Om-Books at the Frankfurt Book Fair - Exclusive Interview with Ajay Mago
It's the day before the official opening of the Frankfurt International Book fair. All carpets are still covered with plastic, there ist still work going on at the stalls. The huge area hums with sounds, but only few people can be seen. A funny feeling creeps up inside me. At normal Fair days there is a bustle of crowds with mobile at the ear and books in arms. The escalators and glides are empty. A little eerie, somehow.
But I have a date in hall 8, with the international publishers, and that's where I am going now. It is a long way, from the City Entrance to my destination I almost need 20 minutes. Finally I reach stall P 915. A man sits at a small table and prepares the decorations for his stall.
"Ajay?" I ask, "Ajay Mago?"
He gets up and greets me with a nice hug. And at once points at the books on the shelf behind him. That's what I have come for.
Ajay Mago, the boss of Om Books International, takes the first copy of Mushtaq Shiekh's book "Shah Rukh Can" and hands it to me.
"Beautiful", I say excitedly. And when will it be in the book stores? "Shah Rukh Can will now be published in November", he says. Why has there been a delay? And how is Mushtaq?
He laughs. "Mushtaq is very busy. He does five films at the same time. He hardly sleeps. In the last few weeks he has completely freaked out!"
But why does he do this, I ask and I am concerned.
"Well, he got the opportunities and he uses them."
So we can look forward to films with good scripts, I conclude.
Then I am in for the next surprise. Ajay Mago hands me a dummy copy of the German edition. "Shah Rukh Kann" I am truly excited. It looks fantastic! And I take a deep breath to ask my favourite question: "When?"
"It will be on the market in December. We found a publisher for it in Germany. We would have liked it to be published at an earlier date, but now German readers have to wait until December."
He shakes his head. "It is difficult to find a publisher in Germany. Every one seems to know Shah Rukh Khan, even the taxi driver or the people in the hotel know Shah Rukh. And in spite of this the search for a publisher is difficult. I do not understand this, we get offers from France or Italy, but here? For Mushtaq's book on Om Shanti Om we have decided to publish the German edition ourselves. We plan to launch it in January, the edition will be a little different, though. Mushtaq will exchange some photos and use some new, yet unpublished ones."
Wonderful news! He invites me for a cup of coffee. The café bar in the hall is still a provisional one. Ajay Mago looks hesitantly at the food on display, the German cakes are new to him, he decides to have a muffin but eyes my apple cake with interest. I offer him some to try. He takes the juicy piece into his mouth and it seems as if someone had switched on a lamp inside him: The man beams with delight! Very well then, apple cake... I will remember that.
I discover one of Mushtaq's earlier books, long out of print, which he is going to relaunch. "Devdas - the Indian Hamlet" And again my favourite question: "When can the readers look forward to this?" "In the spring of 2009, we think we will have it ready in February."
"And do you plan a German edition too?" I ask. Ajay Mago beams at me. I smile back.
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