'Poona Company' : Good News

(click to enlarge and read quote by Salman Rushdie on cover)

Back in August 2005 I wrote here about 'Poona Company' a novel by
Farrukh Dhondy, the author/screenwriter and catalyst for projects like
'Salaam Bombay' by Mira Nair. Mr. Dhondy, like myself, attended
The Bishops' School in Pune, albeit a few years before I did.
Still, the overall mood and pace of those schoolboy days he mentions
were evident even as late as 1967 when I passed the ISC Exams.
I never was able to read let alone get a copy of the book, which seems
to be unavailable even at Amazon.com. But in true Bishops' School spirit,
an ex-Bishopite in Germany named Rolf sent in scans of the cover pic
(above) and the first part of the book (below) as a teaser/consolation.
(Rolf, I cannot thank you enough for all the updates and photos !)





Fortunately the Poona story hasn't died with the unavailability of the novel.
The brilliant folks at Endboard in the U.K. have a fine sense for unusual,
personal stories and are now in collaboration with Mr. Dhondy as they have
gained the necessary momentum for a film version of the novel....how totally
awesome will that be ! An international release for a movie about my old
hometown AND school....stay tuned.

Earlier Bishops' School-related posts