Mumbai

time-read
1 min  |
May 13, 2024
Centennial Man
India Today

Centennial Man

A seminal exhibition of K.G. Subramanyan's works in his birth centenary year at Emami Art, Kolkata takes an imaginative and immersive curatorial approach

time-read
2 mins  |
May 13, 2024
Rhythms of Nature
India Today

Rhythms of Nature

ARTIST AND MUSIC COMPOSER GINGGER SHANKAR'S LATEST SINGLE COMBINES SOUTH INDIAN MUSIC WITH INUIT THROAT SINGING

time-read
1 min  |
May 13, 2024
SEARCHING FOR THE SOUND
India Today

SEARCHING FOR THE SOUND

Kashmiri musician Faheem Abdullah’s debut album Lost; Found is a collaborative effort

time-read
1 min  |
May 13, 2024
FOUND IN TRANSLATION
India Today

FOUND IN TRANSLATION

With its excellent translations, Songs of Tagore makes Rabindrasangit accessible to the non-Bengali reader

time-read
2 mins  |
May 13, 2024
Of Freedom and Friendship
India Today

Of Freedom and Friendship

T.C.A. RAGHAVAN'S CIRCLES OF FREEDOM FOLLOWS THREE YOUNG MUSLIMS DRAWN INTO THE FREEDOM STRUGGLE

time-read
2 mins  |
May 13, 2024