Adite Banerjie's Blog, page 2
November 22, 2018
Pink Heart Society reviews Bombay Heights
Very delighted that my book Bombay Heights has got 4 Pink Hearts. This is what the reviewer says:
"It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what I found so charming about Adite Banerjie’s Mumbai-based romance Bombay Heights. The plot seems entirely predictable; Sanjana, the heroine is conventionally independent and strong-minded, yet melts like a chocolate teacup at the brush of a fingertip from Ash, the male love interest, who oozes sexuality with a hint of little boy lost. Honestly, he’s the sort of bloke – so attractive between the pages, and doesn’t he know it! – any sensible woman would want to slap if they met in real life. Sanjana, of course, is much more tolerant – she doesn’t actually smack him – but she does make it clear she’s no pushover. Inevitably, they become friends and eventually something more…
And, it’s the slightly unexpected way their relationship develops and the changing dynamics within Sanjana’s close-knit family, that makes Bombay Heights an above average romance: because it’s not just a love story but also a window into an India – modern, professional, forward-looking – that challenges western stereotypes of an over-crowded, poverty-stricken, male-centric country.
This new India is epitomised by Sanjana’s father, who, initially wanted Meghna, his middle daughter, to return to her abusive husband, because of his worry ‘about what people would say if her marriage broke up’. But, by the end of the novel he apologises. ‘I should never have insisted you return.’ Instead, he says, he must step back and let his daughters learn from their own mistakes. While Banerjie’s writing was sometimes a little over-lyrical for my taste, I doubt this would be a problem for most readers. A lovely book: an entertaining and thought-provoking read."
Check out the review here
"It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what I found so charming about Adite Banerjie’s Mumbai-based romance Bombay Heights. The plot seems entirely predictable; Sanjana, the heroine is conventionally independent and strong-minded, yet melts like a chocolate teacup at the brush of a fingertip from Ash, the male love interest, who oozes sexuality with a hint of little boy lost. Honestly, he’s the sort of bloke – so attractive between the pages, and doesn’t he know it! – any sensible woman would want to slap if they met in real life. Sanjana, of course, is much more tolerant – she doesn’t actually smack him – but she does make it clear she’s no pushover. Inevitably, they become friends and eventually something more…
And, it’s the slightly unexpected way their relationship develops and the changing dynamics within Sanjana’s close-knit family, that makes Bombay Heights an above average romance: because it’s not just a love story but also a window into an India – modern, professional, forward-looking – that challenges western stereotypes of an over-crowded, poverty-stricken, male-centric country.
This new India is epitomised by Sanjana’s father, who, initially wanted Meghna, his middle daughter, to return to her abusive husband, because of his worry ‘about what people would say if her marriage broke up’. But, by the end of the novel he apologises. ‘I should never have insisted you return.’ Instead, he says, he must step back and let his daughters learn from their own mistakes. While Banerjie’s writing was sometimes a little over-lyrical for my taste, I doubt this would be a problem for most readers. A lovely book: an entertaining and thought-provoking read."
Check out the review here
September 25, 2018
Balancing humour and drama in a rom-com
Romantic comedies are my favourite genre of movies to watch and I have always enjoyed reading chick-lit books with a liberal dose of humour. So when I started writing Bombay Heights I was consciously aiming at a premise where my two lead protagonists Ash and Sanjana would be constantly in each other’s way and providing a few laughs for the reader. As neighbours who also turn out to be colleagues, it was a neat way to have them exchanging banter as they play the romance game.
While plotting the story flow, it seemed easy enough. However, writing is rarely seamless and glitch-free. My story almost came to a standstill at a crucial scene in the final act of the story. The scene is set in a restaurant where Chetan (Sanjana’s ex) is expected to make an important announcement. Nearly the entire cast of characters of the book – Sanjana, Ash, Sanjana’s dad and her two siblings and Chetan – are dining at a posh restaurant. Sanjana is a bundle of nerves as she has her own announcement to make and is unsure of how her family is going to react to it. Besides, both her ex and current love interest are present. The stage is set for drama. However, how can a rom-com not have a streak of comedy running through it?
Read the rest of the post here...
