Crossword launches Piyush Jha’s book ‘MUMBAISTAN’

PRLog (Press Release) - Sep. 7, 2012 - Crossword launches Piyush Jha’s book ‘MUMBAISTAN’

Mumbai, 6th September, 2012: Crossword – India’s leading lifestyle bookstore, launched revered Bollywood Director & ad film maker - Piyush Jha’s book MUMBAISTAN. From making commercials for some of the country’s largest brands to writing and directing feature films like Chalo America, King of Bollywood and Sikandar, Piyush has expanded his creativity to penning down fiction. Present with the author at the launch was Film & TV Producer Ekta Kapoor and actor Arunoday Singh.

The fiction thriller ‘Mumbaistan’ is a gritty, compelling take on the megalopolis that lives on the edge. Set against Piyush’ beloved city, it is a tale about three fast-paced crime thrillers in Mumbai. A city of dreams for many but a nightmare for some. Behind the fades of lustre and glamour churns a seething underbelly of squalor, corruption and crime. Mumbaistan’s three explosive crime novellas unravel the subterranean secrets of maximum city from the teeming maw of Dharavi and the wanton streets of Kamathipura to the swank high-rises of Bandra. A prostitute, her lover and a policeman play for high stakes in Bomb-Day. Injectionwala exposes chilling medical malpractices and a lovelorn vigilante’s twisted game plan. In Coma Man, a man awakens from coma after twenty years, and sets out in search of his wife and himself. Macabre love stories, conniving cops and hard-boiled slumlords form the backdrop of a schizophrenic city that is brooding...dying.

Speaking at the launch, Piyush Jha said, “I have wanted to put down my thoughts and stories in writing for a long time, which makes ‘Mumbaistan’ very special. It is deep with years of experience, observation and inspiration. I hope you all have fun reading it, as much as I have had writing. I thank my fans, Rupa Publishing and Crossword for all their help and support.”  

Mr. Kinjal Shah, COO, Crossword Bookstores said, “Crossword is happy to host the launch of Mumbaistan. From creating ads to making films and now to launching his first book, creativity has no boundaries for Piyush. It is interesting to venture in this avenue. We wish all the best.”

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About the Author: Piyush Jha is an acclaimed film director, ad filmmaker and a first-time novelist. A student political leader at university, he pursued a career in advertising management later acquiring an MBA degree. Later, he switched tracks, first to make commercials for some of the countrys largest brands, and then write and direct feature films. His films include Chalo America, King of Bollywood and Sikandar. He lives in his beloved Mumbai, where he can often be found walking the streets that inspire his stories.

About Crossword: Crossword is India’s leading bookstore chain, which has pioneered the lifestyle bookstore concept in India. It was ranked the 6th most admired retailer in India by Business World for the year 2006 and was the only book retailer in the top 10. Crossword won the Reid & Taylor Award for Best Retailer of the year – Leisure & Specialty at the India Retail Summit 2005, 2007 & 2009. It won the Retailer of the Year Award - Leisure (Books, Music and Gifts Category) at the Images Retail Awards 2005 & 2007. Crossword received the Federation of Indian Publishers Award for excellence in Publishing for the year 2004 on 18th June 2005 at the hands of Shri Arjun Singh, Minister of Human Resource Development.

Launched in 1992, Crossword currently has 81 stores across 23 cities in the country in Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Chennai, Delhi, Durgapur, Hyderabad, Indore, Jaipur, Kolkata, Kota, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nashik, Nagpur, Pune, Siliguri, Udaipur, Vadodara Vapi and Vijayawada.