Jane Austen’s influence lives on

The author of novels such as Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility and Emma, Austen’s influence lives on till this day, given the number of adaptations that keep popping up.

The adaptations have become a part of popular culture, most notably, the Colin Firth ‘wet shirt’ scene from the BBC’s adaptation of Pride and Prejudice that has made millions swoon since it was first aired in 1995. The Guardian called the scene ‘one of the most unforgettable moments in British TV history’. Colin Firth’s wet shirt and the BBC adaptation, even features in Helen Fielding’s books Bridget Jones’ Diary and Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, as Bridget Jones and her friends are obsessed with the plotline and Firth’s role as Darcy.

Other prominent adaptations include Ang Lee’s Sense and Sensibility, which had Emma Thompson, Rupert Everett, Kate Winslet and Hugh Grant in the cast.

Bollywood hasn’t been immune from Austen’s influence either. A heavily critiqued desi adaptation of her work was Gurinder Chadha’s Bride and Prejudice which starred Aishwarya Rai. The other major adaptation releases this August, called Aisha, which stars Sonam Kapoor and Abhay Deol. The film is an adaptation of Emma and is based on the lives of the upper crust in Delhi.

‘I am eccentric and a maverick’

The last time I saw Jaswant Singh was in a small study at his New Delhi home. He sat behind a pile of books listening to Vivaldi. His eyes were of a discoverer thrashing through a jungle of overgrown foliage covered in fog. Before him lay his typed manuscript covered with handwritten corrections in red. Two years into his voyage, the author of Jinnah: India-Partition Independence had finally arrived at his destination. He was in Islamabad last week to describe that journey.

I missed interviewing Jaswant Singh. The Indian High Commission came between us. Many of his media interviews got canceled because of commitments nobody had any control over. The launch of his book started an hour late because he was suddenly called to the presidency. The throng waiting to hear him was told to go get another cup of tea. When the launch was over, all rushed towards him. Then there were television crews shoving their cameras in his face asking him repeated questions. He looked exhausted. Finally his son came to his rescue.

“Why do you cover your head?” I ask Chitra Kumari, Jaswant’s daughter-in-law. She has a green chiffon sari on. “It’s our custom,” says the pleasant looking mother of two. “She began covering her head after marriage,” adds Manvendra Singh, Jaswant’s son. He wears a black Nehru jacket with a dapper red silk handkerchief dangling out.