While plotting the story flow, it seemed easy enough. However, writing is rarely seamless and glitch-free. My story almost came to a standstill at a crucial scene in the final act of the story. The scene is set in a restaurant where Chetan (Sanjana’s ex) is expected to make an important announcement. Nearly the entire cast of characters of the book – Sanjana, Ash, Sanjana’s dad and her two siblings and Chetan – are dining at a posh restaurant. Sanjana is a bundle of nerves as she has her own announcement to make and is unsure of how her family is going to react to it. Besides, both her ex and current love interest are present. The stage is set for drama. However, how can a rom-com not have a streak of comedy running through it?
Read the rest of the post here...
September 19, 2018
Writer Protagonists Make for Entertaining Movies
It's been a while since I posted movie reviews on my blog. Heck, it's been a while since I watched movies! How does a movie buff who is also a screenwriter not watch movies? That's sheer sacrilege. Well, life (and deadlines) have a way of getting in the way. But let's not dwell on that.
The good thing is that Netflix and Amazon Prime are just what the doctor prescribed for a screenwriter deprived of her fix of movies. Binge-watching movies is good for the soul too! Try it some time. ;)
The other Big Plus about watching movies via streaming channels is that you can simply watch the first 10-15 minutes of a film and decide whether it grabs you enough to see the rest of it.
So, here are the top two movies that grabbed my attention...interestingly, both are adaptations.
Read more....
The good thing is that Netflix and Amazon Prime are just what the doctor prescribed for a screenwriter deprived of her fix of movies. Binge-watching movies is good for the soul too! Try it some time. ;)
The other Big Plus about watching movies via streaming channels is that you can simply watch the first 10-15 minutes of a film and decide whether it grabs you enough to see the rest of it.
So, here are the top two movies that grabbed my attention...interestingly, both are adaptations.
Read more....
July 3, 2018
Cover Reveal of Bombay Heights, a Romantic Comedy by Adite Banerjie
As the release day of my romantic comedy novel, Bombay Heights, draws closer, it's time to unveil the cover and reveal the blurb!
It's an exciting moment for me and I hope you all will love the cover.
First the blurb...
Bombay Heights -- Sleepless in the City of Dreams
Small town girl Sanjana Kale wants a fresh start in Mumbai. A challenging job and some much needed distance from her ludicrously over-protective family could get her life under control.
Forced to team up with video game designer Ashwin Deo, who is too attractive for his own good, she finds life becoming a whole lot more complicated when he turns out to be her new neighbour. How can she maintain a professional distance with this charming troublemaker who believes in getting up close and personal?
To make matters worse, her ex tries to manipulate her loved ones to work his way back into her life. Hysterical siblings, a cantankerous client, an ex who will not take no for an answer, and a blow hot blow cold neighbour... Sanjana is sleepless in the City of Dreams! Can she do what Ashwin dares her to--create a few ripples even if it upsets her family?
And now for the Cover....
Read the rest of the post here
It's an exciting moment for me and I hope you all will love the cover.
First the blurb...
Bombay Heights -- Sleepless in the City of Dreams
Small town girl Sanjana Kale wants a fresh start in Mumbai. A challenging job and some much needed distance from her ludicrously over-protective family could get her life under control.
Forced to team up with video game designer Ashwin Deo, who is too attractive for his own good, she finds life becoming a whole lot more complicated when he turns out to be her new neighbour. How can she maintain a professional distance with this charming troublemaker who believes in getting up close and personal?
To make matters worse, her ex tries to manipulate her loved ones to work his way back into her life. Hysterical siblings, a cantankerous client, an ex who will not take no for an answer, and a blow hot blow cold neighbour... Sanjana is sleepless in the City of Dreams! Can she do what Ashwin dares her to--create a few ripples even if it upsets her family?
And now for the Cover....
Read the rest of the post here
May 29, 2018
Sizzling Summer Deal for Destiny's Girl
Temperatures are soaring across India. Mangoes and lychees, tall cool drinks and summer vacations are all part of our coping strategies, right?
So, here's an offer that's not to be missed. Relax indoors with your favourite cold beverage and your Kindle.
To sweeten the deal, here's a free copy of my ebook Destiny's Girl. Hope you enjoy the read. And please don't forget to leave a review if you do read it.
The limited time offer is only between 29th May and 31st May 2018. So don't delay!
