The small, quiet town of Rangvihar is tucked away from the hustle and bustle of Delhi and presents a peaceful veneer until a veil lifts to reveal the real faces of people behind the happy masks.
Six women with troubled pasts, each for reasons of their own, have moved to Rangvihar. The group -Falguni, Kesri, Gunjan, Asha, Farzeen, and Rani become good friends, forming a safe sisterhood. They want to start life afresh but fate has different plans for them.
The women discover the dangers of lurking in the town when Falguni’s teenage daughter goes missing. Shocking truths emerge about an ongoing human trafficking racket and the plot thickens with more disappearances and deaths. Despite the help of local police, the women find themselves in trapped, but even as they navigate out of the crisis, they unearth unexpected secrets about each other.
Will they continue to stay united and fight together, or go their separate ways, leaving Rangvihar forever? What is the price they have to pay to find peace again?
In an interview with Surabhi Pandey for India Currents, author Sreya Sarkar discusses her debut novel Beneath the Veneer, in which she explores the strength of female friendships and the fight for social justice.
What came to you first, the plot or the characters of the book?
The climax of the plot came to me first. Then I focused on world-building. The characters followed one by one. The finer details of the plot were driven by the characters and their motivation. When I started writing the book, my goal was to address the difficult topic of women trafficking in big cities and to stitch into that the personal struggles of women from different social backgrounds.
The strong friendship ties among female characters are the heart of the story and they throw light on the need for social justice. Tell us how you wove the themes into the story.
The thread bringing together the characters is the trauma they suffered in a society that does not prioritize women’s needs and is indifferent to the everyday difficulties they face. I was inspired by the Indian household, supported by a network of informal transactions and relationships among women. Hidden in these everyday transactions are stories of friendship that go unnoticed. I thought what if such a group of women are brought together and inserted in a crisis that reminds all of them how they have suffered? That is how the book emerged.
The character Rani, an athlete, faces challenges that threaten her dignity. What was your inspiration for this character?
Women athletes in India have always faced more challenges than men and continue to do so. The recent case of Vinesh Phogat is a reminder of how even a promising wrestler like her can be defeated by the politics in her country as she goes to compete in the Olympics. Rani’s character is inspired by Dutee Chand’s story; how she was banned from participating as a sprinter because of no fault of hers and had to fight a difficult battle with the athletics federation to end the ban.
Tell us about your favorite scene or chapter.
I enjoyed writing about the pickle factory. Kesri, the factory owner’s backstory is wrapped in a chapter that describes the factory. It shows why and how it became a haven for its workers. It also stands as a testament to how hard Kesri had to fight at multiple fronts not only to erect it but to keep it running as well. I don’t personally like eating pickles but while researching and writing about it, I did try some unique varieties and it reminded me of my home. It brought back memories of how my mother and grandmother used to dry mangoes in the sun and prepare the brine for pickling during my summer vacations.
What was the most difficult part of writing this book?
My book covered solemn topics so there were days when writing some of the chapters felt challenging especially when I had to step into the character’s shoes. The emotions that crept in created a volatility that touched other parts of my life and made me realize how trying to write authentic feelings takes a toll on writers. I learned that It’s sometimes important to know when to stop and step back from the imaginary world even if that breaks your writing flow for a while. My stopping delayed my writing and I felt guilty about it initially but then I also realized that it’s important to take care of myself emotionally.
Was there anything that surprised you about your own writing?
I was surprised when I started editing my book. When I read my work as a reader, I thought I was overdoing and overexpressing and ended up rewriting parts of it to make it simpler. There are days when I am surprised when I read something I have written before. The sensibility and tonality seem different, but that tells me that we are continuously growing as individuals, readers, and writers.
Are you planning on writing a sequel to Beneath the Veneer?
Women-centric stories are close to my heart. A few readers have told me that they would love to know what happens to some of these characters in the future or see more deeply into their pasts. Perhaps I will pick up the trail of one or two characters sometime in the future and write a sequel or prequel, but right now, I am exploring other topics like climate change.
Do you have a daily writing ritual?
I try to tackle the creative writing part early in the morning when I am fresh. I write without caring about the editing. I let it flow from me in its rawest form. I live in a small town in New England and am surrounded by nature so I often sit outside and write when the weather allows it. As the day proceeds I move on to reading, researching, and drafting articles for the news magazines I freelance for. In the evenings I try to turn to editing what I have written in the past.
Any advice for aspiring novelists?
Anyone aspiring to write should read as much as they can, not only the genres that they prefer but dip into other genres as well. That way they learn which genre will suit their writing best. My experience has taught me that the topic one chooses to write on is also important. One has to feel passionately about it for only that brings out the authentic voice of a writer.
