Several actors and producers including leading actress Kangana Ranaut have expressed curiosity over Kant’s debut novel.
Chandigarh-based senior journalist Aditya Kant’s crime thriller novel ‘High on Kasol’ that uncovers the changing trends of drug trafficking and consumption in the Kullu valley has created flutter in Bollywood too, as it has evinced curiosity of several celebrities.
Several actors and producers including leading actress Kangana Ranaut have expressed curiosity over Kant’s debut novel. High On Kasol, figured amongst the top new hot releases amongst the Indian writers at Amazon soon after its release a few months ago.
In her message to author Aditya Kant, which went viral on social media, the lead actress of Thalaivii Kangana Ranaut mentioned that the idea of the mystery in the backdrop of Kasol was not only unique but also looked exciting.
Admiring the author and his work, the leading actress of critically acclaimed movie ‘Lunchbox’ and Akshay Kumar starrer ‘Airlift’, Nimrat Kaur too acknowledged that ‘High on Kasol’ had great potential.
The unputdownable suspense thriller meanwhile has also generated curiosity of the leading actors from TV and OTT platforms as well.
Famous TV and Bollywood actor Namit Das much appreciated for his role in Sushmata Sen starrer Aryan on Disney Hot Star, said, “I found the book very interesting as it deals with the conflicts which locals face with the outsiders and most importantly the drug problem the youth is facing in that area (read Kullu valley). The book he hoped gets a huge readership.
High on Kasol is a murder mystery, in which the story unfolds with the mysterious disappearance of an Israeli woman, who gets entrapped in a web of the drug syndicate.
Actor Sumit Vyas said, “The novel looks very exciting and unique and I hope it’s a fantastic read.” Vyas, known for supporting roles in Bollywood hits like ‘Veere Di Wedding’ and ‘English Vinglish’ predicted that the book looked impressive.
Singer, actor and producer Karan Oberoi, who hails from Chandigarh said the book is really nice, it’s well written and captivating. “The book has potential to be a good screen adaptation,” the Chandigarh born versatile artist said.
Popular TV actress Aalisha Panwar, who shot into fame with the crime thriller ‘Ishq mein Marjawan’ and found herself hooked to the novel said, “It’s an amazing story as far I have read it. The murder mystery in the backdrop of hills and the issue of drugs makes it an interesting read.”
The unique plot has caught attention of producers
In fact, the unique plot and the backdrop of the plot have caught attention of producers as well.
Karuna Badwal-Producer Red Chillies and Business Manager to Shahrukh Khan who was amongst the first few to have gone through the suspense thriller- while giving kudos to the debutant author in her tweet, said the book was a must-read for the lovers of a crime thriller. The co-producer of super hits like ‘Chennai Express’ and ‘Happy New Year’ opined that the racy plot of ‘High on Kasol’ with a vivid description of cannabis fields in the mysterious magic valley had all the ingredients one looks for adaptation into a motion picture or a web series.
The book has a catchy title, “High on Kasol” which author Aditya Kant explains, is a play on the traditional agriculture of psychedelic plants in the far-flung areas of small hamlets in the Himalayas, and the cruel aberrations in its trade.
Notably, the unputdownable crime thriller, High on Kasol has earlier drawn accolades from the dignitaries, when it was unveiled more than a month ago. The Governors of Punjab, Gujarat, and Himachal Pradesh who released the novel in their respective states last month have praised the author for the book which they acknowledged has a strong social message.
The then Punjab Governor V.P. Badnore while releasing the book at Raj Bhawan last month had tweeted that the author had done detailed research on the subject and he was looking forward to reading the book.
Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat too had mentioned that ‘High On Kasol’ carried a strong message for youth to shun and fight against drugs.
Himachal Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar while praising the author has suggested that ‘High on Kasol’ which gives a strong message of hope to those hooked to drugs, should be translated in Hindi and other languages too.
Aditya Kant, who has about 25 years of journalistic experience and has worked with the country’s leading English publications in Delhi, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, and Shimla says it took him about five years to research on the subject and complete the book. Kant is born and brought up in the hills and his background and familiarity with the valley, coupled with the journalistic experience helped him a lot in developing and writing the story.