US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079MJDM3K
INDIA:https://www.amazon.in/dp/B079MJDM3K
Happy Reading!
So, here's an offer that's not to be missed. Relax indoors with your favourite cold beverage and your Kindle.
To sweeten the deal, here's a free copy of my ebook Destiny's Girl. Hope you enjoy the read. And please don't forget to leave a review if you do read it.
The limited time offer is only between 29th May and 31st May 2018. So don't delay!
US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079MJDM3K
INDIA:https://www.amazon.in/dp/B079MJDM3K
Happy Reading!
March 19, 2018
Contemporary Romance in Indian Fiction
Recently I was invited by SheThePeopleTV to participate in a panel discussion on Contemporary Romance along with other authors at the Women Writers Fest. It was an interesting session and threw up some fascinating insights into how authors (and editors) approach the topic of romantic love in fiction writing.
Are darker themes replacing feel good romance? This was one of the issues that was debated.... Read the rest of this post on my blog....
Destiny's Girl
Are darker themes replacing feel good romance? This was one of the issues that was debated.... Read the rest of this post on my blog....
Destiny's Girl
June 14, 2016
No Safe Zone is now available!
Hello! No Safe Zone, my newest book, is an action packed romantic suspense novel. It is available online (at all Amazon portals) and in book stores in India. Very delighted that it is already listed by Amazon in its #HotNewReleases list. Don't forget to check out the NSZ giveaway on Goodreaders (for Indian readers) which starts on 18th June.
Happy Reading!
AditeNo Safe Zone
Happy Reading!
AditeNo Safe Zone
May 6, 2016
Rakesh Anand Bakshi on writing, filmmakers and his lyricist dad
Today, I have the pleasure of welcoming to my blog Rakesh Anand Bakshi, author of “Directors’ Diaries: The Road to their First Film“. is a huge contribution in filling that gap. The book is studded with interviews of some of the top filmmakers of Bollywood–ranging from Subhash Ghai to Imtiaz Ali, Govind Nihalani to Farah Khan, Zoya Akhtar to Vishal Bharadwaj. Bakshi’s interviews with 12 directors open up the world of Indian cinema and also the filmmakers’ signature styles. It also is a peep into their personal journeys, the ups and downs of their careers, the heartbreaks and triumphs and how these have shaped their own films. The book explores the working relationships between directors and their cinematographers, editors and art directors, providing insights that are valuable not only to the lay film enthusiast but also to budding filmmakers. For Bakshi, who is the son of renowned Bollywood lyricist Anand Bakshi, it is a labour of love. Over to Rakesh….
Hi Rakesh. Welcome to my blog. What inspired you to write Directors’ Diaries?
RB: Sometime in 2002, I read in a book that David Lean, the English film director known for films like Lawrence of Arabia and Dr Zhivago, etc., used to be a tea boy. He then became a messenger, then an editor and finally a director. It made me wonder about David Lean’s life and I thought if he hadn’t started as a tea boy with a film production company, he perhaps wouldn’t have become a director. Maybe he would not have discovered his love for films. Was that the only job he could get then, or he took up the job as a tea boy in a production company because he wanted to be closer to his dream to be a filmmaker?
I also realized that most people who aspire to be film directors often find the path to their dream unfathomable, because most of them and their families do not have background in films. But maybe it had nothing to do with that. I belong to a family involved in films and I had studied film-making, acting and writing abroad. I had also assisted an excellent writer and director. And yet I couldn’t make a film. I wondered, sometimes almost angrily, how so many people without any background in films managed to direct films. There was an angst in me to explore how they managed to make a film but I didn’t. And this curiosity and anguish is shared by millions of others who are trying to make it into the industry!
I knew there was a book here. This thirst and hunger to know how directors I admire make films urged me to interview them, to somehow know them and their creative processes better. Some of the questions to which I had always wanted answers were: What constitutes a director, emotionally or otherwise? Can a person educate himself/herself to be a film-maker? How does one end up here and how does one get their first break in this industry? I wanted to know more about their experiences and influences as I knew that even my answers lay there.
Each interview in this book left me feeling enriched and today I am more fulfilled than ever because of the things that these directors’ choices, stories, experiences and lives taught me. And that is what I hope this book does for anyone who aspires to be something in his or her life. Most importantly, I hope this effort can help someone make a film someday.
