GUJARATI WRITER TOPPLES CHETAN BHAGAT IN APRIL BEST SELLER BOOK LIST

Ronnie Screwvala Tops The List, Followed By Aashu Patel & Chetan Bhagat

Mumbai: Top five best seller list for the month of April 2015 released by India’s leading book store, Granth, features debutant writer Ronnie Screwvala and Gujarati author Aashu Patel in the top two slots, ahead of India’s top rated writer Chetan Bhagat. In less than half a month of its release Aashu Patel’s thriller ‘Madam X’ is emerging as the most picked-up book, but is ranked second in the list. Ronnie Screwvala’s ‘Dream With Your Eyes Open’ tops the list with Chetan Bhagat’s ‘Half Girlfriend’ and Gillian Flynn’s ‘Dark Places’ marking the third and fourth spot respectively.

Aashu Patel is a renowned Indian writer who has written over twenty-five books in Gujarati has also been a leading journalist and editor of prominent Gujarati media. Madam X is a first in English for the best-selling Indian author that was released on April 15, 2015. A saga on Mumbai underworld, the book was launched by the renowned director Tigmanshu Dulia who also has formally announced his plans on adapting the book into a Bollywood film.

“Back in the nineties while I was into journalism, I extensively studied and tracked the underworld. It is during this period that I got acquainted with people from the underworld and this gave me the edge when I began writing plots around the subject. Madam X is perhaps the only female protagonist in the otherwise male dominated underworld,” says the author. “The story is about how a small-town girl’s ambition to make it big takes her on an unexpected, roller-coaster journey to becoming the protégé of an infamous don to eventually becoming the most dreaded gangster of the underworld.”

Aashu Patel after starting his career as a journalist in Gujarati, made his mark as a columnist and later a writer. He has 26 published books to his credit including a coffee table book on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Top 5 titles of April, 2015 (Granth Bookstore):

1. ‘Dream with your eyes open’ by Ronnie Screwvala
2. ‘Madam X’ by Aashu Patel
3. ‘Half girlfriend’ by Chetan Bhagat
4. ‘Dark places’ by Gillian Flynn
5. ‘Something happened on the way to heaven’ by Sudha Murthy

SENIOR WRITER – JOURNALIST AASHU PATEL’S BOOK ‘MADAM X’ LAUNCHED IN MUMBAI

Small Town Girl Becomes The Most Dreaded Gangster Of The Underworld – 

Madam X

Mumbai: Aashu Patel’s saga on the underworld, narrated in his latest cult thriller book was launched on April 15^th at a grand event at the city bookstore, Granth in the presence of a bevy of Bollywood

(L-R) Tigmanshu Dhulia, Aashu Patel, Sanjay Chhel, Paresh Baua,
Ananth Mahadevan

and Tellywood celebrities. Actor-Director, Anant Mahadevan and actress Ishita Sarkar read parts of the book at the launch.  The event was also attended by Sanjay Chhel and Jayantilal Gada. The book is the first one in English for the bestselling Gujarati author and was launched by Tigmanshu Dhulia. At the launch the renowned Bollywood director announced his plans to adapt the book into a Bollywood film.

Tigmanshu Dhulia

“I had met Aashu almost a decade ago and since then we have been good friends. Aashu's knowledge of underworld amazes me. The moment he narrated the plot of Madam X, I decided to make a movie based on it. It is a very gripping book and gives us an insight into the very soul of the underworld. Madam X is set in the nineties when the underworld was at its peak," says Tigmanshu Dhulia.

“Back in the nineties while I was into journalism, I extensively studied and tracked the underworld. It is during this period that I got acquainted with people from the underworld and this gave me the edge when I began writing plots around the subject. Madam X is perhaps the only female protagonist in

Aashu Patel

the otherwise male dominated underworld,” says the author. “The story is about how a small-town girl’s ambition to make it big takes her on an unexpected, roller-coaster journey to becoming the protégé of an infamous don to eventually becoming the most dreaded gangster of the underworld.”

With this sensational novel senior Gujarati writer-journalist Aashu Patel enters the English market for the first time. After starting his career as a journalist in Gujarati, he made his mark as a columnist and later a writer. He has 26 published books to his credit including a coffee table book on Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.

The book is published by Shree Book Centre .It will be available at Granth and all leading book stores across India.

SMRUTI IRANI LAUNCHES COFFEE TABLE BOOK ON NARENDRA MODI AT ONE OF THE LARGEST EVER CONGREGATIONS OF GUJARATIS IN MUMBAI

Record Breaking Book Launch Marks Revival Of Mumbai BJP Gujrati Cell 

Mumbai: On the eve of ‘Mathrubhasha Divas’ Mumbai BJP Gujrati Cell has launched a coffee table book on Indian Prime Minister and fellow Gujrati, Shri Narendra Modi in one of the largest ever congregations of the community in the country. The coffee table book titled ‘Narendra Modi – A Visionary Prime Minister’ contains over 300 rare pictures compiled over a period of thirty years. Edited by renowned Gujrati writer, Shri Aashu Patel and photographed by ace lensman, Shri Dilip Thaker, the book was released bilingually in English and Gujrati.

