They Came They Conquered

Madhan while explaining historical events uses modern similes. Absolutely the best thing to do. He is actually making history interesting and identifiable. In spite of being a cartoonist in his previous avatar Madhan did not caricature the Moghul Emperors and their subjects. I am so pleased he did not sit on judgement as a south Indian non-Muslim writer. Reading the original version in Tamil is an experience. Most literary works are lost in translation. Yet, this translation has done its best to lose very little in translation. Madhan has worked on screenplays with me. He has used none of those skills acquired from that experience. Screen writing skills can be the bane of historic chronicling. Madhan having the experience of editing popular magazines and weeklies understood the immediacy of narration however old the story was. He dared to lampoon despotic politicians and has faced legal action for it. In the Thamizh version’s preface, Sujata - a great Thamizh fiction writer opines, that the caustic criticisms and threats of police action are the actual validation of his excellence and earnestness... I fully endorse that statement. Bravo! - Kamal Haasan