Persepolis comes home

A panel from the Hindi version of Persepolis. Pic courtesy/Vani Prakashan

In 2007, while travelling from New York to New Delhi, Aditi Maheshwari-Goyal, publisher and executive director, Vani Prakashan, chanced upon a book at the airport shop which she read in one sitting during the flight. Far removed from her homeland and set in Iran, the semi-autobiographical graphic novel illustrated the story of the author, Marjane Satrapi, from ages six to 14 when the country witnessed the Islamic Revolution and the devastating after-effects of war with Iraq. "The book didn't leave me for the longest time, and I kept wondering how I could meet the author," shares Delhi-based Aditi, who started working on bringing out a Hindi version of the title after acquiring the rights in 2013. More than a decade since she first picked up Persepolis, Aditi's personal journey with the seminal piece of literature will come full circle today, as graphic novelist and director Satrapi will be virtually present at the launch of the Hindi version of the title that's being hosted by the Embassy of France in India.

Looking back on her meeting with Satrapi in 2014, Aditi recalls being a true fangirl: "I come from a Marwari community, where at the time, you didn't find too many daughters taking on their father's business. We exchanged notes about similarities between patriarchal family structures in India and Iran, the way one loving father can change so much for his daughter, and the influence of Mahatma Gandhi." She adds that the title is especially relevant to the idea of an equal Indian society, where a girl child is loved, encouraged to dream and equipped to realise it.

(From left) Marjane Satrapi with Aditi Maheshwari-Goyal in France, 2014

Christine Cornet, Attachée Débat d'Idées et Livre, Debates, Ideas and Books, Institut français India/Embassy of France, informs us that the virtual event is part of the Generation Equality Forum, a programme convened by UN Women and co-hosted by Mexico and France. "As part of it, we invite stakeholders to discuss the question of equality among generations," she adds. The event will include the screening of the film Persepolis, directed by Satrapi. "Then, there'll be a debate. The panelists include Satrapi, graphic novelist Vishwajyoti Ghosh, graphic designer and author George Mathen (Appupen), Aditi, and translator-editor Nidheesh Tyagi. We'll try to address how graphic novels and comics are able to translate specific, social issues like equality or racism in non-academic and dynamic ways," she elaborates.

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