| Om-Books at the Frankfurt Book Fair - Exclusive | | | | "Shah Rukh Kann" I am truly excited. It looks |
| Interview with Ajay Mago | | | | fantastic! And I take a deep breath to ask my |
| It's the day before the official opening of the | | | | favourite question: "When?" |
| Frankfurt International Book fair. All carpets are | | | | "It will be on the market in December. We found |
| still covered with plastic, there ist still work going | | | | a publisher for it in Germany. We would have liked |
| on at the stalls. The huge area hums with sounds, | | | | it to be published at an earlier date, but now |
| but only few people can be seen. A funny feeling | | | | German readers have to wait until December." |
| creeps up inside me. At normal Fair days there is | | | | He shakes his head. "It is difficult to find a |
| a bustle of crowds with mobile at the ear and | | | | publisher in Germany. Every one seems to know |
| books in arms. The escalators and glides are | | | | Shah Rukh Khan, even the taxi driver or the |
| empty. A little eerie, somehow. | | | | people in the hotel know Shah Rukh. And in spite |
| But I have a date in hall 8, with the international | | | | of this the search for a publisher is difficult. I do |
| publishers, and that's where I am going now. It is | | | | not understand this, we get offers from France |
| a long way, from the City Entrance to my | | | | or Italy, but here? For Mushtaq's book on Om |
| destination I almost need 20 minutes. Finally I | | | | Shanti Om we have decided to publish the |
| reach stall P 915. A man sits at a small table and | | | | German edition ourselves. We plan to launch it in |
| prepares the decorations for his stall. | | | | January, the edition will be a little different, though. |
| "Ajay?" I ask, "Ajay Mago?" | | | | Mushtaq will exchange some photos and use |
| He gets up and greets me with a nice hug. And at | | | | some new, yet unpublished ones." |
| once points at the books on the shelf behind him. | | | | Wonderful news! He invites me for a cup of |
| That's what I have come for. | | | | coffee. The café bar in the hall is still a |
| Ajay Mago, the boss of Om Books International, | | | | provisional one. Ajay Mago looks hesitantly at the |
| takes the first copy of Mushtaq Shiekh's book | | | | food on display, the German cakes are new to |
| "Shah Rukh Can" and hands it to me. | | | | him, he decides to have a muffin but eyes my |
| "Beautiful", I say excitedly. And when will it be in | | | | apple cake with interest. I offer him some to try. |
| the book stores? "Shah Rukh Can will now be | | | | He takes the juicy piece into his mouth and it |
| published in November", he says. Why has there | | | | seems as if someone had switched on a lamp |
| been a delay? And how is Mushtaq? | | | | inside him: The man beams with delight! Very well |
| He laughs. "Mushtaq is very busy. He does five | | | | then, apple cake... I will remember that. |
| films at the same time. He hardly sleeps. In the | | | | I discover one of Mushtaq's earlier books, long out |
| last few weeks he has completely freaked out!" | | | | of print, which he is going to relaunch. "Devdas - |
| But why does he do this, I ask and I am | | | | the Indian Hamlet" And again my favourite |
| concerned. | | | | question: "When can the readers look forward to |
| "Well, he got the opportunities and he uses them." | | | | this?" "In the spring of 2009, we think we will |
| So we can look forward to films with good | | | | have it ready in February." |
| scripts, I conclude. | | | | "And do you plan a German edition too?" I ask. |
| Then I am in for the next surprise. Ajay Mago | | | | Ajay Mago beams at me. I smile back. |
| hands me a dummy copy of the German edition. | | | | |