Goethe Darbaar | Let’s Speculate: Fiction and the real world

Speculative fiction transcends the boundaries of reality, offering writers a canvas where imagination knows no bounds. But why does this fantastical realm often resonate more deeply with our understanding of reality than straightforward realism?

In this engaging event, esteemed author and filmmaker Samit Basu, known for works like "The Jinn-Bot of Shantiport", "Chosen Spirits", "Turbulence" and the GameWorld Trilogy, joins writer Gigi Ganguly, acclaimed for her thought-provoking narratives such as "One Arm Shorter than the Other" and "Bio Peculiar," to unravel the mysteries of speculative fiction. Together with moderator Rishi Majumder, they will explore how speculative fiction serves as a conduit for writers to articulate truths they couldn't express otherwise, hiding profound insights beneath the cloak of the supernatural.
 

Artists

© Samit Basu Samit Basu
Samit is an Indian author and filmmaker. His most recent novels, published by Tor in North America, are The Jinn-Bot of Shantiport (Goodreads Choice SF shortlist, 2023) and The City Inside (best SFF of 2022 - The Washington Post and Book Riot, JCB Prize shortlist). He’s published several novels in a range of speculative genres, all critically acclaimed and bestselling in India, beginning with The Simoqin Prophecies (2003). He also works as a director-screenwriter, comics writer, and columnist. Samit lives in Delhi, Kolkata, and on the internet.

© Gigi Ganguly Gigi Ganguly
Gigi has a Masters in Creative Writing from the University of Limerick in Ireland. Her first book, a novella titled One Arm Shorter Than The Other, was published by Atthis Arts in 2022. Her second book, a short story collection titled Biopeculiar, was published by Westland in 2024. She is currently working on a novel about AI and consciousness.

Moderator

© Rishi Majumder Rishi Majumder
Rishi Majumder is the co-founder of the creative agency Oijo and the online history project Indian History Collective. He has also been a co-producer of the global music show BalconyTV as well as a part of the team that brought it to India. He has been an editor, columnist and correspondent with various media outlets, in India and abroad, and continues to write and speak on politics, policy and culture.