Poona Company — Farrukh Dhondy

Dhondy, who was born in Pune, India, writes in POONA COMPANY about people he knew. The stories are touching, sad and funny, but all of them are full of life which assures readers that Dhondy is talking of people he knew well. He writes about street people who make book on the NYSE cotton market, about a Hindu in love with an Arab, about a man who never works but always watches. The stories are from Dhondy's childhood to early manhood, and while a strong setting never emerges, strong emotions do.

Farrukh Dhondy is a writer, columnist and former Commissioning Editor of Channel 4 TV. As a commissioning editor he has been acknowledged as the originator of a trend of international cinema from India, having commissioned Salaam Bombay, Mississippi Masala, Bandit Queen and for initiating and sponsoring the careers of Mira Nair, Shekhar Kapoor, Mira Syal and others. He has written fifteen books published in the UK, the USA and India, written widely for British TV, in the comedy and drama genres. His most recent film, The Rising, starring Aamir Khan, was released in its Bollywood version last year and is soon to be released in its ‘international' English version. It will be the first film to be given two distinct treatments for very different audiences. His other recent films included Red Mercury which has been released in several festivals to great critical acclaim and will be shortly released theatrically. He is working with Ketan Mehta on the next film from the Indian Mutiny Trilogy and has five other screenplays in pre-production and under production.