Books on Toast | Interview with Deepa Mehta and Vivek Shanbhag for the JCB Prize for Literature + Reading Challenge @BooksonToast | Uploaded September 2018 | Updated October 2024, 25 minutes ago.
On the 5th of September, Anuya and Sharin sat down with Deepa Mehta, director extraordinaire and Vivek Shanbhag, celebrated author, to talk about the JCB Prize and the longlist that was just announced on the same day. In usual Books on Toast fashion, this conversation also included conversations about reading habits, their favourite books, book to screen adaptations and of course, there were bad jokes.

Join us for the JCB Shortlist Contest where (after reading the 10 books) you can tell us which 5 you think will make it to the shortlist. One lucky winner who is closest to the right answer gets to come to the glitzy JCB Award Ceremony in Delhi.

Join us using the hashtag: #JCBReadingChallenge and comment below and let us know what book you’re going to start with.

About the JCB Prize: The JCB Prize for Literature is a Rs 25-lakh award presented each year to a distinguished work of fiction by an Indian author, as selected by the jury.

The Prize aims to enhance the prestige of literary achievement in India, and to create greater visibility for contemporary Indian writing. It has a particular focus on translation, and hopes to introduce readers to many works of Indian literature written in languages other than their own.

More information on the prize: thejcbprize.org

While Deepa & Vivek are just two members of the jury, here is a full list of the Jury Members of the JCB Prize:
- Deepa Mehta, Film director (Chairperson)
- Vivek Shanbhag, Novelist and playwright
- Rohan Murty, Entrepreneur and scholar
- Priyamvada Natarajan, Theoretical astrophysicist and author
- Arshia Sattar, Translator and expert in Indian classical languages

Rana Dasgupta, novelist and essayist is the literary chair this year.

Books on Toast on Patreon: patreon.com/booksontoast


The JCB Longlist Books (in no particular order):

All the Lives We Never Lived by Anuradha Roy
Buy: amzn.in/d/8Ui8VPI
Kindle: amzn.in/d/851reOI

Jasoda: A Novel by Kiran Nagarkar
Buy: amzn.in/d/3faCrFN
Kindle: amzn.in/d/aRhpOzu

Latitudes of Longing by Shubhangi Swarup
Buy: amzn.in/d/eekUumZ
Kindle: amzn.in/d/0DCm9It

Half the Night is Gone by Amitabha Bagchi
Buy: amzn.in/d/5uwW7Tb

Jasmine Days by Benyamin
Buy: amzn.in/d/eqrAEFZ

Empire by Devi Yesodharan
Buy: amzn.in/d/0oulUw3

Poonachi: Or the Story of a Black Goat by Perumal Murugan
Buy: amzn.in/d/2XoeBqD
Kindle: amzn.in/d/hNRfeV9

The Book of Chocolate Saints by Jeet Thayil
Buy: amzn.in/d/i9JSHpB
Kindle: amzn.in/d/dc6oylS

Clouds by Chandrahas Choudhury
Buy: amzn.in/d/cLuQWTb
Kindle: amzn.in/d/iRhkFRT

When the Moon Shines by Day by Nayantara Sahgal
Buy: amzn.in/d/fEZptzi
Kindle: amzn.in/d/imu22gV

Other Books That Were Discussed In The Video:

Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin
Buy: amzn.in/gnSBPPp
Kindle: amzn.in/d/1lDSSxM

In My Father's Court by Isaac Bashevis Singer
Link: amzn.in/d/fuMKzXw

Ghachar Ghochar by Vivek Shanbhag
Buy: amzn.in/d/gEbJ8bt
Kindle: amzn.in/d/eTUusyk

The Books on Toast BoTCast is a weekly show where we discuss literature: the good, the bad, the timepass, the serious, the best, the worst and everything else in between. We have a new guest and topic in every episode, so be sure to check back every Wednesday to see waddup!

Shot and edited by: Yohann Benson
Second Camera: Siddharth Tankariya
Sound Recording and Mixing: Akash Kumar, Culture Shoq Productions
Venue: St Regis Hotel, Lower Parel

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