Read the rest of the post here...
Hi Rakesh. Welcome to my blog. What inspired you to write Directors’ Diaries?
RB: Sometime in 2002, I read in a book that David Lean, the English film director known for films like Lawrence of Arabia and Dr Zhivago, etc., used to be a tea boy. He then became a messenger, then an editor and finally a director. It made me wonder about David Lean’s life and I thought if he hadn’t started as a tea boy with a film production company, he perhaps wouldn’t have become a director. Maybe he would not have discovered his love for films. Was that the only job he could get then, or he took up the job as a tea boy in a production company because he wanted to be closer to his dream to be a filmmaker?
I also realized that most people who aspire to be film directors often find the path to their dream unfathomable, because most of them and their families do not have background in films. But maybe it had nothing to do with that. I belong to a family involved in films and I had studied film-making, acting and writing abroad. I had also assisted an excellent writer and director. And yet I couldn’t make a film. I wondered, sometimes almost angrily, how so many people without any background in films managed to direct films. There was an angst in me to explore how they managed to make a film but I didn’t. And this curiosity and anguish is shared by millions of others who are trying to make it into the industry!
I knew there was a book here. This thirst and hunger to know how directors I admire make films urged me to interview them, to somehow know them and their creative processes better. Some of the questions to which I had always wanted answers were: What constitutes a director, emotionally or otherwise? Can a person educate himself/herself to be a film-maker? How does one end up here and how does one get their first break in this industry? I wanted to know more about their experiences and influences as I knew that even my answers lay there.
Each interview in this book left me feeling enriched and today I am more fulfilled than ever because of the things that these directors’ choices, stories, experiences and lives taught me. And that is what I hope this book does for anyone who aspires to be something in his or her life. Most importantly, I hope this effort can help someone make a film someday.
Read the rest of the post here...
March 15, 2016
A Fifth Blogversary Hi-five
I was more than a little surprised to get a message on my blog dashboard the other day. It was a little note from the backroom boys of WordPress to thank me for “flying” with them for five years. My reaction: stunned incredulity. How did the years “fly” past without me noticing? Looking back, it has been one heck of an adventure. And here are my top five learnings…
Blogging is about finding your own path
When I first jumped on to the blogging bandwagon, I had a single-minded focus. To becom...
January 30, 2016
Different Kinds of Joy
Read-a-Romance-Month is celebrating diversity in romance in January. Here's my post....Joy – such a tiny little word but so big on emotion. It evokes so many happy memories: Indian Tycoonthe first drops of a monsoon shower on your face, the aroma of smoking hot samosas and freshly brewed coffee, the soft breath and cosy warmth of a little puppy, the azure blue of Pangong Lake on a chilly morning in the barren landscape of Ladakh. And all those lovely little moments that make you feel warm inside out.
During my teenage years in Bombay, I discovered the joy of reading Mills & Boon romances. I devoured every single one I could lay my hands on. I couldn’t have enough of the super-hot heroes and sexy heroines caught up in romantic conflict in exotic locales. The only problem: my pocket money couldn’t keep pace with my passion for reading M&Bs. That’s when I had a lucky break. A ramshackle neighbourhood library came up with a novel idea: anyone who borrowed and returned two books within a week would get two books free. I have no clue whether the scheme worked for the library-on-its-last-legs or not, but it made me one deliriously happy reader!
My passion for happily-ever-after stories also makes me a huge movie buff. Especially, the over-the-top, mushy, Bollywood variety. These two-hour-plus movies of pure escapism, spiced up with a unique blend of traditional family values, song and dance set-pieces and happy endings, have given me more hours of joy than I can count.trouble new name
I experienced yet another kind of joy when I won a publishing contract with Harlequin. I wish I could say that writing a romance is as easy-breezy as reading one. But it definitely gives you a high like none other when your manuscript transforms into a beautiful book with your name on it!
As Rumi has said, “When you do things from your soul, you feel a river moving in you, a joy.”
Here’s to all you lovers of romance—may there always be rivers full of joy running within you!
Read the full article here and post a comment for a chance to win an e-copy of my book and/or Amazon gift card. Good luck!
