A Literary Evening at KCC: Unveiling Giyas Ali’s Love & His Time Alone

Report by

Rai Saha

BAJMC Sem 1 

Poster of the Event 

AMI Arts Festival, an initiative of KCC, hosted an evocative and intellectually charged book launch and reading session of ‘Giyas Ali’s Love & His Time Alone’ by Sadique Hossain on 30th November, 6:00–7:30 PM, at the KCC (Kolkata Centre for Creativity), 4th Floor with AHAVA Readers & Writers Club participating in The River of Words 2025—a literary celebration executed by Sufia Khatoon on behalf of Antonyms Publishers. The book, translated by Dr. Nandini Gupta, Professor of Electrical Engineering at IIT Kanpur, was at the centre of the evening’s discussion. 

Prof. Moumita De Das of Amity School of Communication and the Editor of ASCOPE was invited as one of the panelists to this prestigious discussion by AHAVA founders Mona Sen Gupta and Sushroota Sarkar.

The illustrious panel

L-R Dr. Nandini Gupta, the translator and the author Sadique Hossain 

along with Prof. Moumita De Das

Prof. Moumita De Das during her session along with the moderator 

Tathagata Roy, founder of Theatrician and cyber specialist, Reetwika Banerjee

Sadique Hossain, a Bengali writer and graphic designer from West Bengal and the Yuva Puraskar winner of 2012, shared in his introductory speech that he began writing this book through his phantom visions, which helped him shape the narratives without relying on conventional character archetypes. His writing, shaped partly by Latin American magical realism, offers sharp observations on situational politics through ordinary, native eyes. This book, too, extends that vision into a layered world of faith, guilt, desire and cultural memory.

Although the session was scheduled to be moderated by Mona Sen Gupta, a sudden loss of voice led to the responsibilities being handed over to Tathagata Chowdhury, who opened with his perspective on a “comedy of menace”—a category into which parts of the text subtly fall.

 The early segment reflected on the role of translation, with all the panellists collectively emphasising that translators do not merely translate language but translate culture. Translator Dr. Nandini Gupta’s treatment was praised for preserving Hossain’s unique writing rhythm, while Saira Shah Halim highlighted how the Bengali Muslim identity is rooted in a plural cultural soul shaped by everyday experiences—from the early-morning azaan to the fragrance of biryani and long-standing musical traditions. She noted that faith in Bengal has historically been an intrinsic, unquestioned part of life, Halim also pointed out the stark contrasts between the Muslim communities of Uttar Pradesh and Bengal, which create a nuanced tension between faith and longing. Gopa Bhattacharjee reflected on Hossain’s exclusive writing pattern and his nuanced depiction of internal conflicts, reinforcing the cultural and emotional depth embedded in the narrative.

 

The audience at KCC

Further contributions enriched the dialogue: Sarbani Chattopadhyay highlighted how the narrative transforms love from an emotion into a sensory experience; Pallavi Ghosal discussed how theology emerges through the parrot as a symbolic device; and Joyeeta Maiti praised the striking “bulbul and the duck” section for its stylistic distinctiveness. Shaowli Chakraborty emphasised the role of action in externalising the emotional and psychological dimensions of the story, offering insight into the writer’s thought process. Moumita De Das echoed earlier observations on the translator’s deep immersion into the writer’s world, while Tathagata Chowdhury, as moderator, remarked that certain sections of the book radiate the atmospheric intensity of a Tarantino film and even evoke anti-Christ-like imagery. Reetwika Banerjee shared that the book offered him a vivid visualisation of the rural heartland, and Amritendu Mukherjee reflected on how the rural setting interacts with a modern writing style, creating a striking literary contrast. While the discussion was enriched by these insightful panellists, several valued attendees such as Anindita Sarbadhicari, Sourabh Mukherjee, and Madhumita Roy Chowdhury were also deeply missed during the session.

 

Rai and Teerthankar from ASCOPE covering the event

The session concluded with reflections on how the book’s vivid imagery and the protagonist’s emotional landscape sparked discussions on guilt, grief, loss, and the limits of understanding. Hossain’s narrative invited readers’ active participation, and similar thematic threads resonated across the audience, a shared sense of engagement and appreciation for the text’s cultural and emotional depth.

Photographs by: Teerthankar Basak