The Welsh aren’t the only ones who are seeing new translations of vintage works. Now, those who speak Hindi can read Tintin as well. Below is a story from The Times of India that says that Tintin has found yet another audience in the world. The article was first published in October so I imagine that the Tintin books have recently made it to market. But what is UP with that whole “Class B and C cities” remark. C’mon India, Get with the program!
In India, there’s a huge market for good Hindi translations of major international works and this is set to grow. Tintin will make its debut in Hindi in a couple of weeks. So too will Paulo Coelho’s The Witch of Portobello. The Hindi version of Rhonda Byrne’s The Secret, which led The New York Times’ bestseller list last year, recently reached a book store near you. Many more are on their way. And publishers are almost certain they have cracked the formula for success.
But who will read them? Judging by the different genres, it is obvious that publishers see a potential readership base cutting across generations. Tintin comics transcend these barriers, anyway. Ajay Mago, publisher of Om Books International, the brain behind the translated Tintin, is so sure of its success that each of the 24 Tintin titles will have a 10,000-copy first print-run. ‘‘Tintin is adventure, mystery, fun – all rolled into one,’’ Mago explains. ‘‘Tintin has been a perennial favourite worldwide, and has been loved by Indians too.’’
Rakheja is sure people in Class B and C cities [WHAT!?!] will snap up these Hindi translations. For some, he says, it’s about higher levels of comfort in Hindi, as compared to English. For others, it simply boils down to price. ‘‘An average international book, costs Rs 550 in English. But in Hindi, it’s available for less than half the price,’’ he says. ‘‘People also buy them so that more people in the family, especially the elderly, can read a famous book.’’
But there’s more than meets the eye about Tintin’s forthcoming adventures in Hindi. Publishers believe there’s a change of attitude among the English-speaking elite who had a tendency to look down on those who speak regional languages. ‘‘It’s cool once again to read Hindi,’’ says Karthika. ‘‘People are awed by someone who is proficient in English as well as one’s own language.’’ Chetan Bhagat, whose novels, Five Point Someone and One Night @ Call Center, have been released in Hindi, says the real challenge is that ‘‘a young person shouldn’t feel it’s uncool to hold a Hindi book.’’
(pallavi.srivastava[at]timesgroup.com)
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