~Lal Salaam humanises the daily conflicts and ethical dilemmas that are intrinsic to modern life ~

Politician and former actor Smriti Zubin Irani launched her debut novel, Lal Salaam, an action-packed thriller, at an evening hosted by the iconic Jaipur Literature Festival. The book was unveiled in the capital by Vir Sanghvi and S. Prasannarajan, Editor, Open Magazine, amidst a large number of book-lovers. Inspired by the tragic killings of 76 CRPF personnel in Dantewada in April 2010, the book is a tribute to the exceptional men and women who have given a lifetime of service to the country, especially in confronting the challenges in the red corridor. Published by Westland Publications (an Amazon company), the book is now available on stores and online e-tailing platforms.

Expressing her views about the book, Smriti Zubin Irani said, “I write not to bore. For me it was essential not to have a moment in the book where the readers felt the need to put down the book. I need to ensure that I capture the attention and imagination of my readers. I want them to enjoy and feel every emotion in the book. Before even writing the book, I had the entire plot in my mind and that didn’t change even once when I started to finally write. I finished the novel in eight months.”

The upcoming 15th edition of Jaipur Literature Festival, a haven for literature-lovers and festival-goers, will run on-ground from 28th January to 1st February 2022 and virtual sessions will go live from 28th January to 6th February with an extended online experience. The evening, celebrating the book Lal Salaam, was a pre-cursor to the upcoming Festival that will combine the optimism and the sheer joy that only books can bring – and deliver a unique experience both online & on-ground.

Lal Salaam is the story of a young officer, Vikram Pratap Singh, and the challenges an idealistic law-enforcer faces when the system is steeped in backroom politics and corruption. It is the gripping tale of a struggle against overwhelming odds, and of men and women who fight these odds with courage, ingenuity and resilience.