“Attended by over fifteen thousand Gujratis, this is one of the largest book launches in the annals of Indian history,” says Shri Bhargav Patel, President, Mumbai Gujarati Cell, BJP. “What makes it doubly significant is that Gujrati community is usually disinterested in politics. But the taking of office of the Prime Minister by Shri Narendra Modi has enthused the community. This is a welcome change in their mindset,” he added.

Union Minister for Human Resources Development (HRD), Smt Smruti Irani launched the book at NSE Ground at a function packed to capacity in the presence of BJP National Vice President, Shri Purushottam Rupala and Members of Parliament (MPs) Shri Paresh Rawal, Shri Kirit Somaiyya, Shri Gopal Shetty, Smt Poonam Mahajan and other dignitaries from the field of politics, business, entertainment and glamour.

The launch was accompanied by grand musicals by singing superstar Falguni Pathak, Preeti-Pinki, Parthiv Gohil and others alongside entertainment programmes by Dilip Joshi and cast of Tarak Mehta Ka Ulta Chasma and other performances.

“I can say confidently that this book is a class apart. Narendrabhai himself will be surprised with many of the photographs clicked by Dilip Thaker. Photographs of ribbon cutting and speeches have been published many times. But the moods, temperaments, activities and settings showcased in the book are stunning. Even if we keep aside the photographic skills, the range of pictures by itself astonish the senses,” says Aashu Patel who has edited the book besides having written twenty four other books in Gujarati including the bestseller ‘Madam X’ which is being made into a movie by Tigmanshu Dhulia and Anurag Kashyap.

 “The project has been very close to our hearts, especially because we have trailed Mr. Modi’s colorful journey in politics until eventually, his appointment as the PM of India. So we thought it’d be a great idea to share some of the little known and lighter shades of our PM’s life and times with everyone. Hopefully, people will love this book as much as we’ve enjoyed working on it,” says Mr. Dilip Thaker. “This coffee-table book is by far my greatest achievement. It has some rare photographs of Narendrabhai depicting his journey from Vadnagar, a small village in Gujarat to 7 Race Course in New Delhi.”

The English version of the book is published by the leading publishing house - Pentagon Press and the Gujarati version, by Navbharat Sahitya Mandir, one of the largest publishers in Gujrati. The coffee table book is the 25^th book of writer-journalist, Aashu Patel and the first of photo-journalist, Dilip Thaker.

“We are glad that we have been able to launch the book in such a grand manner as is deserved by the subject of the book and the painstaking detailing provided by the author and photographer while conceiving the book,” concludes Shri Bhargav Patel.

COFFEE TABLE BOOK TO UNVEIL RARE & CANDID PICTURES OF PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI

Journalist Tales

Mumbai: India will soon get a first hand preview of Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi’s candid moments and memorable occasions. A coffee table book titled ‘Narendra Modi – A Visionary Prime Minister’ containing over 300 rare pictures compiled over a period of thirty years will be released in Mumbai on August 23. Edited by renowned Gujrati writer, Shri Aashu Patel and photographed by ace lensman, Shri Dilip Thaker, the book will be released bilingually in English and Gujrati.

“I can say confidently that this book is a class apart. Narendrabhai himself will be surprised with many of the photographs clicked by Dilip Thaker. Photographs of ribbon cutting and speeches have been published many times. But the moods, temperaments, activities and settings showcased in the book are stunning. Even if we keep aside the photographic skills, the range of pictures by itself astonish the senses,” says Aashu Patel who has edited the book besides having written twenty four other books in Gujarati including the bestseller ‘Madam X’ which is being made into a movie by Tigmanshu Dhulia and Anurag Kashyap.

Union Minister for Human Resources Development (HRD), Smt Smriti Irani will launch the book at a grand function at NSE Ground in the presence of BJP National Vice President, Shri Parshottam Rupala and Members of Parliament (MPs) Shri Paresh Rawal, Shri Kirit Somaiya, Shri Gopal Shetty, Smt Poonam Mahajan and other dignitaries.

“Attended by over ten thousand Gujratis from the city, this will be one of the largest book launches in the annals of Indian history. Photographs from the book will be put up for display at an exhibition at the venue. In addition the programme will have musicals by Falguni Pathak, Preeti-Pinki, Parthiv Gohil and others alongside entertainment programmes by Dilip Joshi and cast of Tarak Mehta Ka Ulta Chasma,” says Shri Bhargav Patel, President, Mumbai Gujarati Cell, BJP who has organized the launch. “The event will reflect every bit the grandioseness of the subject and the painstaking detailing provided by the author and photographer while conceiving the book.”

“The project has been very close to our hearts, especially because we have trailed Mr. Modi’s colorful journey in politics until eventually, his appointment as the PM of India. So we thought it’d be a great idea to share some of the little known and lighter shades of our PM’s life and times with everyone. Hopefully, people will love this book as much as we’ve enjoyed working on it,” says Mr. Dilip Thaker. “This coffee-table book is by far my greatest achievement. It has some rare photographs of Narendrabhai depicting his journey from Vadnagar, a small village in Gujarat to 7 Race Course in New Delhi,” concludes Mr. Thaker.

The English version of the book is published by the leading publishing house - Pentagon Press and the Gujarati version, by Navbharat Sahitya Mandir, one of the largest publishers in Gujrati. The coffee table book is the 25^th book of writer-journalist, Aashu Patel and the first of photo-journalist, Dilip Thaker.