Set in the politically charged atmosphere of Amritsar in 1919, the novel follows Aruna, an Anglo-Indian schoolteacher and Ayaz, a spirited Muslim student activist who fall in love. Their relationship faces numerous challenges—not just due to their different backgrounds, but also because his political activism threatens their romance.
As the clock ticks down, Aruna must find her lover to warn him about General Dyer’s impending attack on Jallianwala Bagh, a walled village green in Amritsar, Punjab.
Will she make it in time? ‘Playtime at the Bagh’ during Baisakhi is a metaphor for General Dyer’s brutal play of bullets at Jallianwala Bagh on April 13th, 1919.
While the love story is fictional, the historical backdrop is very real. The Jallianwala Bagh massacre ignited India's struggle for independence, which was finally achieved in 1947.
Themes of freedom, anti-sedition, interfaith relationships, and communalism are as relevant today as they were then.
The MidWest Book Review says "the psychology of motivation and relationships which simmer beneath the emerging political struggle makes Vermilion Harvest a powerful read."
Saugata Mukherjee, of Warner Media India, calls it a "stunning love story amidst one of the darkest moments in modern Indian history."
Reenita Hora is the unrivaled 'Nora Ephron' of South Asian storytelling, spinning yarns as eclectic as Mumbai's iconic 'Bhel Puri' – a tantalizing concoction of flavors.
Her stories star a motley crew of characters caught in the whirlwind of gloriously imperfect scenarios, all while stubbornly refusing to sell out, and her writing, unapologetically Indian, pulses with the rich colors and rhythms of her culture, deftly blending humor and authenticity.
In her previous life, Reenita was a journalist, editor, and writer for platforms like National Geographic Kids, Disney India, Cartoon Network Asia, the New York Times, CNN, Radio Television Hong Kong, and Bloomberg. Her awards and accolades include the Eric Hoffer Book Award, IndieReader Discovery Award, Santa Barbara International Screenplay Award, Script2Comic, Launchpad, and Emerging Screenwriters awards, and second round consideration (OPERATION MOM) for the Sundance Institute Development Slate.
No one-trick pony though, she's the brains behind not one but two rib-tickling podcasts: the 'True Fiction Project' (where reality takes a hilarious nosedive into the scripted world) and 'Shadow Realm' (a magical portal to riveting narrative fiction). She's honed her screenwriting skills through topnotch programs like Writers’ Bootcamp and Roadmap Writers, so you know she means business.
And, there’s more! She has optioned her book, Ace of Blades, and her screenplay, SHADOW REALM. What's next? Brace yourself for Festival of Lights published by Harper Collins and Vermilion Harvest: Playtime at the Bagh published by Indignor Press, coming soon to a bookshelf near you!
Reenita's website
Go here for the interview at Coffee with the Dog
Writer's Life Magazine
Article in LA Weekly
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