Rushdie coming to India to promote 'Midnight's Children'

Controversial author Salman Rushdie is set to visit India on a promotional tour for Deepa Mehta's "Midnight's Children", based on his Booker Prize-winning novel of the same name. He says "it's a great feeling".

The promotional activity will take place Jan 24, at books and music retail store Landmark at a south Delhi mall.

"It's a great feeling to be visiting Landmark and talking about my book, 'Midnight's Children', which has been made into a movie by my friend Deepa Mehta," Rushdie said in a statement.

He is likely to visit other cities as well. However, the plans are being kept under wraps for security reasons.

Rushdie, who last visited India in March 2012, was stopped from attending the Jaipur Literature Festival in January 2012 for the fear of protests over his controversial book "The Satanic Verses".

Nevertheless, he is excited about spreading buzz about "Midnight's Children", for which he turned his 600-page book into a screenplay.

"The book is an enthralling family tale and a surprising evocation of a vast land and its people. It is a vivid manifestation of the universal human comedy. It is a pure story, an ebullient, portrayal of characters which leaves the reader thinking about finding the much needed voice for the country's Independence," he added.

Indian-Canadian filmmaker Deepa Mehta, who has helmed the big screen adaptation, says: "The movie covers over 60 years in the turbulent history of India and Pakistan."
The movie will be released in India by PVR Pictures Feb 1.