Book Excerpts

EXCLUSIVE | Between the Lines with Jugal Hansraj and A Stunning Excerpt From His Latest Novel

When a stranger tells Kadis to retrieve the Jewel of Nisawa, little does the young prince know that his life is about to change. On the brink of eighteen, Kadis seems to have everything: the love and support of his parents and friends, and the adoration of the citizens of Kofu. But he’s plagued by a recurring nightmare and an eerie feeling that he’s being followed. When his granduncle, the wise Shonin, goes missing, a mysterious note from him propels Kadis and his friends into a whirlwind journey to a fabled kingdom. On this adventure, the prince faces challenges far greater than ever before.

How is Kadis’s destiny connected to that of a forgotten kingdom? Will Sara, Shijo, Myo, Tara and Mr Joi be able to protect their friend from danger? And will Kadis be able to find his courage when he truly needs it?

This sequel to the acclaimed The Coward and The Sword promises action, magic, romance and, of course, an irrepressible falcon.

We talked to Jugal about his exciting new book. Read his charming responses to our inquisitive questions below!

Q. What is your favourite part of being a writer, and what does your writing process look like?

Jugal Hansraj: My favourite part of being a writer is the freedom I experience to express my thoughts and feelings. There’s no producer/distributor or any commercial pressure on me that sometimes as an actor or director one has to face. It’s truly a labour of love where I attempt to create a narrative that is set in an imaginary world but tackles real issues and feelings of characters in a hopefully engaging and entertaining way.

I’m not formally trained as a writer, though I have been a voracious reader since a very young age. So my process is more organic. Once I have the germ of the idea and the central message of the material, I write down a basic structure of the story, about a couple of pages long. Then I just begin! I don’t have a set time or place where I write. Sometimes it’s just couple of hours a day. I often get mentally exhausted to sit in front of the laptop for too long and imagine the story unfolding as it can be draining. That’s because one is plucking a story almost out of thin air, stretching the imagination to experience what is unfolding in the story. Once I’m happy with the way a chapter has turned out, I stop for the day. Having said that, though the physical writing is not something I do for long stretches, the thinking and imagining goes on throughout different times of the day, for instance when out for my morning walk, I’m constantly thinking about the story.

Q. What are some books that inspire you as writer?

JH: Since it’s fantasy fiction I’m currently writing, it would have to be JRR Tolkien and JK Rowling who are most inspiring to me. The Hobbit/LOTR books and Harry Potter for the way she delved into the minds of young students.

Apart from that, as a reader, there are many writers I admire across genres. Especially writers like PG Wodehouse, William Dalrymple, RK Narayan, Bill Bryson and Anthony Bourdain.

Q. What are some fascinating lessons that readers can learn from The Coward and the Sword and The Jewel of Nisawa?

JH: Both these books have been heavily influenced by my study and practice of Nichiren Buddhism. The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, especially, and I’ve credited the exact passages that have inspired both books from his writings at the start of each book. And also the writings of Daisaku Ikeda, President, Soka Gakkai International. The message in The Coward and the Sword is that true courage lies within us. We needn’t look to any outside source for solutions. Each of us has the wisdom to tackle and face our individual challenges, we have to awaken that wisdom from within. And in the second book, the message I wish to hopefully convey to young readers again is from a passage in the Daishonin’s writings. In my years in the film business, I noticed a lot of people would react to me (and to everyone in general) based on one’s current social, economic, box office status. I’ve had people who were friends or who were nice to me when I was in the news and on the brink of some success, but they would disappear and move on to greener pastures when that success wouldn’t materialise. So based on that passage which I have quoted at the start of The Jewel of Nisawa, is that people often mistake the true worth of other people by running behind perceptions of them rather than their true value. We overlook people who are authentic and try and chase mirages or material things. That’s the theme of this book. 

Q. Both your books have been received so well by readers of all ages, do you have a favourite review or a moment to share with us, that moved you?

JH: Indeed, the reviews, responses and feedback have been overwhelmingly positive. Starting with the feedback of those near and dear – my wife Jasmine and my older brother Sunil. And then, what a great honour to have my book published by HarperCollins. That, right there, is one of my favourite moments! All the reviews from the readers are very special to me but most special to me is that, since my books are inspired by the writings of Sensei Daisaku Ikeda, who only a few months ago passed away, I had the opportunity to send The Coward and The Sword in December ‘21 to him in Tokyo through some friends. And to my absolute joy and honour, I received a reply from Sensei! It was a short message where he wished me all the best. I will always cherish that moment for the rest of my life.

Q. In the books, the Prince finds courage in adversity, and learns how it’s not the sword that makes a hero, but the heart. Was the Prince’s journey inspired by some events in your life? 

JH: Having battled constant anxiety all my life, and with the courage and encouragement I received through reading and study as I mentioned earlier, and of course most importantly the love and support of my family –  my wife Jasmine, my son Sidak, my late parents and my older brother Sunil, I realised that one can face challenges of any sort with some amount of courage if the support around us is strong. 

Q. We have loved watching you on screen play many of our favourite characters. How has your career as an actor also shaped up your understanding of people and emotions?

JH: Being an actor has definitely helped me in the writing process. I always visualise the book as a film and write down what I see. And especially while writing conversations and dialogue between characters, I am constantly speaking the lines out aloud while writing them, almost trying to perform them as the characters would. At the expense of anyone walking by to think I’m crazy, haha.

In conversation with Kartik Chauhan for HarperBroadcast 

Read the first three chapters from Jugal Hansraj’s thrilling new novel!

harperbroadcast

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