Once smitten, never shy

The classical dancer and teacher at Hyderabad Public School Pujita Krishna amongst many other things was also a short story writer during her college days and has been a dance critic in newspapers.Interestingly, her debut book ‘Smitten’ had been written 10 years ago as a commissioned work for a Chennai-based publishing start-up that never took off. 

The female centric easy to read comic caper underwent a few revisions through the years. Pujita, who was busy with her dance and social work eventually put it on back burner until her cousin Padma and sister Kavita coaxed her into publishing the book. 

Pujita’s protagonist Jayanti Rao is vulnerable yet practical woman. Like many women in the modern age she seems to have had everything, but battles with her disappointments and doubts. She is not happy and seeks fulfilment of her desires and aspirations. Rather than finding them in a long-drawn relationship, she finds it in a man, who she realises is entangled with the world of crime. 

Pujita weaves Jayanti’s story in her witty and engagingly conversational style. Being from Hyderabad, and by virtue of loving and hating the city at the same time, the author makes the city of Nizams a part of her book; lanes, bylanes, places and legends all find a mention in the love story. 

Pujita launched her book amidst family, friends and her dance colleagues. Rajeshwari Kalyanam, Features Editor, The Hans India was the chief guest and the author’s cousin and book editor Padmamalini G Rao and sister Kavita Krishna received the first copies along with her dance Guru Anupama Kailash.